Risk
Using any GPO in a garage or carport More than half of Australian homes are over 30 years old and built before modern energy demands and safety standards. Using a general power outlet( GPO) in these settings for EV charging poses real risks.
User behaviour when using Mode 2 cables It’ s difficult for organisations to control how employees use Mode 2 chargers. Adding appliances to the same circuit, or using extension cords or powerboards, significantly increases safety risks.
Most Mode 2 cables are slow – limited to 8 amps, roughly 80km of range overnight, and up to 32 hours for a full charge.
While this may suffice for shorter urban commutes, it’ s entirely unsuitable for the likes of fleets that cover hundreds of kilometres in a single shift( e. g. mobile lenders, service technicians and assessors), not to mention those who live in outer suburbs or rural areas.
Daily charging becomes non-negotiable. Miss just one night, and the range shortfall compounds.
Cables are easily lost Mode 2 chargers are portable and often misplaced when vehicles are reassigned or employees leave.
Possible Resolution
Australian wiring standard AS / NZS 3000 is clear: any GPO used for EV charging must be on a dedicated circuit, installed and certified by a licensed electrician. A web-based assessment relying solely on photos, especially one carried out by a non-electrician, does not meet this benchmark.
WorkSafe New Zealand’ s EV Charging Safety Guidelines( 2019) explicitly advise against the use of Mode 2 chargers for professional or fleet applications. They require that EV charging be installed on a dedicated final sub-circuit, with no extension cords, adapters or shared outlets permitted.
If your organisation is considering Mode 2 chargers for an early-stage pilot, ensure every circuit is inspected by a qualified electrician.
A clear internal policy should prohibit extension cords and powerboards as part of employee onboarding. Without it, the risk is passed directly to the organisation.
Organisations should set a clear policy: plug in every day. Provide guidance on public charging use, but don’ t rely on it to bridge routine gaps. Public charging may help but typically costs 30 minutes to an hour of productive time.
A policy fix: make charger return part of the offboarding checklist. Without it, assets go missing and costs rise.
If your organisation does choose to trial Mode 2 charging, ensure risks are identified and mitigated from the start. JET Charge can support you, but we do not recommend this approach for fleetwide rollout.
Why Australia’ s largest companies trust JET Charge + Home
JET Charge helps fleets scale their electrification plans, from earlier pilots all the way through to full electrification. Along the way, we will help you make the best decisions on what infrastructure and operating model is suitable, always balancing cost, user experience and safety.
JET Charge + Home has already passed procurement and legal test of the largest ASX200 organisations, where employee safety and liability management is paramount. These are legacy institutions with complex risk registers, and they’ ve found a solution that enables scale, with compliance built in.
With Scope 3 reporting now mandated across the ASX200, a managed and auditable home charging model isn’ t just best practice. It’ s a compliance imperative.
From pilot to national rollout JET Charge help you electrify your fleet without compromising on safety, compliance or scale.
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