EV charger price slashed in Queensland with government-backed offer

A deal between charging provider EVSE and a Federal Government-backed program will discount household electric-car chargers to as little as $95.

There are two catches though: it is only for select customers in South-East Queensland, and it does not include the cost of installation.

EVSE and majority stakeholder Intellihub are offering the Ocular IQ Home Solar 7kW home charger for $95 – a discount of $1100 – thanks to funding and support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

The deal is available only for customers who live within the Energex distribution area, which covers areas such as the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane North, Central, and South, as well as Ipswich Lockyer, and the Gold Coast.

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A 22kW charger which runs on three-phase power is available for $379, also down $1100.

Installation is quoted at an additional $1470 for the 22kW charger, and $1320 for the 7kW system.

The installation cost is based on the price of a licensed electrician and varies depending on the property's electrical configuration and installation requirements, with a site inspection also needed before work starts.

Both systems carry a three-year warranty and an IP55 weather rating, with the 7kW system offering charging power that is claimed to add up to 50 kilometres of range per hour, while the 22kW system claims a higher 120km/hr charge rate, depending on the vehicle.

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“This project is a critical component for consumers in the region transitioning to EV ownership, while creating further opportunity for flexible load control in support of grid flexibility,” EVSE CEO and co-founder, Sam Korkees said, in a media statement.

The EVSE chargers will be connected to a Demand Flexibility platform, which allows distribution companies to adjust how much charge the units supply during peak periods for the grid.

The deal is one of the cheapest ways to purchase a new EV charger, beyond free wallbox deals offered by many car companies with the purchase of new vehicles.

It comes after EVs and plug-in hybrid cars represented 35.8 per cent of new vehicles sold in Australia in June.