Diesel at 280c: what an electric ute means for home charging
Diesel has jumped by more than a third since February. Here's what an electric or plug-in hybrid ute means for your home charger and solar costs.
Home charging is where an electric ute saves the most money, and a wall charger typically costs $1,950 – $3,250 installed. Rising diesel prices are pushing more tradies and weekend warriors to look at electric and plug-in hybrid utes. The charging setup at home decides whether the switch pays off.
What happened
According to SolarQuotes, diesel has climbed by more than a third since February and now sits above 280c a litre. The site argues that an electric or plug-in hybrid ute can now suit many tradies and weekend users, provided the charging works.
SolarQuotes' illustration assumes a diesel ute using 9 L per 100 km and an electric ute using 28 kWh per 100 km. Over 20,000 km a year, that works out at about $5,130 for diesel and around $1,680 for charging from the grid. SolarQuotes stresses these are illustrations, not promises, because load, speed and driving style all move the numbers.
The charging prices it uses are:
- about 30c per kWh from the grid at home
- around 3c per kWh if you charge from your own solar, which is the feed-in tariff you give up
- 40–75c per kWh at public fast chargers
On those numbers, the biggest savings come from charging at home.
Charging time and other limits
SolarQuotes says a 100 kWh battery takes about 14 hours to fill on a 7 kW single-phase home charger, or around 9 hours on an 11 kW three-phase unit. A 100 km work day needs about 28 kWh, roughly 4 hours at 7 kW.
It also flags some practical limits:
- Batteries are heavy, so many electrified utes carry less than their diesel equivalents.
- Towing ratings vary by variant, and the payload and combined-mass limits still apply.
- Pulling a full-size caravan could cut range by half or more, according to the NRMA.
- Plug-in hybrids, which it says start at about $50,000, avoid most range worries because the petrol engine takes over when the battery is empty.
- Some utes can run tools or a fridge through Vehicle-to-Load outlets. Output ranges from 1.5 kW to 6 kW or more, so check the spec first.
What it means for your costs
The home charger
If you do most of your charging at home, a dedicated charger is the main upfront cost. Our guide to [EV charger installation](EV charger) covers the detail. We calculate it from electrician hours at local rates plus the charger and cabling, checked against market prices and real quotes.
| Tier | Typical cost | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $1,600 | n/a |
| Mid | $2,500 | $1,950 – $3,250 |
| Premium | $5,550 | n/a |
Our figures include GST and assume a 15 m cable run. A longer run from the switchboard to where the ute parks will add to the price. Charging a big ute battery also depends on your power supply, so ask your electrician whether single-phase or three-phase suits your site.
Electrical work must be done by a licensed tradesperson. If you get a quote, run it through our quote checker ("is my quote fair") before you sign.
Solar to cover the charging
Charging during the day is cheapest if you have solar and the ute is home. SolarQuotes points out the catch: on workdays your panels are producing, but the ute is often parked somewhere else.
A typical 6 kWp system costs $8,900 at the mid tier, with a range of $6,950 – $11,600. Our [solar panel cost guide](Solar panels) has the detail. Solar prices are usually quoted after STCs (small-scale technology certificates). That federal discount steps down each year until the scheme ends in 2030, so waiting costs you money.
A battery lets you shift daytime generation to evening charging. A system with a 10 kWh battery has a typical mid-range cost of $10,400. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program has run since July 2025 and gives a certificate-based discount that reduces every six months until 2030. Victoria and Western Australia also run their own schemes. Check eligibility and income caps with your installer before you commit.
Who should act now
We'd put it this way:
- Home most evenings, driving local distances: an electric ute and a home charger is the easiest case.
- Regular heavy towing or long highway runs: check the exact variant's ratings, and consider a plug-in hybrid.
- Solar already on the roof: the charger is the main added cost, and you can time charging to your own generation.
- No solar yet: price the charger and the panels together, because installers can often quote both.
Fuel costs could ease or rise again, so don't build a decision on one month of diesel prices. The charging costs are the part you control. Get at least three quotes for any electrical work and compare them against our figures.