Tasmania's Surge in Electric Vehicle Adoption and Understanding EV Charging

In the 12 months up to August 2023, the sale of new EV Vehicles in Tasmania doubled with nearly 1 in 10 vehicles purchased being electric. This means that Tasmanians are leading the charge in the uptake.

And why not?

Tassie is the perfect road trip state.

The Electric Highway Tasmania , influenced by the Australian EV Association Tasmania branch, consists of strategic and thoughtfully placed chargers in and outside of major cities. By the people that know it, for the people that use it.

Tasmanians are so enthusiastic about the uptake of EV, the Electric Vehicle Rebate Program providing $2,000 funding for new battery, and second-hand (but 'new to Tasmania') electric vehicles that kicked off on 17 November last year, allocated all 375 rebates by 18th April this year.

While that program has been tapped out, if financial incentives entice you, there’s always the Energy Saver Loan Scheme, which offers interest free loans from $500 to $10,000 for the purchase and installation of your own EV charger infrastructure.

The average car spends 12 hours a day parked at its residence.

Charging it to full in that time can provide an EV vehicle with about 400km of range for as little as $15 - even less when solar energy and off-peak rates are thrown into the mix.

An on-property EV charger can be a game changer for cost and convenience.

Then there’s the environmental considerations:
● Reduced transport related air pollution and emissions reduction
● Reduced reliance on fossil fuels that also improves energy security
● Contributing towards the Tasmanian Renewable Energy Target of doubling renewable energy production to 200% by 2040.

Light vehicles such as cars, utes and vans are the cause of most transport emissions globally, so decarbonising the segment is essential to environmental goals.

And from 2030 onwards, it’s predicted that the majority of new cars sold in Australia will be electric, so you’re future-proofing your own lifestyle.

Know your EVs

There are three main types of electric vehicles: hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and battery electric vehicles (BEV).
● HEVs combine an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, recharging the battery via the engine and energy recovery

systems.
● PHEVs can be charged from an external source and offer longer electric-only driving ranges.
● BEVs rely solely on rechargeable batteries, eliminating the internal combustion engine and generating zero tailpipe emissions.

Know your Chargers

Electric vehicle chargers come in three levels: slow, medium, and fast. The total charging time and cost depend on the charger speed and the EV battery size.

● Level 1 chargers, or "trickle" chargers, deliver about 2kW per hour via a standard wall socket, suitable for small batteries and

infrequent driving.
● Level 2 chargers are wall-mounted units providing 7kW from a single-phase connection or 22kW from a three-phase connection,

requiring professional installation and offering overnight full charges at home.
● Level 3 chargers, high-voltage DC chargers found at public stations, deliver up to 350kW, allowing most EVs to be charged in 30

minutes or less.

What about the plugs?

Since 2020, the Combined Charging System (CCS2) has become the standard DC plug type with all new EVs sold in Australia having the AC and DC plugs as standard.
● DC: Combined Charging System (CCS2). The plug allows for both AC and DC charging using the same plug. Enabling them to

connect to both home AC type chargers and public DC charging stations.
○ Charge speed = fast
○ Vehicles include: MG ZS EV, Hyundai IONIQ 5, BYD Atto 3, Kia EV6, Tesla Model 3, and Tesla Model Y.

● AC: Type 2 (Mennekes). Also known as the IEC 62196, it’s the industry standard AC plug for EVs in Australia and Europe. The

seven-pin design supports three-phase AC charging.
○ Charge speed = medium
○ Vehicles include: Nissan Leaf, Kia Niro PHEV, and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

● DC: CHAdeMO. Less common than the CCS2 in Australia, it also provides reliable charging for compatible EVs.
○ Charge speed = fast
○ Vehicles include: Nissan Leaf, and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

See further information at our deep-dive blog into EV Charging.

Payments at Public Charging Stations

The charging process varies by charging station, primarily due to different payment methods.
Some chargers require a dedicated card or a specific app related to the charge point operator (CPO). Others accept standard Visa or MasterCard debit and credit cards. Accepted payment types and costs are typically displayed on or near the charger.

Home Charger Installation

We’ve published a much more comprehensive article around the cost analysis of EV charging installation for homes and small businesses, but here’s an at-a-glance rundown.

Upfront costs:
● EV Chargers: Varies from a few hundred dollars for basic home chargers to several thousand for commercial-grade fast chargers.
● Solar: Residential systems range from AUD $3,000 to $10,000 per kW, with commercial systems like a 30kW setup costing around

$27,000 to $30,000.
● Battery Storage: Typically $1,000 to $1,300 per kWh, with larger systems (e.g., 18kWh) costing upwards of $25,000.

Benefits:

● Government incentives, such as cheaper registration fees and grants for charging infrastructure, can reduce initial costs.
● EV chargers can increase property value and attract environmentally-conscious buyers.
● Solar in combination with your EV charger can reduce energy bills, provide potential revenue through feed-in tariffs, and award

financial incentives from the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).
● Batteries store excess solar energy, reduces reliance on the grid, lowering energy costs, and providing backup power during

outages.
● The payback period for installing an EV charging system can be as little as 3 years depending on your system size, the energy

consumption and government incentives.

Sackett Services is Committed to Sustainable and Energy Efficient Solutions for Tasmanians.

Sackett Services offers expert EV charging installations you can trust.
Our friendly and professional team is here to help with any questions you have and to make sure your EV charging setup is perfectly suited to your needs.

We can even facilitate the Brighte Loan , Energy Saver Home Scheme for you.

Talk to us today and start enjoying the benefits of your electric vehicle without any hassle.