The number on the box isn't the number that matters

A 22kW charger sounds like the obvious upgrade over 7kW, but the charger on your wall isn't what determines charging speed, your car's onboard charger is. If your EV's onboard charger caps at 7kW, connecting it to a 22kW wall unit still only delivers 7kW, the car simply won't accept more. This single fact resolves most of the confusion around which charger to actually buy.

When 7kW is genuinely the right answer

Most current Australian EVs have onboard chargers in the 7 to 11kW range, and most Sydney homes run single-phase power, which caps out at 7kW regardless of the wall charger's rating. For daily driving under roughly 100km, a 7kW single-phase charger comfortably replenishes overnight without paying for three-phase infrastructure your car can't fully use anyway. See our guide on what a standard 7kW install actually costs.

When 22kW is actually worth it

A genuine 22kW onboard charger is currently limited to a small number of specific EV models sold in Australia. If you already have three-phase power at your property, or you're planning to install it for other reasons, an aircon, a pool heater, an induction cooktop, and you own or plan to own one of these specific models, a 22kW charger delivers a real benefit. Installing three-phase purely to chase a 22kW speed your current car can't use isn't usually money well spent.

What about 11kW as a middle ground

An 11kW three-phase charger sits between the two, and it's worth considering if you already have three-phase power and your EV's onboard charger accepts 11kW, which covers more current models than full 22kW capability does. This gets you a genuine speed improvement over 7kW without needing your specific car to support the top-tier 22kW rate. It's also the more sensible middle path if you're weighing up a future vehicle upgrade but aren't confident it'll be one of the rarer 22kW-capable models.

How to actually decide for your home

Check your specific EV's onboard AC charging limit first, it's in the owner's manual or the manufacturer's specifications. Then check whether your home already has single or three-phase power. Those two facts, not the biggest number printed on a charger's box, actually determine which unit makes sense for your situation, and getting them confirmed before you buy anything avoids paying for capacity you'll never use. For how long charging actually takes at either rate, see our home EV charging time guide.