How much does it cost to install an EV charger at home in South Africa?

The short answer

There’s no single price, because no two homes are wired the same way. What you pay depends mostly on three things: the charger you choose, how far it sits from your DB board, and whether your electrical supply can handle the extra load without upgrades.

To give you a sense of the market, here’s what other South African businesses have published:

• Installation only: R4 500 to R15 000, depending on complexity, as reported by EnergyBee (4 September 2026). ChargePoint SA quotes R5 000 to R7 000 for most homes, excluding the charger (page viewed October 2026).
• The charger itself: R6 000 to R22 000 for the unit, as reported by EnergyBee (4 September 2026).
• Supplied and installed 7 kW total: R17 000 to R35 000, as reported by EnergyBee (4 September 2026). Directory site ProCompare shows a 2026 Johannesburg guide range of R11 000 to R30 000.

These are third-party figures, not StrataCharge prices. Our home installs start from [From R X,XXX incl. VAT]. See the packages on our home charging page.

What you’re actually paying for

A proper home installation is more than screwing a box to the wall. A typical scope includes:

• A site visit or photo assessment to check your DB board, main supply and the route to your parking spot.
• A dedicated circuit from your DB board to the charger, with its own circuit breaker.
• Earth leakage (RCD) protection suited to EV charging. Some chargers have DC fault detection built in, while others need it added at the board.
• An isolator near the charger so it can be switched off safely for maintenance.
• Cable sized for the load and the distance. Outdoor or buried runs usually need armoured cable.
• Mounting, testing and labelling, then setting up the charger and its app.
• A Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for the new work. Read more about the CoC for EV chargers.

When comparing quotes, line them up against this list. A low price often means something is missing: usually the RCD, the isolator or the CoC.

The five things that move the price

1. Distance from the DB board

This is the biggest variable. A charger mounted on the other side of the garage wall from your DB board needs a few metres of cable. A charger at a carport across the driveway might need [X] m of armoured cable, trenching and a sleeve under the paving. Cable is priced by the metre, and heavier cable for longer runs costs more per metre.

2. Your supply: single-phase or three-phase

About 70% of South African homes are on single-phase supplies of 60 to 80 A, which in practice caps home charging at about 7 kW, as reported by TopAuto (20 May 2026). For most drivers, that’s plenty: a 7 kW charger can add a typical day’s driving in an hour or two. Going to three-phase usually means an application to your municipality or Eskom and a new meter. Our guide to single-phase vs three-phase EV charging explains when it’s worth it.

3. The state of your DB board

Older boards may have no free space, an undersized main switch or outdated protection. Adding a charger can mean a small sub-board or, occasionally, a board upgrade. This is quoted separately because it varies so much from house to house.

4. The charger you choose

A basic wallbox does one job well. A smart charger adds app control, scheduling, load management (so the charger backs off when the oven and geyser are on) and, on some models, solar-surplus charging. Browse our home and wallbox chargers to compare.

5. Wall, ground and finish

Brick, face-brick and plastered walls are straightforward. Mounting on a pole or pedestal, chasing cable into plaster, or making good afterwards adds labour.

Costs people forget

• The CoC. If it’s not in the quote, ask. Published figures for a CoC on its own run R1 500 to R2 500, as reported by EnergyBee (4 September 2026).
• Load management if your supply is tight and you don’t want to trip the main breaker in the evening.
• Body corporate requirements if you live in a complex: approvals, metering and sometimes a shared backbone. Start with our apartments and complexes page.
• Running costs. Charging at home is usually far cheaper per kilometre than petrol, but your tariff matters. Try our charging cost calculator and check rates against your current Eskom or municipal tariff.

How to get an accurate quote quickly

You can save a site visit, or at least make it shorter, by sending:

1. A photo of your DB board with the door open.
2. A photo of your electricity meter.
3. A photo of where you want the charger, ideally showing the route from the DB board.
4. Your EV make and model (its onboard charger limits how fast it can charge on AC).
5. Whether you rent or own, and whether you’re in a complex or estate.

With that, we can usually give you a [fixed quote / estimate] within [X working days]. If your site needs a closer look, our site assessment covers load, cable route and supply options, and our installation service takes it from there.

The bottom line

A home EV charger is a one-off investment you’ll use almost every day. Pay for a proper dedicated circuit, the right protection and a CoC, and choose a charger that suits your supply rather than the biggest number on the box. When you’re ready, request a quote and send us those photos.