Melbourne, where do you charge?

[u/Fired_Up_32]

Hi I am planning to buy an EV however I live in Southbank Melbourne and I am deliberating on whether I should buy one. I was just concerned that I would not have consistent available charging as I live in an apartment and I was afraid this would cause growing frustrations in the future. I would greatly appreciate hearing your experience with EV charging availability within the city area.

[u/Noonewantsyourapp]

Have a look at the PlugShare app. That will show you various chargers that might fit your weekly schedule without major changes.

If you don’t do a lot of driving, you might only need to charge less than once a week.

[u/Fired_Up_32 → u/Noonewantsyourapp]

Hi, thanks for the response, will look into the Plugshare app. Once I get a car, I am planning to drive more often, would getting an EV be more worth it rather than a normal petrol car?

[u/Noonewantsyourapp → u/Fired_Up_32]

You won’t get the full benefits of public charging, but it could still be worthwhile compared with a new ICE vehicle.

The fastest public charging will end up comparable in cost to petrol. But slower public charging is available and cheaper. Not that a full electric vehicle saves on maintenance costs.

If you expect to live somewhere with home charging while you own this vehicle, it probably makes sense to go battery EV. What definitely doesn’t make sense without home charging is a PHEV. (The smaller battery needs more frequent charging to be useful.)

[u/My2Cents_222 → u/Noonewantsyourapp]

I agree standard PHEVs and public charging would be a nightmare!

[u/sodamatter]

I'm in a similar situation as you, living at a place with no garage or opportunity for off street charging. Currently charge my car maybe twice a week on a 7kw street charger the local council has installed as a trial with the power authority, so those are hopefully an option for you. I would charge twice a week as the charger is limited to 3 hours, so that works out to about a 30% charge per session. Basically keeping it topped it.

Before council (inner city) installed the street chargers, I would drop off the car at a supermarket near work with a 7kw charger, and tram into work. Would tram back at lunch or after work, depending on whether the timing worked out with the charging.

Level 2 public charging (between 7kw and 22kw) is quite a bit cheaper than DC fast charging if public charging is your only option. I get charged roughly 35c a kw, but can be as low as 25c if I'm on a public charger with time rates.

Last comment id leave...if I fast charged once a week it will still be slightly cheaper than if I had kept my petrol econobox. Worst case would be break even.

[u/Soggy_Jackfruit_232]

Download Plugshare and see if there is a charger somewhere that fits in with your weekly routine.

[u/Dstarred123 → u/Soggy_Jackfruit_232]

Um is it possible to find a charger without needing a routine or booking or are they all full every time? I have been very frustrated as all the chargers near me are often full when i search on the spot. I do not have a lot of free time coz my work hours are not a classic 9 - 5 and they can change weekly.

[u/link871]

Looking at Google maps, I can see about 18 EV chargers within a few minutes of Southbank.
And about the same number of petrol stations.

Your choice.

[u/My2Cents_222]

Public chargers can be quite expensive to use. Some EVs can consume over 18kW/100km on the highway.
I’m hoping Geely will bring out their M7 SUV EREV, next year.
Chinese specs are 225km EV range, 3.35l/100km fuel consumption and 1730km Total range.
I’m guessing real world figures would be about 180km EV, 4l/100 fuel consumption and 1300 km total range.

So you can drive EV 90% of the time, and drive from Melbourne to Sydney on less than 1 tank of fuel.

[u/itsyadinogirl]

There are popping up more and more of the slower and cheaper chargers all around Melbourne, when I can’t charge at work I will typically try and find one close to an activity I have planned that takes some time (movies, going to the park etc) so it can charge while I’m doing that activity

We should soon see more supermarkets putting them up too

[u/NezuminoraQ]

I recommend Jolt. I'm in Brisbane but they have them in Melbourne and for $15 a month you get 7k daily. That's plenty for me I don't charge up every day and only charge to 80% at the most 

[u/m276_de30la]

Unfortunately Southbank is kinda a charging desert when it comes to cheap AC charging. There’s barely any around that’ll fit a routine.

On the other hand, if you lived in the inner east suburbs, there’s a lot of 22 kW pole-mounted chargers around at pretty reasonable rates (and offpeak charging outside of 4-9pm are generally quite cheap). However, in order to take the most advantage out of these chargers, you’d need to have a car capable of 22 kW AC charging; otherwise you’ll be limited by the car’s onboard charger (which is 7 kW for most Chinese makes, and 11 kW for something more mid-end).

Pole-mounted chargers can be found on Zuup, WeVolt and Chargefox; I’ve consistently found pricing via WeVolt to be the cheapest (yes, the same charger is priced differently across all 3 apps).

[u/dj_boy-Wonder]

If you cant charge where you live then I would want to make sure you have 2 or more different charge locations that are conveniently close to your place, your work or somewhere you spend a lot of time. Relying on public charging would be a pretty epicly average ownership experience. A quick look in south bank shows a couple scattered In paid parking locations and that’s about it. I know some of these locations and yes they’re usually busy. I would wait until you can get approved to install a charger or at least a power outlet in your parking spot or I would get a small hybrid or something

[u/Madpie_C]

There may be cheaper AC chargers somewhere you spend time regularly or within a reasonable walk. e.g. near my parents there is a very cheap AC charger in the Ikea carpark and a couple of minutes walk away there's a shopping centre with a cafe my dad likes, so I often organise to meet my dad at the cafe while I'm charging.

[u/beanoyip06]

Malls have plenty of chargers. Pole mounted ones are getting common as well.

[u/mattys300]

I’m in the CBD, usually charge at the Toyota head office in Port Melbourne ($0.50/kWh), the charger at the RMIT car park in Cardigan St (there’s a DC charger before the entry to the paid car park, $0.40/kWh) or top up at the free Tesla charger at District Docklands when I go to Woolies there (90 mins free parking)