Domestic EV Charging

EV charging for your home - We install Domestic EV chargers only within a 35 mile radius of CV1 2TT.

How fast you can charge an electric car at home

Charging speed for electric cars is measured in kilowatts (kW).

Home charging points charge your car at 3.7kW or 7kW giving about 15-30 miles of range per hour of charge (compared to 2.3kW from a 3 pin plug which provides up to 8 miles of range per hour).

Summary

The time it takes to charge an electric car can be as little as 30 minutes or more than 12 hours. This depends on the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point.

• A typical electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under 8 hours to charge from empty-to-full with a 7kW charging point.
• Most drivers top up charge rather than waiting for their battery to recharge from empty-to-full.

How long it takes to fully charge an electric car

Empty-to-full time to charge with different chargepoint speeds:

Analysis:

• Rapid chargers are the fastest way to charge your electric vehicle, providing between 60-200 miles of range in 20-30 mins.
• Home charging points typically have a power rating of 3.7kW or 7kW (22kW charge points require three phase power, which is very rare and expensive to install).
• All electric cars can charge on compatible charge points with a higher maximum charge rate than they can handle; they just charge at the maximum rate that they can accept.

Tip: Almost all full battery electric cars can rapid charge, most plug-in hybrid electric cars can not.

How often should you charge an electric car at home

You can charge your electric car at home as often you need to. It can be treated the same as charging a mobile phone, fully charging overnight and topping up in the day if necessary.

While it is not necessary for most to charge every day, many drivers plug in each time they leave their car out of habit, giving them maximum flexibility should they have to make an unexpected journey.

• By charging overnight, electric car drivers can take advantage of cheap nighttime electricity rates and drive for as little as 2p per mile.
• Overnight charging also ensures that the car’s battery is full each morning for the day ahead.

How to charge an electric car at home

To charge an electric car at home, you will need a home charging point installed where you park your electric car, or an EVSE supply cable for a 3 pin plug socket as an occasional back up.

Drivers usually choose a dedicated home charging point because it's faster and has built-in safety features.

A home charging point is a compact weatherproof unit that mounts to a wall with a connected charging cable or a socket for plugging in a portable charging cable.

Dedicated home charging points are installed by qualified specialist installers.

How to get an electric car charging point installed at home

Electric car charging points need to be professionally installed. A certified charging provider will include installation cost in the price of the unit.

• The installation process involves wall mounting the chargepoint on an exterior wall or garage, near to where you park and connecting it safely to the mains electricity supply.
• An installation should take around three hours to complete, depending on the individual requirements of the driver and the complexity of the installation.
• Installations can be booked directly online, over the phone.

Cost of installing a dedicated home charger

A home charging point, fully installed after 1st April 2020, costs from £449 with the government OLEV grant.

From 1st April 2020, electric car drivers get a reduced £350 grant for purchasing and installing a home charger with the OLEV grant.

Once installed, you only pay for the electricity you used to charge.

The typical electricity rate in the UK is about 16p per kWh, while on Economy 7 tariffs the typical overnight electricity rate in the UK is 8p per kWh.