Australian property buyers are increasingly paying a premium for homes that cost less to run, and electric vehicle (EV) charging capability is emerging as the next sought-after feature, particularly for apartment dwellers.
Solar systems already command a premium
Research published last year by Cotality in its Watt's It Worth report, drawing on data from more than six million homes, found that houses with solar systems commanded about 2.7 per cent more in value than comparable properties without them. This uplift amounted to around $23,100 nationally and $14,939 in Perth.
For apartment owners, being able to charge their EV at home could become the next feature buyers are willing to pay extra for.
Rapid growth of WA's EV fleet
Western Australia's total EV fleet stood at fewer than 1,400 vehicles when the State Electric Vehicle Strategy for WA was released in November 2020. By the December 2025 quarter, the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure's Western Australian electric vehicle licensing data put this figure at 47,025.
CSIRO's WA EV fleet projection for 2030 has also been revised upward three times since the strategy's release, reaching about 250,000 vehicles in the most recent estimate, which was published in an October 2025 progress update to the State Electric Vehicle Strategy for WA.
That trajectory has since been accelerated by the Middle East conflict, which has driven fuel prices sharply higher and significantly boosted EV demand. Nationally, EV sales surged by nearly 90 per cent year on year in March, reaching 14.6 per cent of the new vehicle market, according to the Electric Vehicle Council and the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
Implications for apartment values
The acceleration carries a direct implication for apartment values, particularly in the inner suburbs. Department of Transport data shows Perth's city centre recorded 21.5 per cent EV growth in the December 2025 quarter, among the fastest in the state. Most of the buyers driving those numbers live in apartments and are already asking questions about charging.
The National Construction Code now requires new apartment buildings to have electrical distribution boards sized to accommodate a seven-kilowatt EV charger in every car parking space. This provision became mandatory in WA from May 2025. However, Perth's existing apartment stock largely predates this regulation, and retrofitting is significantly more expensive and disruptive than building in charging facilities from the start.
Developers taking note
Developers incorporating core EV infrastructure into their projects today are reading the same market signal that made solar a premium feature in houses. As Perth's EV fleet continues its rapid growth, the price gap between buildings with that capability and those without is likely to widen considerably.
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