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 provide electricity for shared building facilities like hallways, stairwell lights, elevators, and pool equipment. Some parking garages also have shared power outlets. If EV owners use these outlets for charging, the cost is spread across all residents through strata fees, which can lead to unfair expenses and disputes.
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.
Managing EV chargers on individual apartment meters is more complicated because each resident has a set power limit, and the building also has a total power capacity. A good load management system needs to prevent both individual units and the whole building from being overloaded.
When to Connect EV Chargers to the Common Power Supply
If running cables to individual meters is too expensive, EV chargers can be connected to the common property meter instead. However, this means the building needs a way to track and bill each EV owner’s electricity use, and it must ensure the system doesn’t overload the building’s power supply. Strata approval is also required since the meter is shared by all residents.
Using the common property meter for EV chargers comes with 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.
Episodes:
- Episode 1: Getting Started
- Episode 2: EV Charging ‘Backbone’ Infrastructure
- Episode 3: Individual vs Common Area Meters
Get a quote for a feasibility study in your building
- Individual vs. Common Meters | Apartment EV Charging Education Series | Ep 3 of 10 - 10 February, 2025
- Solar Choice Educational Series on Apartment EV Charging | Ep. 1 of 10 - 10 February, 2025
- EV Backbone Infrastructure | Apartment EV Charging Education Series | Ep 2 of 10 - 10 February, 2025
