This is episode 3 in our 10 part educational series focusing on the differences between individual and common property meters when it comes to EV Charging.
What are Electricity Meters?
Your electricity meter is the device that power companies use to measure how much electricity you have used to send you an accurate bill.
Older analog meters require someone to come and read the meter periodically while smart or digital meters will send electricity information to the retailer in real-time. Many residential apartment buildings still have old analog meters.
What are the different electricity meters in apartment buildings?
Each apartment building will have individual meters and common property meters.
Common property meters supply electricity to shared building amenities such as hallways and stairwell lights, elevators and pool equipment. Sometimes there are common property power sockets or usage in the parking garage. This can cause problems for strata buildings if EV owners can use these sockets to charge their car as all owners pay to costs of common property power via their strata fees.
Every apartment will have their own individual meter, which tracks and measures electricity within their own apartment. Sometimes everyones’ electricity meter will be located in the same place (e.g. the basement) or sometimes individual meters will be grouped together on the various floors of the building.
Ideally, EV chargers should be connected to individual unit meters to ensure each resident pays for their own electricity usage. However, practical limitations may prevent this setup in some buildings.
When to Connect EV Chargers to Individual Meters
If your building has all the individual meters located in the basement near the parking areas, then the optimal solution will likely to be connect the EV Chargers to individual meters. There will need to be space to connect a EV sub-distribution board to setup dedicated power supplies for each parking bay.
If the individual meters are located further away, then a professional will need to estimate the costs of running individual cables for each parking bay against connecting back to the common property meter.
Advantage of Connecting to Individual Meters
The main advantage is the ease of billing owners for electricity usage. Common area solutions usually require billing software which can cost around $150 per charger per year.
Individual meter solutions can still utilise a centralised load management system to manage the collective power requirement of the EV chargers to remain within power capacity of the building.
It should be noted that it can be a bit more complex to design an effective load management system for EV chargers on individual supplies as the may need to be managed to remain within each individuals power limit along with the entire buildings power capacity.
When to Connect EV Chargers to the Common Power Supply
Generally it is recommended to install EV chargers onto the common property meter where it is too costly to run cables to each individual meter.
Have EV Chargers on the common property meter will introduce some challenges:
| Challenge | Solution |
| Electricity usage will end up on Body Corporate electricity bill | EV charging solutions can come with billing software which can charge individuals for their usage and reimburse Body Corporate (fees apply) |
| Common property meter may have limited power supply | An electrician can inspect the electrical infrastructure and draw a new common area power supply or upgrade if required |
Individual vs. Common Meters for EV Charging
| Factor | Individual Unit Meter | Common Power Meter |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | Depends on the location of the meters | Higher ongoing costs due to billing software requirement, sometimes lower upfront costs |
| Billing users for energy | Each resident pays for their own usage on their normal electricity bill | Requires a billing solution to enable body corporate to reimburse funds from relevant user |
| Feasibility | Ideal if individual meters are located in/near the car park | Best for buildings where meters are further away or for complex switchboard designs |
| Long-Term Scalability | Easier to scale with future EV adoption | Requires ongoing administration & management |
Read more about different solutions in our overall guide for EV Charging in Apartments.
Why Professional Guidance is Essential
Get Expert Advice with an EV Charging Feasibility Study
Choosing between individual and common meter EV charging is a complex decision that requires careful planning. A professional feasibility study can:
- Evaluate your building’s electrical infrastructure.
- Compare installation costs and long-term expenses.
- Recommend the best metering and billing solution.
Solar Choice provides independent advice and quote comparisons, ensuring your strata committee makes the right decision for your building.
Talk to an expert consultant at Solar Choice about options for your building
Final Thoughts on Individual vs Common Meters for EV Charging
Both individual unit meters and common power meters have advantages and challenges when implementing EV charging in apartment buildings. The right choice depends on:
- Meter location and distance from the car park.
- Building electrical capacity and upgrade requirements.
- Strata approval processes and fair billing solutions.
If individual meters are easily accessible, they provide a simple and cost-effective solution. However, if meters are too far from the car park, using the common power supply with smart billing can be the best alternative.
- EV Charging in Apartments: Individual vs. Common Meters - 10 February, 2025
- Solar Choice Educational Series on Apartment EV Charging | Ep. 1 | Intro - 10 February, 2025
- EV Backbone | Apartment EV Charging Education Series | Ep 2 of 10 - 10 February, 2025
