Get an EV charger. Skip the bill shock
Standard charger from $1,400 installed. Smart charger from $2,200 installed. Buy with a SoFar battery and the charger is free.
Which charger do you actually need?
| Feature | Standard | Smart |
|---|---|---|
| Charges your car | Yes | Yes |
| Plug-and-go simplicity | Yes | Yes |
| Schedules off-peak charging | No | Yes |
| Pulls from your solar surplus first | No | Yes |
| Talks to your battery (if you have one) | No | Yes |
| App control | No | Yes |
| Installed price | From $1,400 | From $2,200 |
Plain-English version: If you'll mostly charge overnight on a flat tariff, the standard charger is fine. If you've got solar (or are getting it) and want the EV to charge off the sun, get the smart charger.
What affects your install cost
The charger itself is the predictable part. Install cost varies based on:
Distance from switchboard to wall
Every metre adds cable cost and labour.
Switchboard upgrade
Older boards (pre-2010) often need an upgrade before a charger can be added. Common, not a deal-breaker.
Single-phase vs three-phase
Three-phase chargers charge faster but only work on three-phase supply.
Wall vs pole mount
Wall mount is standard. Pole mount adds materials.
We give you the all-in number on the quote call. No surprises after install day.
What it actually does to your power bill
Based on a typical 3-bedroom home driving 15,000 km/year in a mid-size EV.
Estimates based on 30c/kWh grid rate, 6c/kWh feed-in, 15,000 km/year at 18 kWh/100 km. Your bill simulation is confirmed on the quote call.
The battery + EV combo is where you save
If you buy the SoFar 20 kWh battery system at $8K, we'll install a standard EV charger for free (worth $1,400). Upgrade to the smart charger for $800, half its retail price.
Why we do this: the battery + EV combo is where you actually save money. Your solar feeds the battery, the battery feeds the EV, your grid bill drops 60 to 80%.
Get a quote on the charger, the battery, or both.
Tell us what you've got — EV, existing solar, current tariff — and we'll come back with a fixed price and a bill simulation showing what your quarterly spend looks like before and after. No runaround, no call centre.