More and more Australians are switching over to electric vehicles. With that comes an increased demand for public EV charging stations. Of course, charging always comes at a price, but are there any options for free EV charging stations in Australia?
Yes, you can charge your electric car for free in many locations across Australia. However, the number of free charging stations is limited, and their providers will likely start charging sometime in the future.
You can enjoy free EV charging opportunities as often as allowed, but it’s also good to understand how to reduce charging costs for the long term.
In this guide, we’ll explore the current options for EV charging in Australia. Then, you’ll discover a few strategies for reducing your charging costs in the long run.
Can I Charge My Electric Car for Free in Australia?
Yes, it is possible to charge your electric vehicle in locations across Australia for free. However, you must remember that relying on free EV charging stations isn’t a practical long-term strategy if you’re planning on purchasing an electric car.
Why?
Today, only a limited number of free EV chargers are being offered in Australia. The rollout of charging stations is less widespread than many people would hope, and that becomes more pronounced with more drivers switching to electric vehicles.
On top of that, plenty of people will likely seek out the same free charging stations as you’re doing.
Secondly, there’s often a catch when it comes to free charging stations.
Aside from likely having to wait in line as someone else uses the free charger, there might also be other costs involved (e.g., parking fees) or limitations on how much free charging you can enjoy.
Most of all, we’re almost sure that the providers are only offering free charging temporarily. It’s a marketing tool to promote EVs.
For example, an association might offer their members free charging to attract potential members. Likewise, you might find some free charging made available as a value-added service to customers of a specific business.
Here are a few offerings for free EV chargers that have made the headlines in Australia:
- The National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) currently offers free charging for both members and non-members at their stations nationwide. However, they do mention that non-members will be charged in the future.
- Chargefox has some charging stations that are always free. Others require payment, though there’s a discount if you’re an NRMA member.
- JOLT also offers free charging but only up to 7 kWh per day. Any charging beyond that will require payment.
- JOLT also collaborates with Endeavour Energy to offer free EV charging in Sydney. Those JOLT charging stations are built alongside Endeavour Energy's streetside substations, providing power to local areas.
- Pepper Money and Evie Networks also have a similar collaboration to the one above. However, this one involves a free 12-month membership with up to 2,000 kWh of charging. This is part of a special offer only for drivers who had an EV loan with Pepper Money and have since settled it.
Overall, different providers are keen to hop on the EV bandwagon by offering free EV charging in Brisbane and other key locations as an incentive. However, while some are genuinely free, it's important to remember that there's usually a catch. Those free offers can end anytime, and indirect costs might be involved.
While you should take advantage of any free EV charging available, you should devise a long-term plan to minimise costs when charging your electric car.
How Can You Charge an Electric Car for Cheap?
It doesn’t take an expert to see that free EV charging in Perth or anywhere else will only be available for a while. After all, someone has to pay for that electricity, and energy prices aren't going down anytime soon.
Still, there are many ways you can minimise your costs for charging your EV, such as:
1. Shop Around
First and foremost, you should shop around when looking for a public charging station. That’s very easy to do these days, considering how charging providers use mobile apps to let you know where their stations are.
The apps will show you where the stations are and how much they cost, even if you're heading out of town and driving to other cities. Better yet, you could use that to locate any potential free charging stations nearby.
With a bit of work and a quick Google search for 'free EV charging near me’, you can find out which stations in your immediate area charge the least to get your EV back to full capacity.
2. Use Slower Chargers
Generally speaking, slower chargers are cheaper to use. As you can tell, there’s a tradeoff here: you can pay a lower amount, but charging will take longer. That can work in your favour if you don’t mind the wait and prefer saving as much of your money as possible.
3. Charge at Home
Depending on where you live, charging at home is the most economical option for you. That could be the case if your local power company charges less for electricity than the charging stations within your reach.
Of course, relying only on your home charger limits how far you can drive before you have to use a public charger. Still, depending on your daily driving habits, that might be all you need.
4. Renewable Energy
One way to charge your electric car for free (well, in a way!) is to invest in renewable energy. For example, some EV owners already have solar panels attached to their homes.
After paying the upfront costs to set up a system like that, all your EV charging from then on becomes free.
5. Off-Peak Charging
Plenty of locations have peak and off-peak hours for electricity consumption. Simply put, electricity during off-peak hours is cheaper because there’s less demand on the power grid during those hours.
You can work that into your strategy for minimising the charging costs for your EV.
The world of electric vehicles is expanding rapidly, and things are constantly changing. As more Australians continue to embrace electric cars, you'll want to check out the CarpartAU blog to keep yourself updated.
By Ray Hasbollah