What you need to know about EV home charging in NSW

Owning an electric vehicle (EV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) changes the game when it comes to powering your car. Instead of filling up at the petrol station, you're plugging in, and that comes with some big benefits.

Not only do EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions, but they also tend to be cheaper to maintain and more affordable to run compared to traditional petrol or diesel cars. According to Transport for NSW research, EVs offer fuel savings of up to 70% and maintenance savings of around 40% over traditional petrol or diesel cars.

When it comes to charging, how, where and when you do it can really impact your electricity costs. So it’s worth taking a moment to understand your options and find a setup that works best for your lifestyle and budget.

If you're in NSW and considering buying an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, or have just bought one, (or you're simply curious about how EV charging fits into your home electricity use), it's definitely worth checking out EnergyAustralia's EV Night Boost plan.

Most EV owners prefer to charge their vehicles at home, and it’s easy to see why. EnergyAustralia’s EV Night Boost offers a cheaper rate between 12am and 6am, which lines up perfectly with when most people aren’t using their car anyway. And you don’t need to be awake at midnight to take advantage of it - most EVs have an app that lets you schedule charging times automatically.

In fact, the EV Ownership Survey 2024, commissioned by The Electric Vehicle Council of Australia, showed that 92% of EV owners could charge at home. On average, an EV owner charges their vehicle at home five times per week. That’s a strong case for having a plan that supports overnight charging.

It’s kind of like how we already charge our phones and laptops overnight – just on a bigger scale. EVs need a lot more power, so having a cost-effective way to charge while you sleep can make a big difference. If you're looking to keep your electricity bills in check while owning an EV, exploring your charging options is a smart move.

Being on an energy plan such as EnergyAustralia’s EV Night Boost can make a difference to EV charging costs.

In fact, EnergyAustralia claims that overnight EV charging could cost as little as $3.02 a night, provided that charging is set to activate only between midnight and 6.00am and provided that you’re using a dedicated 7.2kW home EV charger. This cost is an estimate only, of course. It is based on drawing 43.2 kWh of charge as a top-up charge rather than a full charge. Depending on the energy consumption of your EV, this midnight-to-6am, six-hour charge could give you 200km to 300km of range*.

For an average residential customer in the Ausgrid network area using 3,900 kWh per year on a time of use tariff without controlled load, this plan is 3% less than the reference price with the lowest possible price of $1,907 (including GST) per year.

Keep in mind, the reference price is based on average usage and doesn’t factor in overnight charging during the low-cost window#.

To be eligible for the EV Night Boost Plan, there are a few conditions. For starters, you need to own an electric vehicle, whether that’s a pure battery-electric (EV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). It goes without saying that the electric vehicle needs to be registered in your name (or in the name of another person living at your home) and is registered to your home address.

The other option is that you have an electric vehicle which is registered to a business that is linked to you (or another person living at your home) and this electric vehicle is ordinarily stored at your home.

You also need to be a residential customer (not a business customer). You’ll also need to have a remotely read smart meter. Check out the full conditions here.

The EV Night Boost plan is offered by EnergyAustralia, one of Australia’s major energy retailers. EnergyAustralia provides support for EV owners considering EV Night Boost through a dedicated help page.

No matter how you choose to recharge your EV, if you’re doing so at home it makes sense to consider options that could potentially reduce your charging costs, such as EnergyAustralia’s EV Night Boost plan.

* Range estimate based on 43.2 kWh of charge delivered over 6 hours using a dedicated 7.2 kW home EV charger. Assumes energy consumption of 14–20 kWh per 100 km, depending on EV model and driving conditions. Actual range may vary based on factors such as vehicle type, battery size, load, terrain, weather, and driving style.
 
# Rates and charges are current as at December 2025. Please check EnergyAustralia’s website for the most up-to-date pricing information. A Basic Plan Information Document (BPID) containing the key details of this plan is available on request.