Electric Car Charger Home Installation UK: What You Need To Know

Choosing an EV Charger

There are a few fundamental steps to take before you can choose the right EV charger. The first thing to consider is what type of EV you have, or what type of EV you are considering buying.

Type of electric vehicle

The type of vehicle you have will determine how much power your EV charger will need to provide. For example, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles have smaller batteries than traditional EVs, as they don’t run on electricity alone.

Electric vehicles have a range of battery sizes, and their capacity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). The difference in battery capacity can range from 17.6 kWh in the Smart EQ ForTwo, to a huge 100 kWh in the Tesla Model X and S. To work out what you need, we recommend researching the charging capacity of various chargers.

The energy source used to charge your electric vehicle

You’ll also have to consider what energy source you’ll be using to charge your EV. If you have a microgeneration system, such as solar PV panels or a wind turbine, you’ll need an EV charger that is compatible with that power source.

If you’ll be charging your EV from the grid, you’ll want to look into energy tariffs that accommodate EV charging – to prevent a significant increase in your utility bills. Many electricity providers have begun to incentivise EV charging, by tailoring tariffs specifically to overnight charging.

Is there any funding available for electric car charger home installation?

There are different ways of getting a charger installed at home. Having an OZEV approved charger is the most important criteria if you wish to claim the £350 OLEV grant. This grant is given by the Government Office for Low Emissions Vehicles to cover installation costs and to ensure motorists get a reliable OOZEV approved charge point installer. Please note, the OZEV grant is now only available to landlords, tenants and homeowners in flats effective from 1 April 2022.

Before you have your charger fitted, you need to submit an application to the DNO (District Network Operator), the company responsible for providing electricity to your property. This request will state what type of charge you’re installing, and how powerful it is.

The DNO application is something your installer can do for you, but if you want to install your EV charger yourself, you need to follow these steps and information.

We advise that you check the electrical infrastructure of your home, before installing an EV charger. The typical home works at a specification of roughly 60 amps – and you run the risk of blowing fuses and causing electrical problems if you reach the maximum amount of energy your street or board can manage.

zappi’s built-in safety features monitor what’s going on in your home to prevent this from happening, and due to its load balancing and load curtailment features, it doesn’t require a DNO.

How much does electric car charger home installation cost?

The most popular smart EV chargers in the UK vary in price – ranging anywhere from £550 – £3,000 including installation. This mainly depends on the technology and specifications of the individual charger.

zappi is at the lower end of the price spectrum – yet its capabilities are in keeping with the higher end of the price range. It not only has the smart capabilities of three charging modes –  it’s also engineered to be as sustainable as possible.

How do I maintain my electric car charger?

EV charging points typically don’t require much maintenance, and any reputable EV charger will come with a 3-year warranty. There are, however, ways you can take care of your EV charger to make sure it lasts as long as possible.

How do I make the most out of my electric car charger?

Many EV chargers come with a huge range of capabilities – going beyond simply charging the EV. To make the most out of your EV charger, you should find a mode and rate of charge that best suits your needs.

For example, the zappi has three different types of charging mode:

• Fast mode: This is exactly as it sounds. In this mode, zappi will charge your vehicle at the maximum power as quickly as possible. This mode will utilise any surplus energy available, and top up to maximum power from the grid until the vehicle is fully charged.
• ECO: On ECO mode, zappi becomes an intelligent device that adjusts its charge rate to minimise using electricity from the national grid. With over 1.4kwh surplus, zappi will charge just like in ECO+ mode. However, if the surplus drops below the minimum charge rate of 1.4kw, zappi will pull from the grid to achieve the 1.4kw, and remain charging instead of pausing the charge.
• ECO+: The most economical charging mode, this is the complete opposite to Fast mode. In ECO+, zappi will charge on 100% green energy from your surplus PV with absolutely zero grid power.

Specifically designed to work alongside solar PV panels and wind turbines, zappi can automatically start charging your EV with any surplus power generated. This means no energy is wasted or exported to the grid.

At myenergi, we’re proud to engineer a smart EV charger that’s designed to give our customers complete control over how much of their self-generated renewable energy is used to charge their EV. Zappi isn’t simply a solar PV or wind turbine charger – it has the power to use both the grid and a microgeneration system.