Powering Up at Home: A Straight-Up Guide to EV Charger Costs

Most Kiwi households will be looking at a standard 7.4 kW single-phase wall charger, which is the sweet spot for cost, speed, and compatibility. In Aotearoa, these

 typically cost between $800 and $2500.

That price is for the box on the wall—not the cable runs, trenching, breakers, or electrician time. 

You’ll see two main categories on the NZ market: 

Basic chargers  

These simply deliver power when you plug in. You set and forget. No apps, no load monitoring, no fancy features. 

Smart chargers  

These come with features like: 

• App control (start/stop charging from your phone) 
• Load balancing (ensures your home doesn’t overload when multiple appliances are running) 
• Time-of-use scheduling (automatically charges during cheap/free power periods overnight) 

For most EV owners, the extra couple of hundred dollars pays itself back quickly through smarter charging habits. 

New Zealand’s EV landscape has mostly unified around Type 2 AC charging, so choosing a Type 2 unit keeps things simple and future-proof. 

What about the trickle charger? (the “free” option) 

Almost every EV comes with a 3-pin portable charger that plugs into a normal wall socket. 

Benefits: 

• Free
• No installation
• Fine for very low-mileage drivers

Limitations:

• Very slow (add roughly 8-10km per hour)
• Not ideal for bigger batteries
• Not recommended long-term due to heat and safety limits

Here’s the part that causes the most confusion—and the widest range in pricing. 

The standard install 

If your switchboard is modern, you’re placing the charger close to it (e.g., inside a garage), and your electrician doesn’t hit any hurdles, you’re looking at: $800 to $1500 for installation 

However, costs can rise depending on complexity. Realistically, you’re looking at: 

Total installation range: $1200 to $2500 

Let’s go through the factors that can push the cost up—the “gotchas” that matter most for Kiwi homes. 

These are the variables that impact your final quote. In some homes, none apply. In others… all of them do. 

1. Distance from the switchboard (the #1 cost factor)

The further your charger is from your main switchboard, the more labour and cable are required. 

Examples that bump up the price: 

• ·ong driveways 
• Detached garages 
• Carports on the far side of the house 
• Apartments with basement parking 

High-quality cabling is expensive, and long runs can easily add hundreds to the bill.

2. Switchboard capacity

If your switchboard is older or already near its limit, your electrician may need to: 

• Add a new circuit 
• Install a new RCD (safety device) 
• Upgrade part of the board 
• In rare cases, replace the entire board 

This is where installation cost can really jump from a straightforward job to something costing closer to $2000–$2500.

3. Cable run complexity

Electricians charge for time. Anything that slows the job down increases the cost. 

Common examples in NZ homes: 

• Running cable through roof cavities 

• Drilling through multiple walls 
• Installing conduit along exterior walls 
• Trenching across grass or concrete to reach a detached garage 

Trenching—especially across concrete—is one of the biggest labour costs many Kiwi don’t expect.

4. Power type: Single-phase vs three-phase

Most homes in Aotearoa are single-phase, which limits AC charging to around 7.4 kW. 

Some households have (or want to install) three-phase power. This: 

• Allows much faster AC charging 
• Requires a compatible three-phase charger 
• Makes installation more complex 
• Almost always increases cost 

Unless you’re driving big mileage daily or owning a large-battery EV, three-phase is usually overkill and not worth the extra expense. 

5. Getting Your Money’s Worth (The Payback)

The reality

Yes, home EV charger setup has an upfront cost. But once you’re connected, the day-to-day running cost is dramatically lower than petrol. 

Most Kiwi EV owners are paying: 

• As little as 2–7 cents per km 
• Or taking advantage of free or ultra-cheap overnight power plans

Smart chargers unlock: 

• Automatic off-peak charging 
• Load balancing (avoiding board upgrades) 
• Real-time energy use tracking 

If you plan to own an EV for more than a couple of years, that extra cost for a smart charger pays itself back quickly.

EV chargers must be installed on a dedicated circuit with correct safety gear (usually a Type B RCD) and must be installed by a certified, registered electrician. 

Don’t cut corners here. Insurance, safety, and compliance all depend on doing it right.