EV charging guide
Having EV charging stations at your business can raise your business profile, demonstrate your emissions reduction commitments, and be a drawcard for employees. It’s also a necessity if you’re considering converting a corporate fleet to electric. Here's what you need to consider and some steps to check off when selecting and installing EV chargers.
Select and install an EV charger
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01. Decide what type of charger you need
You’ll need to consider what type of chargers, AC or DC, you require based on how quickly you want vehicle(s) to be charged. For example, a level 1 AC 2.3kW wall socket will require 8 hrs or more to charge 100km of range while a DC charger at 350kW will take less than 10 minutes.
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02. How many connections do you require
The number of vehicles that will be charged at one time will determine how many connections you require. The total kW can be determined based on the size of the charger, the total number of chargers and the type of power supply you wish to connect to.
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03. Check if you’re eligible for a grant
To encourage the installation of EV chargers the government’s Charge Up Workplace Grants Program is offering $15 million in grants for businesses to co-fund the cost of EV charging infrastructure. You can find out more and see if you’re eligible here.
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04. Consult with an electrical contractor
An electrical consultant will be able to give you a more detailed assessment of what you need to get EVs charging on site. They’ll look at whether you have a low voltage connection or access to a high voltage connection point and if you need to upgrade supply or consider charging at staggered times.
For Level 2 or Level 3 EV chargers, your electrical contractor will have to apply to EV Connect. EV Connect gives us visibility into large power connections enabling us to maintain the stability and reliability of our networks. -
06. Your electrical contractor applies to EV Connect
If you’re installing a Level 2 charger your electrician needs to notify us. We don’t assess these applications, but we do need visibility of the chargers to help with planning and maintaining network stability. Level 3 rapid chargers that use direct current to directly charge an EV have the largest network draw.
If you’re installing an L3 charger the application will be assessed by our planning teams and we consider the best options to reduce connection costs and avoid network upgrades.
Pick your plug: charger types
Electric vehicles need to plug in to charge. But like mobile phones, not every plug is the same. Knowing the basic types of plugs means that when you need to use an EV charging station, you’ll be confident it will have the right type of plug for your electric car.
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Type 1: ‘J1772’ AC charging plug
This type of plug is the standard used in North America and Japan. It is found on many of the EV charging stations in Australia, as many of the EVs sold in Australia before 2018 used this plug type. If an electric car doesn’t have a Type 1 plug built in, many times they can still charge at a Type 1 charging station if using an adaptor.
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Type 2: 'Mennekes' AC charging plug
The Type 2 or ‘Mennekes’ plug is the standard plug type in Australia for electric vehicles from 2018 onwards. Type 2 plugs have 7 pins and are compatible with charging from AC chargers. If an EV has a Type 2 plug but needs to charge using a Type 1 charging station (or vice versa) then a Type 2 to Type 1 adaptor can be used.
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CCS1 Rapid DC charging plug
CCS plugs are also called ‘combo’ plugs – that’s because they have a combination shaped plug – with the top portion of CCS Type 1 plugging into the ‘Type 1’ AC port, and the bottom portion having two additional ‘DC’ connectors. If an electric vehicle was sold in Australia before 2018, it may have a CCS Type 1 plug for rapid charging.
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CCS2 Rapid DC charging Plug
This is a newer type ‘combo’ plug. Similar to its CCS Type 1 cousin, the CCS Type 2 has a top portion of the plug that fits into the ‘Type 2’ AC port, with an additional two connectors on the bottom portion that enable the DC charging.
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Chademo Rapid DC charging plug
This plug standard is also common across Australian fast chargers – with many electric car owners having a CHAdeMO to CCS Type 1/Type 2 adaptor to allow them to charge at rapid chargers using this standard.
This plug type is the standard used by many Japanese vehicle brands.
The abbreviation is actually short for ‘ChArge de Move’.
Costs to consider when planning to install charging infrastructure
Costs for components and installation naturally vary based on demand and the requirements of a job. However, when planning there are a few key areas that West Australian businesses need to consider.*
| Item | Component |
| Electric vehicle supply equipment |
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| Electrical |
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| Civil |
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| Site works |
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| Connectivity |
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*A guide to electric vehicles - Government of Western Australia
Charging on the go?
Explore Australia's longest EV highway
When complete, EV drivers will have access to 98 EV chargers spread across 49 locations along major transport routes.
Where can I charge up?
Worried about how far you can go in your EV before needed to recharge? Check out our guide to charging EVs and start booking your cleaner, greener road trip today.
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