Frequently Asked Questions

• Do different electric vehicles need different chargers?

  The current market of Electric Vehicles uses two standard connectors, with different models using either Type1 or Type 2 charger connectors. While there are moves to ensure that all EV’s use the same (Type 2) charger as standard, at present there are charge points available for both, with many commercial chargers providing adaptor cables to allow any EV to be charged on site. Your home EV charge point will always be compatible with your electric vehicle.

• How long does installation take?

  With an initial survey completed pre-installation, our engineers will arrive on site with a detailed plan of where your charging point should go. Once we get started, the installation should take no more than four hours.

• Is there anything I need to do before my installation?

  Your charge installation experience begins with a set of pre-installation questions, which are easy to answer and will simply let us know what kind of Electric Vehicle you own and what your requirements are with your charge point. Following these questions, we will only get in touch if we need to clarify something - and will let you know our estimated arrival time on your pre-agreed installation date.

  We may ask, in advance of arriving, that you clear the area around your electricity meter and ensure that your driveway and charge point area are clear for easy access.

• Do I need permission to install an EV charger?

  With most workspaces and residential councils keen to support the move towards Electric Vehicle use, you will generally find that as a homeowner, you don’t need permission to install a charge point. We do recommend however that you seek permission from your landlord if you live or work in rental property, and you will also need to seek permission if any of the following apply:

  • Your charge point is more than 1.6m high
  • Your charge point is over 0.2 cubic metres in size
  • Your charge point is being installed on or inside a listed building
  • Your charge point is very close to a motorway

• How much does an EV charger cost?

  The standard price of installing an Electric Vehicle charge point at your home is around £1,000, though this can be heavily reduced thanks to grants from the government to encourage EV use. The price can also vary depending on your power output and any additional features you require.

  While this seems like a significant outlay, it is worth noting that installing a home charge point not only cuts your charge fee by around £1,000 a year (compared with using public and paid charge points) but it is also more efficient - allowing you to charge your car overnight rather than spending time sat waiting for your car to charge in public.

• Are there any government grants for EV charging points?

  As well as the government grants which support those looking to purchase a brand-new Electric Vehicle, there are also grants available to help pay for the installation of at-home charge points. These are known as OLEV grants and are linked to the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme which seeks to reduce the cost of a home charger by around £350.

  This grant can be acquired with the help of your local EV installer.

• Is the OZEV vehicle charging point grant available to businesses?

  In a move to make workplaces more energy and cost efficient, the OZEV scheme has been extended to include the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme - offering eligible applicants up to £350 per charging point across a workplace site. This can be granted for up to 20 sockets per business, meaning a maximum grant of £7,000 is available per business.

• How much does it cost to charge an electric vehicle?

  The exact cost of a full charge depends primarily on your vehicle - but for the purposes of demonstrating the different prices in place for different charging options, we’re going to assess the cost of charging a typical EV with a 60kWh battery and a 200-mile range.

  According to some of the most recent studies (2021), the cost of charging at home will equate to around £9.20 for a full charge, when starting from a near-empty battery.

  Rapid charging locations can be found at major motorway service stations and in other public places and will often charge by charge time instead of amount - promising a quick stop and the chance to recharge quickly. The cost is typically around £6.50 for a 30 min charge which would equate to about 100-miles of driving.

  To avoid payment, there are also free charging sites popping up across the UK, with workplaces and some public locations including supermarkets offering free (but very slow) charge time to promote electric vehicle use.

• How far can electric vehicles travel on a single charge?

  Typically, a small city based EV will be quick to charge but will only hold about 100 miles worth of charge in a full battery. A large family-style vehicle may reach up to 200 miles on a single charge, while the premium EV’s with larger batteries can reach up to 300 miles on a single charge.

  It is worth noting that the way you drive can have a big impact on the distance you can achieve in a single charge, with more economical driving enabling greater distances.

• Can I leave my EV charger plugged in overnight?

  Leaving your EV charging overnight is perfectly safe, provided you use a dedicated charge point. The smart device connecting your vehicle to the charger will know how much charge is required and will cut the supply once your battery is restored to full charge.

  This can take anywhere between 5 and 9 hours if you’re starting with an empty battery.

• If I move house, can I bring my EV charger with me?

  Yes, it is possible to take your EV charger with you when you move house - all you need to do is book our contractors to come out and uninstall your current home’s charger before the move, and then re-fit the charger at your new address. This service does come with a small fee, and we recommend you have an outline of the new property layout before contacting us so that we can determine the best installation location for your charge point.