victorian electric vehicle trial mid-term report - Department of Transport

5.2 HOME CHARGING5.2.1 How much doeshousehold charginginfrastructure cost?Household charging infrastructurecosts around $1,750 for the chargingcircuit and up to $2,500 for a fullyfeatureddedicated EV charging outlet.While the costs for the latter reflectuser preference and technology, thecharging circuit is a cost that reflectsthe specifics of the residence.Based upon the trial experience, homecharging outlets can vary in price from:• Less than $100 for a standardwall-socket• Up to around $500 for an entryleveldedicated EV charging outlet• Up to around $2,500 for a moreadvanced unit with a rangeof features.It should also be noted that as ofDecember 2012, one service providerprovides the charging outlet at nocost to the household under theterms of their ongoing serviceprovision agreement.The charging circuit varies significantlyin price according to the needsand wishes of the household. Withreference to Table 10, the averagecost for the charging infrastructurecircuit cost for the trial householdswas $1,750. Key influences on thisprice were distance from the point ofelectrical supply, the condition andcapacity of the electrical supply board,and the need for a free-standingcharging outlet as opposed to beingmounted off an existing structure.No.INSTALLATIONS94AVERAGE COST $ 1,750MEDIAN COST $ 1,429STD DEV $ 1,124MAX $ 6,650MIN $ 392Table10. Cost benchmarking of the trialhousehold charging circuits.Information sourced from thehouseholds prior to the initial sitevisit assisted with the installationplanning process, which sometimesincluded phone conversations withthe householder to source additionalinformation and/or negotiateleast-cost alternatives.With reference to Appendix D –Household charging infrastructurequestions proforma:• The age of the dwelling or dateof most recent major renovationprovided an early indication ofpotentially insufficient electricalsupply to support the addition ofan EV charging load• Photos of the meter/switchboardwere a good indicator of thepotential need for an electricalsupply upgrade or refurbishmentof the board itself (in support of acertificate of electrical safety)• Photos of the property and parkinglocation assisted with a subjectivereview for potential aestheticconcerns with regards the EVcharging outlet location – heritageor new/recently-renovatedhousing, along with locationswhere the charging outlet wouldbe visible from the front of theproperty increased the need toaddress aesthetic issues as partof the charging solution• Diagrams/house-plan mark-upsexplaining the property layout interms of the parking location/srelative to the point of meter/switchboard greatly assisted withinitial discussions to find theleast-cost approach – note thatthis information was able to besourced from less than 50 per centof participants• Observations from the photos/diagrams along with discussionswith the resident were also criticalto ensuring that charging cabletripping hazards were avoided– for instance, by consideringthe likely parking location andorientation in relation to thevehicle charging outlet location.CREATING A MARKET 61