Reviewed by Lee Gundenswager (Lead Electrician, Connex Lic #92217) and Darren Standring (Owner). Written for North Brisbane and Moreton Bay homeowners. Last updated 2026-07-25.
Quick answer: For almost every Brisbane home, a single-phase 7kW charger is the right choice. It adds around 40km of range per hour — enough to fully recharge most EVs overnight — and installs on the standard power supply nearly all houses already have. A three-phase 22kW charger charges roughly three times faster, but only helps if your car can actually accept 22kW AC (many can’t), and it needs a three-phase supply, which most homes don’t have. Unless you drive huge daily distances or already have three-phase, save your money and go 7kW.
I’m Lee, lead electrician at Connex Electrical. “Should I get the faster 22kW charger?” is one of the most common questions I get, and the honest answer usually saves people money. Faster sounds better, but for home charging it’s often power you’ll never use. Here’s how to decide, in plain terms, based on your car, your home’s supply, and how you actually drive.
Single-phase vs three-phase: what’s the difference?
Your home’s electricity supply is either single-phase or three-phase:
- Single-phase is what the large majority of Brisbane homes have — one active supply, comfortably running a 7kW EV charger (32 amps).
- Three-phase has three active supplies and can deliver much more power at once. It’s common in larger or newer homes, rural properties, and houses with big ducted air conditioning or pools — but it’s the minority.
You can’t run a 22kW charger at full speed on single-phase power. So the very first question isn’t “how fast do I want to charge” — it’s “what supply do I actually have?” We check this as part of every quote, and you can often tell from your switchboard and meter.
Charging speed: 7kW vs 22kW in real terms
Here’s what each charger adds, in range per hour of charging:
| Charger | Supply needed | Approx range added per hour | Typical full charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4kW (standard powerpoint, “granny” lead) | Single-phase | ~10–15 km/hr | Overnight+ (slow) |
| 7kW single-phase Level 2 | Single-phase | ~40 km/hr | Overnight (most EVs) |
| 11kW three-phase | Three-phase | ~60 km/hr | A few hours |
| 22kW three-phase | Three-phase | ~100+ km/hr | 1–3 hours |
The key insight: a 7kW charger adds roughly 280–320km over an 8-hour overnight charge. Most people drive 30–50km a day. So a 7kW charger refills far more than a typical day’s driving, every single night, while you sleep. The extra speed of 22kW mostly sits idle at home.
The catch most people miss: your car’s onboard charger
This is the part that surprises people. When you charge from a home AC charger, the speed is limited by your car’s onboard charger, not just the wall unit. Many popular EVs accept a maximum of 7kW or 11kW AC — so even if you install a 22kW charger, the car will only draw what it can handle.
For example, a lot of common models cap at 7kW or 11kW on AC. Plug them into a 22kW charger and they still only charge at 7–11kW. You’d have paid for three-phase capacity the car can’t use. Always check your specific model’s AC onboard charger rating before considering 22kW. (DC fast charging — the public rapid chargers — is a separate system and isn’t what home chargers do.)
When 7kW single-phase is the right choice (most homes)
Go with 7kW if:
- Your home is single-phase (most Brisbane homes are).
- You charge overnight at home.
- You drive typical distances (say, under ~150km on most days).
- Your car’s onboard AC charger is 7kW or 11kW.
This is the standard from-$990 install — the cleanest, most cost-effective setup for the vast majority of households.
When three-phase 22kW is worth considering
Three-phase is genuinely worth it if:
- You already have three-phase power (so there’s no expensive supply upgrade).
- Your car accepts 22kW (or at least 11kW) AC.
- You drive high daily distances, or multiple cars share one charger and need fast turnaround.
- You run a home business with a vehicle that needs quick mid-day top-ups.
If you don’t already have three-phase, upgrading your supply to get it is a significant cost — often not justified purely for faster home charging. An 11kW three-phase charger is a sensible middle ground for homes that already have three-phase but whose cars cap at 11kW.
Does going 7kW limit me later?
Rarely in a way that matters. If you upgrade to a car that charges faster on AC and you have (or add) three-phase, the charger can be changed. But for the years you own a typical EV charging overnight, 7kW does everything you need. We’d rather set you up with what fits than sell you capacity that sits unused. If you’re weighing solar into the mix, see our note below — solar changes the calculation more than raw speed does.
What about solar?
If you have rooftop solar, a smart 7kW charger (like a Zappi) can prioritise charging from your surplus solar during the day — which is cheaper than any grid charging, fast or slow. For solar homes, a smart single-phase charger usually beats a “faster” three-phase one on running cost, because the goal shifts from speed to soaking up free solar. We cover this on our EV charger installation North Brisbane page.
How Connex helps you choose
- We confirm whether your home is single-phase or three-phase.
- We check your car’s onboard AC charger rating so you don’t overspend.
- We factor in your driving distance and whether you have solar.
- We recommend the charger that fits — and quote it fixed-price in writing.
Call 0474 207 609 or request a quote and we’ll help you pick the right one the first time.
Frequently asked questions
For almost every home a 7kW single-phase charger is better. It adds around 40km of range per hour, enough to fully recharge most EVs overnight, and works on the single-phase supply most Brisbane homes already have. A 22kW charger only helps if you have three-phase power and a car that accepts 22kW AC, which most home setups don’t. For typical daily driving, 7kW is the cost-effective choice.
No. A 22kW charger requires a three-phase supply. On single-phase power the maximum is around 7kW. If you want faster charging than 7kW you need three-phase power to the home, which most Brisbane houses don’t have and which can be costly to add.
Home AC charging speed is limited by your car’s onboard charger. Many EVs cap at 7kW or 11kW AC, so even plugged into a 22kW charger they only draw that maximum. Always check your specific model’s AC onboard charger rating before paying for a 22kW setup you can’t fully use.
A 7kW charger adds roughly 40km of range per hour, so an 8-hour overnight charge adds around 280 to 320km. Since most people drive 30 to 50km a day, a 7kW charger comfortably refills more than a full day’s driving every night while you sleep.
Most Brisbane homes are single-phase. Three-phase is more common in larger or newer homes, rural properties, and houses with big ducted air conditioning or pools. You can often tell from your switchboard and meter, but a licensed electrician can confirm it quickly during an assessment.
Book your EV charger installation in North Brisbane
Connex Electrical installs single-phase and three-phase EV chargers across North Brisbane and Moreton Bay — Tesla Wall Connector, Zappi, EVnex, Ocular and Fronius Wattpilot. We help you pick the right charger for your car and home, then quote a fixed price in writing. QLD Electrical Contractor Licence #92217, $20M public liability, 5.0★ rated with 513 Google reviews. Call 0474 207 609 or see our EV charger installation North Brisbane service page.
Sources & references
- AS/NZS 3000:2018 Wiring Rules
- AS/NZS 61851.1 Electric Vehicle Conductive Charging System
- Queensland Electrical Safety Act 2002
- Energex — supply and Electrical Work Request (EWR) requirements