As more people start their electric vehicle journey, more homeowners are thinking about how they will charge their new vehicle. Home EV charge points are becoming as important as having a broadband connection.
Having a professionally installed home charger can not only offer reliability but can also offer convenience rather than having to charge at public chargers that could be out of order.
This guide covers EV charge point installation options to include costs, what to think about for locations, what is required for an electrical contractor to install and their requirements.
Home EV Charger installation across Wiltshire.
Wiltshire has a very wide variety of property types, these include older period cottages, Traditional build town houses, Bungalows and modern new build developments.
Some things to consider for your installation:
Do you have off road parking available in a safe location?
There can sometimes be longer cable runs for some larger properties; this can involve groundworks.
Charge points can be located on detached garages or pedestal mounted on the driveway, not necessarily on the house.
How will the charger work with my existing solar panels / battery storage?
Can you have 2 charge points at the same property?
What does the whole process look like from start to finish?
- Initial enquiry for the installation / advice on a charger. – This could be an initial video call / survey to establish the basics and provide a good budget figure.
- If the budget figure is suitable, generally a site survey would be carried out to ensure the existing installation is suitable for the addition. Or to determine the extent of works required and to ensure the earthing and bonding is in place.
- A fixed quote would be presented with all works detailed so you know exactly what is involved and what is being carried out.
- After an accepted quote, an application to the local DNO (District Network Operator) generally SSE in this area would be submitted by your installer. This is an SSE requirement as the charge point would be connected to their grid.
- Once approval is obtained, (Usually quickly and within a few weeks.) the installation can be booked in and completed.
- Testing and commissioning – The installation would be tested by the installer following the specific commissioning process including ensuring the charger is online with the manufacturer for over the air updates and connectivity to the user app.
- – The installer would give the user an overview of the controls, how to plug in the car, how to store the tethered cable and ensure the app is working on their device.
- EV charging tariffs. There are many EV specific energy tariffs available from the big-name suppliers. Some offer rates as low as 7p per kWh overnight.
Most standard installations are completed the same day, but some more complex installations can take a little longer depending on the installation and other contractors involved.
Types of home EV chargers available:
Tethered vs Untethered
A tethered charger would have a cable attached to the charger with a type 2 plug for the vehicle, so only one end to plug into the vehicle for easy daily use.
Most come with a storage solution to coil the cable around for neat storage.
An untethered charger has an outlet on the front, with this you can use any available type 2 lead, these are usually supplied with the vehicles. These can be a tidier appearance as there are no cables on view when not in use.
Smart EV Chargers. – Most EV charge points are now smart enabled.
Benefits to these over old non smart EV charge points:
They can integrate with Solar panels and the generation.
You can easily monitor energy usage
Ability to have smart tariffs integration and able to schedule off peak charging to save costs.
How much generally does an installation cost?
Typical installation costs:
Standard installation. – With a consumer unit close to the charger location and in a suitable condition for the addition. £1200 – £2000 depending on the charger chosen.
Bespoke installation. – This would be planned as there could be longer cable runs, ground works and electrical upgrades required to be able to carry out the installation and would be costed as a fixed quote.
Grants & Eligibility.
OZEV Grants may be available for certain properties to cover part of the installation cost.
These can be available to rental tenants, and landlords.
Properties that may be eligible:
Flats & Rental Properties
Workplace charging installations.
Your local OZEV approved EV charge point installer can advise on these and how to claim them if you are eligible.
Benefits of using a local contractor in Wiltshire.
A local installer would generally have a good knowledge of the local area and how some of the houses are constructed.
Be experienced with the DNO applications removing the headache from the application.
Never be far away for aftercare and any maintenance requirements.
Be able to offer bespoke solutions to the more complex installations and able to bring in other contractors as required for groundworks required.
FAQ’s
Can I not just use a plug-in charger to charge my EV?
Yes, you can but these charge at a lower rate which is generally up to 2.5kW and are not a long-term solution. Fixed smart chargers can charge up to 7Kw on a standard single-phase supply and up to 22 Kw on a three-phase supply.
Will one charge point work with all EVs?
Most modern vehicles are equipped with type 2 inlets which are the standard on home EV charge points, so unless you have a very old original EV you should be safe. They are not manufacturer specific.
When is the best time to charge an EV at home?
With the smart chargers, off peak hours are generally cheapest with tariffs offering rates as low as 7p per kW. There are also some others offering free or reduced rate charging periods during the day.
So, to sum up, is installing an EV charge point at home worth it?
For most EV owners it’s an essential item and it pays for itself over time when compared to public charging, you can also benefit from the cheaper rate electric for your property if you are on the right overnight tariff. This could also charge battery storage to discharge during the day saving even more money.
If you are looking for a reliable, experienced and qualified installation company in and round Wiltshire for your EV charge point installation click the link below to book a free no obligation survey.
