Over the next 10 years, millions of people from Bristol to Timbuktu will end up buying an electric car. According to Bloomberg, global EV sales are now set to rise from 3.1 million in 2020 to 14 million in 2025. And that means a lot more people will have to answer the question: how do I charge this thing? While public charging stations in the UK now outnumber petrol stations, there is still a great deal of concern on this topic.
But, fortunately for the estimated two-thirds of the population who have a driveway, there is a simple answer... Install a home charger! This is what more than 180,000 UK households have done during recent years. It's the simple and most stress-free way to keep your EV topped up. In essence, you're just using your own energy supply much like your phone or TV does. A home charging point will ensure you can wake-up every morning with a car full of volts. Seeing as most people drive well under 50 miles each day on average, you might never need to visit public chargers.
Likewise, home chargers are outrageously affordable right now. Not only is Her Majesty's government subsidising their installations to the tune of £350, but there are also now endless EV specific energy tariffs - meaning the electricity can be as low as 4p per kWh.
How do you get one? Given the rise in popularity of EVs, a number of companies have started selling their own devices. All of these offer different features, colours, sizes, styles and costs. And then installation can vary too. This can all make the process quite intimidating. But it shouldn't be. Picking and installing a home charger can be very easy. For a lot of people, you won't even need to lift a finger. All you must do is buy an EV. This is because an increasing number of manufacturers and dealers include home charger installations as part of their service. Often, they will have special partnerships with local installers and electricians. Check the features! While this might sound like you can stick your feet up, you should always check exactly what you're having installed. There are several key features on offer in the market today that you might want in your charger.
Smart charging - this is where a home charger can save you hundreds of pounds each year by using electricity when it's cheapest (often at night). App control - a growing number of chargepoints will let you monitor it remotely. This feature will be valuable if you want to check your rates or the state of your battery from the comfort of a sofa. Top speed - the standard power rate for home chargers is 7kWh. Anything less than this should be questioned. However, you may see some companies offer faster 22kW units. But, be warned, those tend to only be available for commercial properties.
Something that looks good - this is probably the first thing you notice: how does the charger look? Nobody wants an enormous bulging box with neon lights outside their house; so be sure to find one that suits your style. Some companies have invested a lot into designing chargers that look gorgeous (Andersen is a good example). Vehicle to grid - this is a new but growing feature for home chargers. In essence, it allows you to charge your car up, but the flow of electricity can also be reversed to power your home. It's early days, but this feature could save and even make you money by selling kWh back to the national grid. To tether or not to tether - a ‘tethered’ home charger has a cable built into it.
This might save you a tiny bit of time when plugging in, but the tidier and more universal option is to go with untethered (meaning you plug in a cable). Once you've figured out which charger you like, you'll need to get an installer. There is an array of ways to find one. Either you can approach a local electrician, use comparison tools like rightcharge.co.uk or, often, the maker of a home charger will have a team of their own installers. It's important that you research your installer carefully. Legitimate ones should all be authorised under the government's installation scheme (click the links to learn more and see the list of authorised installers).
The installation itself is probably the easiest part. Most installers will first do a survey of your home (can be done remotely) and then it will take between 0.5 to 1 days to put in. The only item left to consider is your energy tariff. You should ensure two things; firstly, that you take advantage of the cheaper tariffs – especially if you have a smart charger – secondly, that it's a 100% green energy tariff – otherwise what's the point in driving a green vehicle!
