EV CHARGING FOR NOVATED LEASE
Understanding Novated Lease Reimbursement:
A Complete Guide
Owning an Electric Vehicle through a Novated Lease is an incredibly attractive financial option.
EVs acquired under a novated lease qualify for the FBT exemption, enabling you to purchase and pay for the vehicle entirely from your pre-tax income.
This incentive has driven a surge in EV adoption across Australia, with over 100,000 new battery electric vehicles sold in 2025 alone, averaging around 9,000 per month, and sales continuing to climb in 2026. An added perk of novated leasing is the ability to claim running costs for electricity from home charging. The question to date as been...how?
EV Reimbursement Options for Australian Fleets
For novated lease and fleet EV drivers, two methods exist: cents per kilometre (manual) or cents per kWh (automated).
Cents per kWh is the fairer choice: it automatically tracks actual home charging, delivers accurate energy consumption data, and allows public charging claims alongside.
Cents per km is time-consuming, requires odometer logging, uses a flat rate that ignores vehicle efficiency, and prevents separate public charging claims, often leaving drivers out of pocket.
Read on to discover which option might be best for you...
Claim Method: Cents per kWh
Claiming cents per kilowatt-hour is the smart, automated way to reimburse EV travel expenses accurately and effortlessly.
Convenient: This method eliminates the need for manual odometer logging or calculations. It automatically tracks your home charging sessions and calculates reimbursements based on actual electricity usage, saving you time and hassle.
Flexible claims: Unlike the cents per kilometre method, claiming cents per kWh allows you to reimburse home charging costs while still claiming public charging expenses separately, ensuring you're never out of pocket.
Fair and precise: This method accounts for your vehicle's real-world efficiency and electricity consumption, providing reimbursements that match exactly what you've used. No more shortfalls for drivers with higher-consuming EVs; it's equitable and tailored to your needs.
Claim Method: Cents per KM
Claiming cents per kilometre is the manual method for reimbursing EV travel expenses. However, this approach comes with several significant drawbacks.
Time-consuming: Using the cents per kilometre method requires manually logging your odometer readings at the start and end of each month. You then calculate the kilometres travelled and multiply by 4.2 cents to determine your claim, which must be documented manually.
One claim only: If you use the cents per kilometre method for home charging, you cannot legally claim public charging costs as well, leaving the driver personally out of pocket for those expenses.
Inaccurate: The cents per kilometre method is inherently unfair, as it doesn't account for variations in vehicle efficiency. Some EVs consume more power and thus use more electricity per kilometre, yet all drivers are reimbursed at the same flat rate, often resulting in out-of-pocket costs for those with less efficient vehicles
Pulsepoint by INFINITY EV solves home charging reimbursement for novated leases and fleets. Pulsepoint is a cloud platform that integrates with Powersensor to measure and provide you, your novated lease providoer or employer your exact EV charging kWh at home.
How does it work?
Powersensor is a self install sensor technology which you connect to your home charger and home energy meter. The Powersensor reports data straight to the Pulsepoint cloud which collates and packages a report of your energy consumption and usage. Ideal to upload to your novated lease provider.
charging access
Free for company cars; paid for personal use, ensures fair usage and ATO compliance.
BILLING OPTIONS
App-based payments or reimbursements, providing cost tracking
SUSTAINBILITY
Reduces personal and corporate carbon footprint, enhancing the corporate ESG reporting
Scalability
AC Charging allows for multiple stations for growing teams. We can support with load management to prevent building and grid energy strain.
