Originally published March 2022 — Reviewed and updated March 2026.
If you’re thinking of renting your first electric car on evee, you might be a bit nervous about how to charge it (after all, we’re so used to filling up a car with petrol!). The truth is, charging an EV is actually pretty simple. In this beginner’s guide, we help break down the basics so you can relax and enjoy your rental to the fullest.
Charging 101
Electric cars don’t have an engine that requires petrol or diesel to run. Instead, they have a battery that needs to be charged. When it comes to charging your EV, there are two main things you have to consider: charger level and charger type.
Charger Level
The level of the charger refers to the power and speed of the charging session. The higher the level, the more powerful the charger and the quicker it will be to charge your EV. Low-level chargers use less power so take longer to charge your car, but are often cheaper or even free.
Level 3 (Fast & Ultra-fast)
Level 3 chargers are the fastest way to charge your EV, getting you back on the road in 15 to 45 minutes. Providing anywhere from 50 kW up to 350 kW of power, these DC fast chargers are typically located along main arterial routes such as motorways and highways, or in metropolitan locations. They’re very common, easy to use, and the best solution for when you need a quick charge during a road trip. If you’re driving a Tesla, check out our guide on how long it takes to charge a Tesla in 2026 for model-specific charge times.
Level 2 (Destination Charging)
Level 2 chargers are best suited if you have a few hours to spare, as it’ll take 4 to 8 hours for a full charge. Using 7 to 22 kW of power, you can normally find these chargers around car parks, shopping centres, hotels, or near commercial properties. They are also the most common type of dedicated home wall charger.
Level 1 (Standard Wall Socket)
The slowest charge is from a Level 1 charger, which is simply plugging into a standard household power point. Requiring 10 to 20+ hours to fully charge your electric car, it provides just 10 to 15 km of range an hour. This option is perfectly suitable if you have somewhere to plug in overnight at your accommodation.
Charger Type
The speed of your charging session isn’t the only thing to consider — you also need to think about the type of plug that connects to your electric car.
In Australia, the standard has been simplified. The most common charger types you will encounter are Type 2 (for Level 1 and 2 AC charging) and CCS2 (for Level 3 DC fast charging). You may also see CHAdeMO at some older public stations, which is a legacy standard used by older Nissan Leaf models. For a full breakdown of cable types and which one your EV needs, see our complete guide to EV charging cables and adaptors.
Finding a Charging Station
Now that you know the terminology, you might be wondering how to actually find a public charging station. The best tool for this is the PlugShare app. It has a comprehensive map of all available chargers across Australia, so you can find one close to home or along your route. It’ll also provide information about the plug types available, cost to charge, and whether the charger is currently in use.
Once you arrive at the charging station, there will be instructions on-site on how to charge the electric car. Depending on the network (like Chargefox, Evie, or AmpCharge), you may need to download their specific app or simply tap your credit card. For a full comparison of every major charging network in Australia — including pricing, locations, and which is best for road trips — read our complete guide to Australia’s EV charging networks in 2026.
Don’t Let Range Anxiety Hold You Back
One of the most common concerns for first-time EV renters is range anxiety — the fear of running out of charge before reaching your destination. The good news is that with over 5,000 public charging sites now across Australia, and fast chargers every 100 to 200 kilometres on major routes, it’s rarely a genuine concern. Planning a longer trip? Our guide to six drives perfect for a Tesla shows just how capable EVs are on the open road.
We hope this guide has helped answer some of your charging questions. If there’s anything you’re still uncertain about, ask your evee Host — they are full of charging knowledge!
