Evnex CEO Ed Harvey

Many of Australia’s 454,000 EV owners could have $0 fuel costs from July, thanks to free electricity under the federal government’s Solar Sharer program.

From 1 July, millions of Australian households will have access to three hours of free electricity a day and according to one of the country’s leading EV experts, that could easily power their EV car, effectively wiping all annual fuel costs completely.

According to analysis from Evnex, Australasia’s largest EV charging manufacturer, the average  EV owner with a smart home charger who plugs in during the free midday window just twice a week could cover their entire weekly driving needs without spending a cent on power.

A 7.4kW home charger running across the Solar Sharer’s free three-hour window can add up to approximately 150 kilometres of range per session. The average Australian passenger vehicle travels around 13,800 kilometres a year[1], or roughly 265 kilometres per week. Two Solar Sharer charges covers it.

“Plug in both days over the weekend, or when you’re working from home, and job done: you’re driving for free,” Evnex CEO Ed Harvey says.

For households with two EVs, the same logic doubles. Four charges across the week/two per car, and both vehicles are effectively running for free.

Harvey says the Solar Sharer program represents a structural shift in the economics of electric driving.

“We’ve been telling people for years that EVs are cheaper to run. Solar Sharer takes that argument to a completely different level,” he said.

“We’re not talking about saving a few dollars here and there. We’re talking about households being able to genuinely drive for free.”

Even without free power, Evnex’s real-world data, found the average EV driver saves more than $3,600* a year in fuel costs compared to a petrol car.

The Solar Sharer program, which launches in South Australia, New South Wales and Southeast Queensland on 1 July, will deepen those savings significantly for drivers who can charge during the free window.

The catch, Harvey says, is timing.

“The real opportunity for EV owners is scale,” Evnex CEO Ed Harvey said. “Running a dishwasher in the free power window may save a little. Charging an EV can store enough free energy to cover days of driving.”

“The car does need to be plugged in at home during the free period. But once it is, a smart EV charger can take care of the timing automatically, starting when the free electricity window opens and stopping when it closes.”

With the Solar Sharer launch now weeks away, Harvey is urging EV-curious Australians to act before July.

“That means three things: the right car, the right charger, and a smart meter,” he said.

“Solar Sharer is available through most retailers but it’s opt-in, and you’ll need a smart meter to access it. If you don’t have one, call your retailer now as it can take a few weeks for it to be installed.

“And if you’ve been thinking about making the switch to an EV, or upgrading to a smart charger, now is the time.”

Electric vehicles made up 13.1 per cent of all new car sales in Australia in 2025 with the momentum continuing to build. In May 2026, that figure hit 16.4 per cent, meaning roughly one in every six new cars sold in Australia is now electric.

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