An EV charger, also known as an EV charging station , or EVSE, is a device designed to supply energy to plug-in electric and hybrid electric vehicles. EV chargers are necessary to charge up the battery in your electric vehicle, which in turn powers the vehicle’s engine and keeps it in motion.
Just like traditional petrol stations, there are a number of publicly-accessible EV charging stations across the UK. These stations require ad-hoc access, with most charging networks offering access through the use of either an app and/or an RFID card. Payment for these stations is typically in the form of contactless bank card access.
Unlike traditional petrol stations, it’s possible to install an electric car home charging point in your home. As the owner of an electric vehicle, this is absolutely the most convenient and cost-effective way to keep your vehicle fully charged and running at all times. Home EV chargers typically boast faster charging speeds, along with better built-in safety features, than public charging stations.
You could think of home charging in the same sense as charging your phone or any other domestic electric device; with home EV charging points, you can plug your vehicle in overnight and keep it topped up throughout the day at your convenience.
In essence, a home EV charger pulls electricity from the grid or the outlet that it’s hardwired into, before delivering the electricity to the plugged-in electric vehicle. They work just like any other household electric device or appliance that you would charge by plugging into the wall.
There are two main methods of charging your EV at home – either Trickle chargers or AC chargers.
Trickle EV chargers plug into your home’s mains supply via a cable that has a standard 220V 3-pin plug at one of its ends. These chargers are the more limited option, delivering enough electricity to power between 8 to 10 miles of driving per hour of charging. With trickle EV chargers, it can take anywhere from 12 to 14 hours to fully charge your electric vehicle’s battery. For this reason, trickle chargers are best suited only for those that drive relatively short distances each day.
AC EV chargers (also referred to as ‘Wallboxes’) are more powerful than the previous option, providing much more charge at a higher rate than a standard 3-pin plug socket. These EV chargers come with power outputs of either 3.7kW or 7kW; with a 7kW charger, it’s possible to fully charge most electric vehicles from flat in as little as 5 to 10 hours. AC EV chargers are the preferable option for most electric vehicle owners and are commonly installed into domestic properties such as your home.
In general, owning an electric vehicle is far better for both the environment and for your wallet. Electric vehicles are cheap to run and require little maintenance compared to traditional vehicles. With the necessity to charge their batteries, there is a misconception that electric vehicles are inconvenient to run; in reality, EV charging is incredibly simple, particularly when you have an EV charging point installed directly into your home.
Instead of relying on public EV charging stations, a home EV charging station is significantly more convenient for the day-to-day use of your electric vehicle. There are public stations across the UK but they can be hard to come by depending on where you live. As most electric vehicles come with a driving range of 200 to 300 miles, having a home EV charging station means you will only need to rely on public stations on for very long journeys.
Home EV chargers are also the most cost-effective way to keep your electric vehicle running. Although you have to cover the installation costs of your home charging point, it’s possible to get a grant for the cost of the charger; the OLEV grant can provide you with 75% (up to a maximum of £500) of the cost of the charger. Beyond the initial cost of installation, the long-term expense of charging your vehicle is much lower than if you rely on public stations. This will vary depending on your car and electricity tariff, but to give a rough estimate, you could fully charge your vehicle for as little as £3 with a home EV charger.
On top of this, home EV charging points are typically much faster than public stations. As we’ve mentioned, a 7kW AC charging point can charge your vehicle from flat to full in as little as 5 to 10 hours. Although public charging stations often offer rapid charging as an option, these points come at a higher cost than if you were to charge at home.
You may aslo be able to improve your property value with the installation of a home EV charger. As more people opt to go electric, EV charging points will become an increasingly desirable feature on properties for buyers. Most wallbox charging points are discrete and easy to uninstall or relocate if necessary.
To summarise, the biggest advantages of installing an EV charger into your home are:
At JEL Renewables, our mission is to provide our clients with innovative solutions tailored to their specific needs and requirements. With 30 years of experience in the electrical contracting industry, we have built a strong reputation for
providing the highest quality electric car charging installations and delivering the utmost standard of customer service.
Our dedicated and varied team of professional contractors will cover every aspect of the process, including the planning, design, and the installation of your home EV charging point. We strive to make the entire process as easy as possible for our clients; you will receive guidance every step of the way, from receiving your initial quote to the final installation of your EV charger. Ultimately, our goal at JEL Renewables is to work with our customers towards a greener, more sustainable future.
We offer a wide range of electric vehicle charging options including some of the most affordable on the market. We can advise you on the most up to date government grants which can reduce the cost of your electric car charging installation.
At JEL Renewables we will work with you all the way through the process. We will advise you about the grants available to you, install your new electric vehicle charger and provide maintenance should you have any issues.
An installation should take around three hours to complete, depending on the individual requirements of the driver and the complexity of the installation.
If you are eligible for the OZEV grant you will receive the saving of £350 at the time of purchase and we will claim back the grant on your behalf from the Electric Vehicle Home Scheme (EVHS).
Ready to get a quote from our team? Contact us today for a home EV charging quote