In this guide
Most EV charger quotes go wrong in the same way: the charger and the installation get priced, the electrician arrives, and the switchboard turns out to have nowhere to land a 32-amp circuit. Then there is a variation, a delay, and a conversation nobody enjoyed.
The charger is rarely the hard part. Your switchboard and your supply are. Here is how to work out what your install will actually cost before you commit.
Indicative Melbourne costs
| Scenario | What it adds to the job |
|---|---|
| 7kW single-phase charger, board has capacity, short cable run | The baseline install — a dedicated circuit, RCD protection and the charger mounted |
| Same, but long cable run from board to garage or carport | Cable, containment and the labour to get it there; often the biggest single variable |
| Charger plus switchboard upgrade | A second job in its own right — board, RCDs and usually the consumer mains |
| 22kW three-phase charger where three-phase already exists | Heavier cable and a three-phase circuit, but no supply work |
| Where a three-phase supply upgrade is required | Brings the distributor into the job, with their lead time and their charges |
Ranges are indicative for budgeting. The charger unit itself may be included or separate depending on who you buy from — worth checking, because it is a common source of confusion when comparing quotes.
Why the switchboard usually decides the price
A home charger needs its own dedicated circuit — typically 32 amps for a 7kW single-phase unit. It cannot share with anything else. That means a free way on your board with the right protection.
Older Melbourne boards are frequently full. Every addition over the years — the extension, the shed, the air conditioner, the hot water changeover — took another space. If there is nothing left, the charger cannot be connected until the board is replaced, and that is the number that moves your quote.
If your board still has ceramic rewireable fuses, assume a switchboard upgrade is part of this job. There is no way to add a modern protected circuit to a fuse board.
The other question: does your supply have room?
Separate from the board is your actual supply capacity. Adding 7kW of continuous load to a house that is already running an induction cooktop, ducted cooling, instantaneous hot water and a pool pump can push you past what a single-phase service can deliver.
This is where an honest electrician earns their fee. The right process is a maximum demand calculation — working out your realistic peak load — rather than assuming, or defaulting to selling you a three-phase upgrade because it is a bigger job. Some Melbourne homes genuinely need three-phase. Many do not.
If capacity is tight, a charger with load management can monitor the whole-house load and throttle charging when demand is high, rather than tripping the main switch.
In practice this rarely matters — a car charging overnight has hours of slack. It is frequently far cheaper than a supply upgrade and it is the option most often left out of a quote. Ask about it, particularly if you are being quoted three-phase.
Two cars?
Increasingly common, and it is the question we get most in the eastern and bayside suburbs. Two chargers at full output is a serious load and often does push a home past single-phase.
The alternative is two chargers sharing a managed capacity — both plugged in overnight, drawing between them what the supply can handle. For most households that charge at home overnight this is functionally identical to two full-output chargers, at a fraction of the cost. See switchboard upgrades in Brighton for how this plays out on larger homes.
What else affects the price
- Cable run length. Board to garage is the main labour variable. A charger on the far side of the house, or in a detached garage across the yard, costs meaningfully more.
- Detached garages and carports. These need a submain, potentially trenching, and that is a different job from running a cable along a wall.
- Wall type and access. Same story as any electrical work — solid brick is harder than weatherboard.
- Single vs three-phase charger. A 22kW three-phase unit is faster but pointless if your car cannot accept it. Check your vehicle's onboard charger rating first; many cap at 7kW or 11kW AC.
- Apartments and owners corporations. An entirely different process — common property, shared infrastructure, and approval before anything happens. Start early.
Do you even need a fast charger?
Worth asking honestly. A 7kW charger adds roughly 40km of range per hour, so an overnight charge covers several hundred kilometres. Unless you are doing very high daily distances or turning the car around quickly, 7kW is usually ample and 22kW is paying for capability you will not use — especially if your car caps its AC charging below that anyway.
Before you sign anything
- Have your switchboard and supply assessed before committing to a charger package. This is the single thing that prevents surprise variations.
- Check whether the quote includes the charger unit, or just installation.
- Check your car's maximum AC charging rate so you are not buying more charger than it can use.
- Ask whether load management would avoid a supply upgrade.
- Confirm you will receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
- If you are in an apartment, talk to the owners corporation first.
We install EV chargers across Melbourne — see EV charger installation, or try the what drives the cost.
Common questions
How much does it cost to install an EV charger in Melbourne?
A straightforward 7kW single-phase install with capacity on the board is the baseline. If the switchboard needs upgrading, that is effectively a second job on top of it. A three-phase supply upgrade, where genuinely required, adds several thousand more.
Do I need a switchboard upgrade for an EV charger?
Often, yes. A charger needs its own dedicated circuit — usually 32 amps — and many older Melbourne boards have no free space. If your board still has ceramic fuses, assume an upgrade is part of the job. Have it assessed before signing an EV charger contract.
Do I need three-phase power for an EV charger?
Usually not for a single 7kW charger. It becomes a real question with two cars, or a home already running heavy loads. The right answer comes from a maximum demand calculation, and load management is often a much cheaper alternative worth asking about.
Is a 22kW charger worth it over 7kW?
Frequently not. A 7kW charger adds around 40km of range per hour, so overnight charging covers several hundred kilometres. Many EVs also cap their onboard AC charging at 7kW or 11kW, so a 22kW unit may deliver nothing extra. Check your vehicle first.
Can I install an EV charger in an apartment?
It is possible but it is a different process. Common property, shared electrical infrastructure and owners corporation approval are all involved, and capacity across the building has to be considered. Start the conversation with your owners corporation well before you buy anything.
Can I install an EV charger myself?
No. It is a fixed-wired dedicated circuit and all electrical work in Victoria must be carried out by a licensed electrician who issues a Certificate of Electrical Safety. Doing it yourself is illegal and will affect your insurance.
Written by the team at Litmec Electrical, licensed electrical contractor REC-10383, trading in Melbourne since 2007. Last reviewed 12 August 2026. General guidance only — every property is different, and our quotes are free.