The best time to charge your EV at home — and how to make it almost free
Charging overnight or in the middle of the day instead of at 6pm can cut your EV running costs by 80% or more. Here is exactly when to plug in across the Ausgrid, Endeavour and Essential Energy networks — and how to get a cheap or free charging window even if you have no solar panels and no battery.
When is the cheapest time to charge an electric car at home in NSW?
The cheapest time to charge an EV at home in NSW is between midnight and 6am, or in the middle of the day between roughly 10am and 3pm. The most expensive time is 3pm to 9pm, which is the peak window on every NSW distribution network. On a dedicated EV electricity plan, overnight power costs around 5–8c/kWh instead of 35–55c/kWh — so a full charge drops from roughly $21 to under $4. Several retailers also offer a completely free midday block. You do not need solar panels or a battery to get these rates. A home EV charger is a standalone dedicated circuit. Once it is installed, you call your electricity retailer, tell them you have an EV charger, and ask to be moved onto their EV plan.
Jump to a section
- Why the time you charge matters so much
- Peak and off-peak times on NSW networks
- The three cheapest windows to charge
- Can you get an EV charger with no solar or battery?
- EV electricity plans with free or cheap charging
- What a full charge actually costs
- How solar and a battery change the picture
- How to automate the timing
- What to sort out before you book an install
- Where we install EV chargers in NSW
- Frequently asked questions
- Get a quote
Why does the time you charge your EV matter so much?
Because electricity in NSW is no longer one flat price. Almost every home with a smart meter is billed on a time-of-use tariff, which means the same kilowatt-hour can cost four or five times more at 6pm than it does at 2am. An EV is the single biggest electrical load most households will ever add. A typical top-up is 30–60kWh — roughly what an average NSW home uses in two to three days. Shifting that one load into the cheap window is worth more than every other efficiency change you are likely to make.
The load is big
A 7.4kW charger running for six hours moves about 44kWh. Put that in the wrong window and it can add more to your bill than your fridge, lights and hot water combined.
The car is parked anyway
Most EVs sit in the driveway for 12 hours overnight and only need six of them to charge. The flexibility is free — you just have to use it.
Retailers will pay you to shift
The grid needs load moved off the evening peak and onto the midday solar surplus. That is why EV tariffs and free midday blocks exist at all.
What are the peak and off-peak times for electricity in NSW?
On the Ausgrid network the peak window is 3pm to 9pm every day, and everything outside it is off-peak. Ausgrid’s time-of-use tariff is also seasonal — peak rates apply from November to March and again from June to August. Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy run similar evening peaks. Your retailer sits on top of the network tariff and may still price a three-period plan (peak, shoulder, off-peak) or charge peak rates year-round, so your bill is the final word. But the shape is the same everywhere in NSW: evenings are expensive, nights and middays are cheap.
| Window | Typical times | What it means for charging |
|---|---|---|
| Peak | 3pm – 9pm | The one window to avoid. Delay the start on your charger. |
| Off-peak | 10pm – 7am | The default cheap window on a standard time-of-use plan. |
| EV super off-peak | 12am – 6am | Where the dedicated EV tariffs live. The cheapest grid power you can buy. |
| Solar soak / daytime | ~10am – 3pm | Free or near-free on some retailer plans. Best window if you have solar. |
When exactly should you plug in?
There are three good windows and one to avoid. Most people only need the first.
- Midnight to 6am — the default. Grid demand is at its lowest and almost every major retailer sells a dedicated overnight EV rate well below their standard off-peak price. Set it once in the car or the charger and forget it.
- Roughly 10am to 3pm — the solar soak. NSW now has so much rooftop solar that daytime wholesale prices regularly fall to zero. Retailers want you to soak it up, so several offer a free midday block. Ideal if you work from home, run a second car, or can leave the EV plugged in on weekends.
- Weekends. Some plans extend the free or discounted window across Saturday and Sunday. If your weekly driving is light, one long weekend charge can cover the whole week.
- Avoid 3pm to 9pm on weekdays. This is peak on every NSW network and the most expensive power you will ever buy. If you must plug in when you walk in the door, use the charger’s delay-start so it does not actually draw power until midnight.
Can you get an EV charger without solar panels or a battery?
- No solar required. The charger runs off your existing supply.
- No battery required. Batteries help, but they are a separate decision.
- A smart meter is required for almost all EV-specific plans — your retailer arranges the upgrade, usually free.
- Ask about the EV plan before your first bill lands. Retailers do not move you automatically just because you bought an EV.
- Solar can be added later — choose a charger with a solar-surplus mode now and it will be ready when you do.
Which electricity plans give you free or near-free EV charging?
Most large retailers now sell an EV-specific plan with either a very cheap overnight rate or a free daytime block. Here is a snapshot of what has been available in NSW — the exact rate, window and availability depend on your address and distribution network, so treat this as a starting point for the phone call rather than a quote.
| Retailer / plan | Cheap window | Indicative rate |
|---|---|---|
| Powershop EV Night | 12am – 4am | ~5c/kWh |
| OVO — The EV Plan | 12am – 6am | ~4.5–6c/kWh |
| Engie EV Night Saver | 12am – 6am | ~6c/kWh |
| EnergyAustralia EV Night Boost | 12am – 6am | ~7c/kWh |
| AGL Night Saver EV | 12am – 6am | ~8c/kWh |
| Origin EV Power Up | App-scheduled smart charging | ~8c/kWh |
| Globird Free Lunch | 12pm – 2pm | Free |
| OVO free daytime block | 11am – 2pm | Free |
| Red Energy — Red EV Saver | 12pm – 2pm, weekends | Free |
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
On a 6c/kWh overnight EV tariff, filling a 60kWh battery costs about $3.60 and gives you roughly 450km of range. The same charge on a peak-rate evening costs closer to $33, and at a public DC fast charger you would pay $36–$50.
| Where and when you charge | Indicative rate | Cost of a 60kWh charge |
|---|---|---|
| Home — EV tariff, 12am–6am | ~6c/kWh | ~$3.60 |
| Home — free midday block | 0c/kWh | $0 |
| Home — your own solar surplus | Opportunity cost of the feed-in tariff | ~$2–$3 |
| Home — standard off-peak | ~25c/kWh | ~$15.00 |
| Home — peak, 3pm–9pm | ~55c/kWh | ~$33.00 |
| Public DC fast charger | ~60–85c/kWh | ~$36–$51 |
| Petrol equivalent (450km @ 7L/100km) | — | ~$60 |
How does solar or a battery change the best time to charge?
With solar, the best window moves to the middle of the day; with a battery, the timing stops mattering at all. You do not need either to run an EV cheaply — but if you already have them, or you are weighing them up, the numbers get better again.
Solar only
Midday charging uses your own generation instead of exporting it for a feed-in tariff that is now often only 3–5c/kWh. Every kilowatt-hour you put into the car instead of the grid is worth several times more to you. A charger with a PV surplus mode does this automatically — it only draws power when the panels are producing more than the house is using. See our solar panel systems
Solar plus a battery
The battery stores the midday surplus and tops the car up after dark, so you are charging from your own energy even when you get home at 7pm. Systems like the Sigenergy SigenStor do this with a Battery Boost mode, and a bidirectional DC module can also run the house off the car during a blackout. Vehicle-to-grid export is subject to your distributor’s approval, which we confirm before quoting. Compare home batteries
How do you make sure the car actually charges at the right time?
You automate it — none of this should involve setting an alarm. There are three ways to do it and most households end up using a combination.
Schedule it in the car
Every EV lets you set a departure time or a charging window from the dash or the app. Simplest option, costs nothing, works with any charger.
Schedule it in the charger
Smart chargers — Tesla Wall Connector, Evnex, Sigen AC — have their own scheduling plus solar-surplus modes, and keep working even if you swap cars.
Let the retailer do it
Plans like Origin’s EV Power Up take a “ready by” time from the app and pick the cheapest hours for you automatically.
What do you need to sort out before booking an EV charger install?
- Do you have a smart meter? Most EV plans require one. Your retailer can arrange the upgrade, usually at no cost, but it can take a few weeks — start early.
- Single-phase or three-phase supply? Single-phase supports 7.4kW, or around 40km of range per hour. Three-phase opens up 11kW and 22kW. Most EVs sold in Australia accept a maximum of 11kW on AC, so 22kW is future-proofing rather than an instant speed gain.
- How far is the switchboard from the parking spot? Cable run length is the main driver of installation cost. A photo of your board and your parking space is usually enough for us to quote accurately.
- Is there spare capacity in the switchboard? Older boards sometimes need a main switch or RCD upgrade before a dedicated EV circuit can be added. We check this on site.
- Do you want solar-surplus charging later? Worth choosing a charger that supports it now, even if the panels come afterwards.
- Have you called your retailer? Do it before your first bill after the install, not after.
Where does ECR install EV chargers in NSW?
We install Tesla, Sigenergy and Evnex home chargers across Sydney and the east coast of NSW, using our own licensed electricians — no subcontractors, and we own the warranty on the work.
Sydney
All metro suburbs, from the Northern Beaches and North Shore through the Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, Sutherland Shire and Western Sydney. Ausgrid & Endeavour
Central Coast
Gosford, Terrigal, Wyong, Tuggerah, The Entrance and surrounding suburbs. Ausgrid
Newcastle, Maitland & the Hunter
Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and the wider Hunter Valley. Ausgrid & Essential
Get a proper EV charger quote — not a guess
We look at your switchboard, your supply, your parking layout and your existing solar, then tell you honestly what you need and what you don’t. No subcontractors, no pressure, all rebates applied upfront.
Or call us directly — 02 5555 5555
EV charging at home — common questions
Can I install an EV charger without solar panels?
What is the cheapest time of day to charge an electric car in NSW?
Can EV charging really be free?
Do I need a smart meter to get an EV electricity plan?
How long does a home EV charger take to fully charge a car?
Is it cheaper to charge at home or at a public charger?
Will charging my EV overnight damage the battery?
Can I just use a normal power point instead?
Do I need to tell my electricity retailer that I have an EV charger?
Should I get a battery as well as an EV charger?
Related reading: EV chargers we install · Sigenergy SigenStor guide · Home battery storage · Solar panels · Get a quote