{"id":94794,"date":"2025-09-26T05:02:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=94794"},"modified":"2025-09-30T06:05:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T20:35:12","slug":"apartment-ev-charging-ips-mb3278","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/apartment-ev-charging-ips-mb3278\/","title":{"rendered":"Apartment EV Charging Project Scores ARENA Backing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Charging<\/p>\n

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is supporting a project that will see ‘intelligent power sockets’ installed in selected apartment buildings nationwide to power Level 1 EV charging.<\/p>\n

What’s The Apartment EV Charging Project Involve?<\/h2>\n

The \u201cAccelerating EV Adoption by Unlocking Charging for Strata Residents\u201d initiative is being led by NOX Energy<\/a>. It will provide user-pays home EV charging access to residents of 16 buildings via installation of close to 2,000 of its Intelligent Power Sockets (IPS), which look like a standard power outlet with some added bling housing advanced features.<\/p>\n

The total project investment is $4.78 million, including $1.51 million from ARENA.<\/p>\n

NOX Energy’s website indicates its IPS hardware costs around $425 a pop and installation is usually in the range of $250 – $750. At the upper end, that works out to an installation cost of around $1,175.<\/p>\n

But $4.78 million divided by 2,000 equals an average cost of $2,390. So, what gives? NOX says the buildings involved will requiring upgrades ranging from minor electrical work to full infrastructure retrofits, which help could explain it.<\/p>\n

Added: 30 September<\/strong>. NOX have since informed me:<\/p>\n

“… the grant will also support infrastructure for scaled, L1 charging. This could include cable trays, wi-fi networks, and distribution boards. We still expect the fully installed cost of our hardware will be $500-$1,000\/IPS.”<\/p>\n

The project also involves resident surveys and monitoring performance data. Findings with actionable insights for strata communities, policymakers, and the EV industry will be published.<\/p>\n

“These sites will deliver a comprehensive real-world test of EV charging in diverse strata environments,” states the firm. “Where rooftop solar is present, NOX Energy will test innovative load-shifting behaviours that encourage residents to charge during periods of high solar export, helping buildings boost self-consumption and cut charging costs.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The ARENA funding has been granted under the Agency’s Driving the Nation Program<\/a>, a $500 million initiative supporting cheaper and cleaner transport.<\/p>\n

What Is Level 1 Charging?<\/h2>\n

Level 1 EV charging uses a general power outlet (GPO) and the charger usually included with electric vehicles. Also known as granny chargers, bricks or trickle chargers, Level 1 devices charge at 1.8 to 2.4 kW from a standard 10 Amp socket, adding around 10 kilometres of range per hour. (Added:<\/strong> A 15 Amp power outlet can deliver more \u2014 1.8 – 3.5 kW, up to 20 km range per hour \u2014 if the charger is compatible and supports it).<\/p>\n

It’s significantly less compared to hard-wired home EV chargers<\/a> (Level 2), but for some EV owners it’s all they’ll need.<\/p>\n

Learn more about Level 1, 2 and 3 charging<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What Makes Nox Energy’s IPS Different From A GPO?<\/h2>\n