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Compared to the average cost per kWh per State/Territory and to a common Time-Of-Use Tariff
Charging an EV with solar panels is a next-level life hack!
Whilst significant savings can be achieved by jumping into a Time-of-Use (TOU) tariff (see previous article here), charging your EV with excess solar energy is the cheapest way to power your car.
We’ve done the number crushing for you and calculated the estimated cost saving compared to the average cost of electricity kWh by Australian State and Territory. Is it worth investing a little extra in a solar-compatible smart EV Charger instead of buying a cheap dumb charger? Let’s find out!
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average driver in Australia drives about 12,100 km per year, or 33km per day. We will use this stat for our calculations. If your case doesn’t match the average, you can use the formula at the end of this article to calculate your personalised cost savings.
However, the cost of electricity oscillates significantly depending on which region in Australia you’re living in (unless you’re off-the-grid, of course!). For those with a Time-Of-Use (TOU) Tariff, we will also compare the cost saving between charging with solar and charging the EV during an off-peak tariff (usually 8ct/kWh).
The last parameter to consider is the battery efficiency of your EV. In this comparison we will use 15.6kWh/100km, which is the efficiency of a Tesla Model Y Standard Range, the most popular EV in Australia. Again, you can replace this figure in the formula with the efficiency of your EV to estimate your own cost savings.
| STATE / TERRITORY | ELECTRICITY AVG PRICE ct/ kWh | Cost saving Solar vs avg Electricity price | TOU Tariff ct/kWh | Cost saving Solar vs TOU Tariff |
| NSW | 33.84 | $638.76 | 8 | $151.01 |
| VIC | 28.45 | $537.02 | ||
| QLD | 30.21 | $570.24 | ||
| SA | 45.54 | $859.61 | ||
| WA | 30.06 | $567.41 | ||
| TAS | 28.12 | $530.79 | ||
| NT | 27.37 | $516.64 | ||
| ACT | 23.67 | $446.79 |
With savings varying between $450 / $850 per year in EV Charging alone (or around $150 if you’re currently charging during a TOU Tariff), we strongly recommend investing in a Smart EV Charger that is solar compatible, such as the Ohme ePod or the Ohme Home Pro.
We will be more than happy any questions – feel free to reach out to us on [email protected] or (02) 8311 0097
Xavier Peña is the Head of Partnerships at Ohme Australia.
