Charging an Electric Vehicle
Charging an EV can be a simple as plugging in your phone to charge.
What are chargers and EVSE?
Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) is the hardware that delivers energy, from an electricity source, to charge an EV battery. It is often referred to as the charging station and sits outside of the car, or as part of a charging cable. The charger in the car converts power entering the car from AC to DC. Faster EVSE that use DC power do not require an internal charger as the power is directly fed into the battery without requiring conversion.
What are charging levels and how long will it take to charge?
Charging levels refers to the amount of power delivered to a vehicle. Level one is the lowest and level three is the highest. Use our range and charging tool to understand the range of various EVs and how long it takes to charge.
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*Note: Level 4 super-fast charging is also commonly referred to as rapid charging.
What types of chargers are available?
Most car companies with EVs provide the standard 10-Amp plug (your standard home plug) as a minimum charging option. Because of the newness of the EV market and its rapid evolution, there are different types of plugs internationally.
In Australia the standard plugs used are Type 2 (Mennekes) plug for AC charging and both the CCS and CHAdeMO for DC charging.
Tesla supercharge stations only service Tesla vehicles due to a Tesla proprietary plug.
| Plug | Power Delivery and Features |
|---|---|
| Type 2 (Mennekes) |  |
| Combined Charging System (CCS) |  |
| Charge de Move (CHAdeMO) |  |
Where can I charge an EV?
You can charge an EV either at home, at your work, or at different public locations such as highways, supermarkets, parking lots, etc.
To see where you can find public charging station in Australia, view the Charging Map.
How to use EV chargers?
The exact charging process may change depending on the type of charging station, for example in the method of payment. Generally, to charge an EV you:
- Connect the charging cable to the charging station (if the cable is not already attached).
Connect the cable to the EV, typically there is a lock-in sound. If the charging station is free or does not require an extra payment method, then the EV will start charging automatically. To make sure the EV is charging, there are often indicator lights on the dashboard.
If the charging station is not free, then companies use different payment methods via mobile apps, credit cards or dedicated cards.
The app will indicate the status of charge or when the EV is fully charged. Once charged, the connector cable must be unplugged from the EV.
Find out more
Charging map
Find out where you can charge your EV
Range and charging
See how far an EV can travel and how long it takes to charge
Providers
Contact information for Australian Charging Station Suppliers and Australia suppliers