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The automotive industry around the world is abuzz with the news of electrical vehicles (EVs) and how a mass shift from petrol-powered cars is imminent.
Almost every car manufacturer has either introduced an electric vehicle to their fleet or has announced plans to do so.
Similarly, you probably know of several people in your circle who have either already taken the plunge or plan to go electric in the near future.
And why not? EVs are smooth, quiet, reliable, environment-friendly, and best of all, they do not require you to stop at petrol stations to fill them up!
While all of these are great benefits, the last one has implications of its own and provides added convenience to EV owners, especially if they have an EV charger at home.
Unless you want to swap your stops at petrol stations with sessions at a public EV charging station, you are going to want to charge your EV at home at your convenience, and for that, you need to install a home EV charging station.
In addition to that, new homes and buildings in the UK will be required by law to install EV charging points from 2022 in order to boost the sales of EVs and aim for a cleaner and greener environment.
Read on to find out all about EV chargers at home, how long it takes to charge, the location of the charger, the typical costs, whether you need a specialist installer, and much more:
Whether you already own an EV or are looking into getting one for the first time, home charging is an important point to consider.
While you can use a public EV charging station to charge your car, having the facility at home can add to the convenience of owning and operating an EV, with more than 90% of EV owners charging their electric cars at home.
Home EV charger installation may seem like a complicated task that entails a lot of work, and while most of that is true, you can make the process much easier by hiring a certified professional to do it for you.
Similar to your mobile phone that has a rechargeable battery, an EV also has a battery that allows it to operate without petrol or gas.
In the same way that your phone won’t work if its battery isn’t charged, your EV also won’t go anywhere if there is no electricity stored in its battery pack.
As you use your car, the electricity stored in the battery is consumed and needs to be periodically replenished by charging it.
Although there are several public EV charging stations available in the country, with more and more opening with each passing day, home EV chargers are in high demand due to the added convenience that they provide.
You have the freedom to charge your EV absolutely any time you want without waiting in queues since it’s made for your individual needs.
In addition to that, you can also schedule your charges based on the most cost-effective timings, typically night-time, allowing you to save a few extra pounds.
As compared to commercial EV charging stations that utilise higher voltages and can charge batteries at a much faster rate, home EV chargers are smaller much less expensive. They are also made in a way to not put unnecessary load on the electrical grid powering your home.
One of the most common questions regarding home EV charger installation is whether it can be a DIY task. The simple answer to this is: no, not unless you’re a certified EV charger installer with the relevant experience. If not, we recommend not to take it on by yourself.
You must always hire a certified and experienced professional, and although it might prove to be more expensive in the short term, it will save you from future troubles and will make sure the installation is safe and complies with all the regulations.
In addition to that, if not installed properly, some EV charging points may also lose their warranty, which is something you would not want to risk.
The first step for installing a home EV charger is choosing the right charging point for your specific needs and requirements. When doing so, there are a few things you need to keep in mind, such as:
To install an EV charger in your home, you must have dedicated off-street parking, which means that you must either have a garage or a driveway where you can park your car so that it is away from the road.
Home EV chargers are usually installed either on the exterior wall in the driveway or on the interior wall inside the garage.
These are safe and convenient locations to install the charger because not only do they make it easy to connect to the mains electricity but are also close to where your car is usually parked.
If you do not have a driveway or garage, installing an EV charger may be trickier and a bit more complicated. You may need longer cables that could run the risk of stretching over the pavement and turning into a tripping hazard.
Finding a safe place to install your EV charge point is a crucial part of the installation process, which is why it is extremely important to discuss all the options with your professional installer.
Once all the technicalities have been sorted and the most ideal location has been selected, trained engineers from an EV installation company will visit your home and begin the installation process which, if all goes well, shouldn’t take more than 2 to 3 hours to finish.
Depending on the nature of the job, it might take a bit longer as well. In case of major issues, the installation may also be rescheduled for another day.
To avoid any major issues, there are a few things that you can do to make sure the installation process is a smooth one:
On the day of the installation, the professional installers will turn off the power supply for a while, for safety purposes, to finish installing the charger and connecting it to your electricity supply.
After that, the power will be turned back on to test the installation and to ensure that it is safe. If you have a smart charger, the system will be connected to the internet and you will be given proper training on how to use it.
The average cost of installing an EV charger in your home is around £800. This can vary depending on several factors such as:
While this may seem like a lot, if you consider the long-term savings and the difference EVs make on the environment, it all seems worth it in the end.
In the plan to make the UK greener and cleaner, the government has launched an initiative in the form of financial grants to encourage people to switch to EVs and install EV chargers at home.
Under the Government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS), you can receive a grant of up to 75% of the EV charger’s cost, with a cap set at £350 per installation.
To benefit from the grant, you must:
The time it takes to charge an EV at home depends on the type of charger you have installed. Here are the three most common charging options and the miles per hour that they add:
Now, coming to the time it takes to charge an EV at home, if you were to charge your car’s battery from completely empty to full, which would rarely be the case, it would take a long time.
Also, the capacity and health of the battery and the power of the charger play a crucial role here. The bigger the size of the battery and the slower the charging output, the longer it will take to charge it from empty to full.
To get a better idea of the relation, here are the battery capacities, charging powers, and times for some of the most common battery sizes:
With a home EV charger at your disposal, chances are that you will have most of your charging needs met at home without having to rely on commercial and public charging stations unless you are on an extended journey and need to recharge repeatedly.
Most EV owners prefer to charge their cars when they are not planning to leave the house since the charging process requires some time ranging from 4 to 12 hours, depending on the type of charger.
Evening and night-time allow for adequate charging time and cheaper charging costs if the homeowner has cheaper night-time energy tariffs.
The total number of times you would need to charge your EV depends entirely on:
Some EV owners opt to charge their cars every night to ensure a full “tank” every morning, while others charge a few times every week to meet their needs.
There is some debate regarding how much the battery must be charged every time, with many believing that charging it to a full 100% may cause it to disintegrate faster. For this reason, most EV owners aim to charge their cars to around 80% capacity instead.
However, occasionally charging your electric car’s battery to 100% for when you need to use it for longer journeys should not have adverse effects on the battery’s health.
There are several benefits of having EV charging points installed in your home, making them 100% worth it when it comes to the associated costs.
Here are all the reasons you must have an EV charger installed in your home, especially if you own an EV or have plans to do so soon:
Home electric car charging points give you the convenience to be able to charge your cars whenever you want.
A personal charging station can be particularly useful, especially if you live in an area with fewer public charging stations.
You can also schedule your charges based on the most cost-effective timings, typically night-time, allowing you to save a few extra pounds.
Electric cars use lithium-ion batteries that are susceptible to extreme temperatures. Rapid charging at most public charging stations produces excessive heat that can harm the battery’s life, as compared to slow and fast chargers at home that generate less amount of heat.
If you are an electric car owner looking to install a home EV charging point, you’ve come to the right place.
At Calder Electrical, we install EV chargers in line with the current regulations and can offer a government incentive to reduce the installation costs for both domestic and commercial properties.
There are various chargers currently in the market and it can be a little confusing to choose the best one for your needs.
We will take out the hassle and provide you with the most suitable and affordable option, ranging from the standard systems to the smart ones that are becoming increasingly popular.
We are authorised and registered OZEV installers and our charge points come with a 3-year warranty. We offer all kinds of different options to choose from, such as wall-mounted to freestanding pedestal units with different types of chargers and charging speeds.
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 for our expert opinion and professional services!
Photo by the blowup on Unsplash
