Electric Vehicle Charging

• New Homes: Homes built since 2022 must include an EV charge point, creating steady demand for compliant installation services.
• Existing Homes (Retrofitting): As vehicle adoption increases nationwide, there is a significant and immediate need to retrofit chargers for existing residential properties.

• Domestic Chargers (Home Use):

• Commercial / Workplace Charging:

• Cables & Leads (The Connection):

• Installer Accessories (Essential Components):

• Cost Savings: Allows homeowners to schedule charging sessions automatically to align with the cheapest off-peak electricity tariffs, often saving hundreds of pounds annually.
• Safety and System Protection: Dynamic Load Balancing (DLB) monitors household electricity use and reduces the charger's output as needed. This prevents the main fuse from tripping or from causing a system overload.
• Remote Control & Monitoring: Homeowners can start, stop, or adjust charging sessions from anywhere via a smartphone app and receive detailed energy usage reports to track costs and efficiency.
• Future-Ready Updates: Receive over-the-air (OTA) software updates to keep the unit compliant with evolving regulations and compatible with new EV models.

• Revenue Generation: Businesses can set charging tariffs for staff or public users, turning the car park into a profit opportunity.
• Corporate Sustainability (CSR): Provides measurable metrics on energy use and carbon reduction achievements, helping businesses meet Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability goals.
• Employee Attraction & Retention: Acts as a premium workplace amenity, significantly boosting employee satisfaction and attracting talent.
• Centralised Management: Networked systems enable administrators to remotely monitor, track usage, and diagnose faults across multiple charging units from a single dashboard.

• Compliance with New Home Law: Chargers meet the mandatory Part S Building Regulations (effective June 2022), which require new homes and major renovations with associated parking to have an EV charging point.
• Compatibility with Renewable Energy: Modern smart chargers are designed to integrate seamlessly with Solar PV and home battery systems. This allows customers to charge their vehicles using free, clean, self-generated energy, dramatically reducing operating costs.
• Growth into V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid): Many smart units are built with future V2G capability, enabling the car's battery to feed energy back into the home or the grid, establishing a fully bidirectional, resilient home energy ecosystem.
• Growing Area of Work: With the government's plan to ban new fossil fuel cars by 2030, demand for qualified installers is rising. Seize the opportunity—position yourself in the stable and expanding EV charging market now.

How Much Does an Electric Charger Cost?

• Charger Unit (Supply Only): A standard 7kW "fast" charger unit typically costs between £450 and £800. Units with advanced features, such as solar integration, can cost more.
• Charger Unit with Standard Installation: The typical price for a 7kW charger, including standard installation (assuming a straightforward setup), is generally £949 to £1,200.
• Factors that Increase Cost: Installation costs can increase due to long cable runs (over 10 meters), drilling through thick or multiple walls, and necessary upgrades to your home's electrical system.

Do I Need to Upgrade the Customer’s Electric Supply Before Installing an EV Charger?

• Service Head Fuse: Older properties often have 30- or 60-amp fuses, which may need to be upgraded to 80 or 100 amps to handle the high, sustained load of an EV charger. The DNO often provides this fuse upgrade free of charge.
• Consumer Unit (Fuse Box): If the existing fuse box is old, a replacement or the installation of a new, dedicated consumer unit for the EV charger may be necessary to meet modern electrical safety standards (BS7671).
• For high-power chargers (11kW or 22kW), the home may need to move from a single-phase to a three-phase supply. This upgrade is often costly and time-consuming, requiring the DNO's involvement.
• Looped Supply: If the property has a "looped supply" (where the electricity is shared with a neighbouring property), the DNO must resolve this before installation.

What Is the Difference Between Tethered and Untethered Chargers?

• Cable:

• Convenience:

• Flexibility:

• Aesthetics:

• Future-Proofing:

Are EV Chargers Compatible With Solar PV?

• Charge using 100% solar surplus power (often called "Eco+" or "Solar Only" mode). This ensures the car only charges when your solar panels are generating excess power, minimising reliance on grid electricity.
• Popular brands known for their solar integration include MyEnergi (Zappi), Hypervolt, and Ohme.

What Do I Need to Know About Installing an Electric Car Charger?

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• Installer Certification: The installer must be certified and qualified (e.g., NICEIC or equivalent) to fit EV charging points and comply with all current wiring regulations (BS7671).
• DNO Notification: The installer must notify the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) before or immediately after installation. The DNO checks the available capacity of the local electricity supply.
• Earthing Arrangements: EV chargers require specific safety measures related to earthing. Many modern smart chargers have built-in PEN fault protection, often negating the need for a separate earth rod, simplifying installation.
• Location: The charger must be located in an area with adequate Wi-Fi or mobile signal to ensure that the smart features (such as smart scheduling and solar integration) comply with the UK's Smart Charge Points Regulations.
• Charge Rate: The most common domestic installation is a 7kW charger, which is considered a "fast" charger. The customer must have a power supply capable of supporting the charger's rated capacity.