Electrification in Australia: Cintia's story

Cintia De La Torres is a Sydney-based BDM at Evnex, a surfer, and a mum of two. She recently got a new EV and a smart charger to go with it. This is how and why she went from petrol to plug.

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After driving my Pajero for over 11 years, it was time for new wheels. I’m an engineer with over 20 years of experience in the traditional energy industry, and I recently pivoted into the future energy sector; specifically the EV industry.

This shift made me think more critically about my own impact and how I could walk the talk. A PHEV felt like the right balance, offering me the flexibility of a petrol car for longer trips, while still letting me drive electric for most of my daily travel.

I like big cars as they suit my lifestyle: I have teenagers, a dog, and I like to surf. With a busy lifestyle, I need to keep all my gear in the car so I am ready whenever there is a quick break. But my car must have enough room for other stuff like groceries on top of my gear.  

Once I knew I wanted a PHEV, the hunt began. But finding one that fit all my needs wasn’t easy. I looked at several options: BYD didn’t meet my requirements, and although I test drove models from Subaru, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Toyota, and Kia, there was always a trade-off. I really liked the Kia EV5, but the long waitlist wasn't an option for me.

Finally, I came across the Mazda CX-60: a mid-sized SUV, and a well-known brand with a reputation for good service. It stretched the budget a bit, but the FBT exemption was a key decision point to move forward with the novated lease on the Mazda model.

The perfect EV for Sydney living

Living in Sydney, where most of my driving is short and local, I’ve realised I rarely need the petrol backup that comes with a PHEV. Charging every second day works well for my routine, and the quiet, smooth feel of driving in EV mode has completely won me over.  

I mostly use my car for short trips around town, averaging about 30 km a day. I don't commute to work with it, as I work in the Sydney CBD, and it is easier to take the light rail.

On weekends, I use the car to go to the beach or visit friends' houses, and occasionally for longer drives during school holidays or long weekends.

Charging with a 3-pin plug

I live in a set of townhouses, so before now I had to use a very long extension cord (to be honest, I connected multiple extension cords to make the needed length) from my unit to my car space to avoid using the common area electricity.

It didn't look nice, and was annoying. I had to pack and unpack the 3-pin plug every time, as I couldn't leave it on the floor in case I drove over it and damaged the cable.

I am very conscious of energy consumption and try to save on electricity costs; I only run the dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer at night as I am on a ToU tariff.

This meant that often my car wasn't charged, or the dishes weren’t cleaned, because the excess load had switched off in the middle of the night.

This makes life challenging for a busy professional and mother. So I started alternating the days I charge the car and use any other appliances at night, limiting my ability to charge my car.

This wasn't safe and resulted in very slow operations around the house.

Using a smart EV charger

After six months of this, it was time to install a proper charger to make my life easier and the house safer for myself and my family.

Additionally, my neighbour's interest in installing a charger for their new EV made the timing perfect; we could get both chargers installed simultaneously.

We chose Evnex because it’s a New Zealand brand with local support, home overload protection, and solar integration; all in a beautiful, slim design. The safety aspect of built-in load overload protection was a key decision point for me, and although we don't have solar yet, it is our next priority — so we decided it would be wise to get chargers that are future-proof for solar integration.

Due to poor Wi-Fi connection in the underground car park, we opted for the E2 Plus, which offers a SIM card option and met all our criteria.

Purchasing an Evnex smart EV charger

I made an online enquiry with Evnex and received a call from customer service the next day. They were very helpful and knowledgeable.

I explained my property set up (single-phase), the need for two chargers, limitations with Wi-Fi, and my specific need for overload protection. Then I received an online site survey by email, which I completed for both myself and my neighbour. It was simple, straightforward, and easy to complete from my mobile, as I could upload images while filling out the survey.

I let my neighbour pick the colour of her choice — Volcanic — and I followed her, so we now have set the standard for our property.

Installing a smart home EV charger

When it came to installation, my major concern was the Wi-Fi connection in the car park; everything else seemed standard from an installation perspective.

From a cost perspective, we were lucky to have both chargers installed simultaneously, making it more cost-effective for us and efficient for the installation team. It was a win-win situation. TCA Electrical Services were great and knew the job scope from the moment they stepped onto the property.

The journey from quoting to getting the chargers installed took three weeks. Though I would prefer a quicker turnaround, I prioritise safety and quality over speed.

I also believe it was best to let Evnex handle the entire process from end-to-end, as finding a trustworthy installer was challenging, we don't have a preferred electrician for our building. In townhouses or owners' corporations, everything must go through strata management, requiring multiple quotes and increasing costs due to their involvement.

Review: using an Evnex smart charger

I just had my first charge overnight. I was sceptical that my car would really charge overnight, but I found my car ready to go for the low cost of just $3.50.

The commissioning process, app, and charging process all worked perfectly. I am so proud of the end result; it looks amazing, too.

I managed to remove the multiple extension cords from across the garage ceiling, making our property safer and nicer to be in.  

I am amazed with the experience so far and very happy with my choice. Now I can run my home appliances overnight and still have my car ready the next day. Removing the unsafe aspect of overloading my mains is certainly my greatest benefit thus far.

I can't wait to share my experience at my next BBQ (we Brazilians are very famous for our BBQs) and show how proud I am of my new Evnex E2 Plus, and all the insights I am about to get from the app to steer my charging behaviour toward even more environmentally-conscious habits.

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