Chargefox: Australia's Biggest EV Charging Network, Explained

Chargefox is Australia’s largest public EV charging network. Strictly speaking it’s a platform: one app that brings together thousands of charging plugs owned by hundreds of businesses, councils and governments, from free 7 kW destination chargers to 350 kW ultra-rapid highway sites. You don’t need a membership. Download the free app, add a payment card, plug in and charge. What you pay is up to whoever owns the charger, because Chargefox itself sets no rate: a session can cost nothing at a council AC post, or the 66 to 79 cents per kWh the NRMA and RAA list publicly at their club-owned DC sites, with remote sites dearer again.

What is Chargefox, exactly?

Chargefox calls itself a “network of networks”, and that’s the most useful way to think about it. Unlike operators that build and run their own hardware, Chargefox mostly provides the software layer: the app, the payment system, real-time charger status and 24/7 phone support. The physical chargers belong to councils, shopping centres, wineries, motoring clubs and energy companies all over the country. Shell Recharge chargers were added to the platform recently, which is typical of how the network grows.

The company itself is owned by Australia’s state motoring clubs through Australian Motoring Services, which is why club members get charging discounts and why you’ll find Chargefox-connected chargers on regional routes the clubs helped fund.

The practical upshot: one account covers an enormous spread of chargers, from a free council Type 2 post in a country town to a 350 kW ultra-rapid bank on the Hume. If you’re new to public charging, our guide to finding public EV charging in Australia explains how Chargefox fits into the bigger picture.

Where are Chargefox charging stations?

Chargefox is the largest network on our charger map, with sites in every state and territory. On our charger map the biggest clusters are in Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales, followed by South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland, with a small handful in the ACT. As a network of networks it reaches well into regional and rural Australia, because so many of its chargers were funded by councils, governments and the motoring clubs.

To find a specific Chargefox location three ways work well:

• The Chargefox app shows every site with live locations and real-time availability — the most reliable source before you set off.
• Our interactive charger map plots Chargefox stations alongside every other network, so you can see what else is nearby if a bay is busy.
• Our state charger pages break the network down by region — for example Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales.

Because site counts aren’t the same as plug counts, treat the app as the source of truth for exactly what’s available when you arrive.

How much does Chargefox charging cost?

There is no single Chargefox price, and that is not a gap in our research. Chargefox’s own help centre (updated August 2026) puts it in one line: “pricing is not set by Chargefox”. The owner of each station sets the rate, and the app shows it before you start.

So the useful question isn’t “what does Chargefox cost”, it’s “who owns this charger”. The clubs that own most of the ultra-rapid sites do publish their prices: the NRMA prices per location at 69 to 99c/kWh, the top of that range being remote sites, and the RAA charges 66c/kWh off-peak and 75c/kWh during its 5pm to 10pm evening peak in metro Adelaide, a few cents more in the country and the outback. Between those and the free council posts sit hundreds of shopping-centre, hotel and business chargers whose owners set whatever they like.

One fee is Chargefox’s own: the standard idle fee is $1 a minute once your session ends, after a 10-minute grace period, and it can vary by site as well. For how billing, idle fees and payment actually work at the plug, see our guide to paying for public EV charging.

How to pay at Chargefox

Chargefox offers three ways to pay, and you don’t need a smartphone for the most common one:

• Chargefox app (iOS, Android) — the standard way. Download, add a payment card, plug in and start from the app.
• RFID card — free, posted to you. Works at all Chargefox-owned and partner sites without a phone. Request one in the app after signup.
• Roaming — Chargefox’s platform covers Shell Recharge sites and hundreds of other operators. One account, one payment method.

There is no tap-to-pay at any Chargefox site. If you want app-free charging, get the RFID card — it’s the simplest non-smartphone option on any Australian network.

How do you start a charge?

1. Download the Chargefox app (iOS or Android) and create an account with a payment card.
2. Find a station on the map. The app shows real-time availability, plug types and the price per kWh.
3. Plug in, select the connector in the app and start the session.
4. Watch progress in the app, then stop the session and unplug.

If anything goes wrong mid-charge, Chargefox runs 24/7 phone support, which matters more than it sounds at 9pm in a regional town. Some newer cars also integrate Chargefox into their in-car software, so you can start a charge from the dash.

What plugs and speeds will you find?

Every Chargefox location has Type 2 charging, the standard AC plug in Australia. DC fast and ultra-rapid sites use CCS2, which suits almost every EV sold here, and many sites also carry CHAdeMO leads for older vehicles such as the first-generation Nissan Leaf. One catch: some AC destination chargers are socket-only, meaning you bring your own Type 2 cable. The app listing tells you which, so check before you drive out of your way.

Speeds run the full range. Destination chargers at 7 to 22 kW suit a few hours parked at a shopping centre or motel. The 50 kW fast chargers are the workhorses of regional Australia. Ultra-rapid sites at 150 to 350 kW are built for road trips, where most current EVs can add a couple of hundred kilometres of range in 15 to 30 minutes.

How does the motoring club discount work?

Add your member number in the Chargefox app and the discount applies automatically at participating sites, mostly the ultra-rapid network. How much you get depends on which club you belong to and who owns the station. AANT, NRMA, RACV, RAA and RACT members get 10 per cent at selected club-owned stations. RACQ members get 20 per cent at RACQ-owned Queensland stations and 10 per cent at other clubs’ stations interstate, and RAC WA members get the same deal in reverse: 20 per cent at RAC-owned WA sites, 10 per cent elsewhere. NRMA members should note their club’s own saving, a flat 5 cents per kWh since August 2025, only applies when you pay in the My NRMA app or at the on-site card reader.

To put it in money: an RAA member charging at an RAA DC site in the evening peak pays 75c/kWh, so ten per cent is 7.5 cents a kilowatt hour, or $3.75 on a 50 kWh charge. Not life-changing, but it’s free money if you already hold a club membership for roadside assistance.

Chargefox vs Evie: which should you use?

Both, honestly. Evie builds, owns and operates its own fast chargers, while Chargefox aggregates chargers owned by others, so their site maps barely overlap and together they cover most of the country’s public charging. The difference that matters at the plug is pricing: Evie sets one list of rates across its own hardware, topping out at 73c/kWh on a 350 kW unit, while on Chargefox the spread runs from free council posts to club-owned ultra-rapids that ask more than Evie does. We compare the two in detail in our Evie Networks guide.

There’s no exclusivity problem: both apps are free, and seasoned EV drivers carry both, plus one or two others depending on their state.

Is Chargefox reliable for road trips?

Chargefox’s coverage is its biggest strength, including regional and rural sites that exist because motoring clubs and governments funded them rather than because the traffic justified them commercially. The app’s real-time status is generally accurate, and 24/7 human support is a genuine safety net.

That said, treat any single charger in the bush as a maybe. Plan road trips with a backup site within range, check the app’s live status before committing, and you’ll rarely be caught out.

Sources: Chargefox, Chargefox: how much does it cost, Chargefox: overstay and idle fees, Chargefox: motoring club member discounts. Verified August 2026. Chargefox sets no per-kWh rate of its own; the club prices quoted come from the NRMA’s and RAA’s own pages.