How much does it cost to charge an EV in Australia?
Charging at home costs about $3.97–$6.70 per 100 km for a typical EV, depending on your state, and a full 60 kWh charge costs about $14.88–$25.14. Public fast chargers cost roughly $11.20 per 100 km. A petrol SUV costs about $18.64 per 100 km at Sydney's average price.
EV charging costs by state
A typical EV using 16 kWh per 100 km, on each state's 2026–27 default or regulated flat electricity rate. Per week assumes 90% of charging at home. Cheapest state in green.
| State | Home rate / kWh | Per 100 km at home | Per week (250 km) | Full 60 kWh charge | Petrol SUV per 100 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 33.9c | $5.42 | $15.00 | $20.34 | $18.64 |
| Victoria | 28.4c | $4.54 | $13.02 | $17.04 | $19.06 |
| Queensland | 28.0c | $4.48 | $12.88 | $16.80 | $18.67 |
| South Australia | 41.9c | $6.70 | $17.88 | $25.14 | $18.22 |
| WA | 33.3c | $5.33 | $14.79 | $19.98 | $18.19 |
| Tasmania | 24.8c | $3.97 | $11.73 | $14.88 | $19.79 |
| ACT | 37.0c | $5.92 | $16.12 | $22.20 | $19.73 |
| NT | 30.1c | $4.82 | $13.64 | $18.06 | $20.41 |
Home vs public charging
Public fast chargers in Australia typically charge 59–79c per kWh. At 70c that's about $11.20 per 100 km, against about $5.42 charging at home in NSW. Fast charging is fine for road trips, but relying on it every week roughly doubles your running cost. See what each charging network charges. If you can't charge at home, see whether a hybrid works out cheaper.
Bigger cars cost more to charge
Energy use varies a lot by car. NSW home rate, 250 km a week, all charged at home. (The state table above includes some public fast charging, so its weekly figures are a little higher.)
| Car size | Energy per 100 km | Per 100 km (NSW home) | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small hatch | 14 kWh | $4.75 | $617 |
| Mid-size SUV | 16.5 kWh | $5.59 | $727 |
| Large SUV | 19 kWh | $6.44 | $837 |
Every car page shows its own charging cost by state, for example the BYD Sealion 7 or Tesla Model Y.
How to cut your charging bill
- Check your electricity plan for a cheaper overnight or EV rate, and set the car to charge in that window.
- If you have rooftop solar, charge during the day when you can. Solar you use yourself is usually worth more than the feed-in credit.
- A normal power point is enough for most daily driving. See whether you need a wall charger before paying $1,000–$3,000.
- Use public fast chargers for trips, not your weekly top-up.
More: checklist, calculators, questions and more guides
Home charging set-up checklist
Whether you need a wall charger, what to ask the electrician, and getting quotes and the cheapest electricity plan. 2 A4 pages.
Calculators for this
Common questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Australia?
About $3.97–$6.70 per 100 km for a typical EV on 2026–27 default electricity rates. Tasmania is cheapest at about 24.8c per kWh and South Australia dearest at about 41.9c.
How much does a full charge cost?
A 60 kWh battery costs about $14.88–$25.14 to fill from empty at home, or about $42.00 at a public fast charger. Most people top up rather than charging from empty.
Is charging an EV cheaper than petrol?
Yes, when you charge at home. A typical EV costs about $5.42 per 100 km to charge at home in NSW, against about $18.64 for a petrol SUV using 8.5 L/100 km.
How much do public EV chargers cost?
Usually 59–79c per kWh at fast chargers from networks like Chargefox, Evie, NRMA and Tesla. That's about $11.20 per 100 km for a typical EV.
More guides
More in Charging
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How we work it out, and our sources
Weekly cost = the car's energy use × 250 km × your electricity or fuel price, with 90% of charging at home. Prices are list prices at November 2026; check with the dealer.
- Electricity: 2026–27 default rates (AER, Victorian Default Offer, state retailers). Public charging: Sydney network prices, July 2026.
- Petrol and diesel: capital-city daily averages from state government price feeds, via FuelRadar, 12 November 2026. Diesel for Hobart, Canberra and Darwin is estimated from the national fall.
- Cars: maker figures via CarExpert, Drive, CarsGuide and EV Central. Plug-in electric range is taken as 80% of the claim.
- Servicing: published capped prices; marked as an estimate where not yet published (CarExpert comparison).
- Tyres: an EV set lasts about 35,000 km, a petrol or hybrid set 50,000 km (RACV); prices from Gridly.
- Home charger: about $2,000 installed ($1,000–$3,000). Novated leases: PwC summary.
Printed from EV Pick Australia · evpick.com.au. Prices and costs are estimates; check with the dealer. © 2026 EV Pick (T. Crouch). For personal use only; not to be copied, republished or sold without permission.
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✓ You now know
- Charging at home costs about a third of running a petrol SUV
- Public fast chargers cost roughly double home charging, so save them for trips
- An overnight or solar-friendly plan cuts the bill further
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