What is an electric vehicle home charge point and how do they work?
Working out how and where you’re going to charge your electric vehicle is a big part of making the switch to battery power
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While the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network is expanding at a rapid rate, there’s nothing quite like being able to charge from home.
Plugging in your car and letting it charge overnight is a luxury that many people will come to love – especially if you’re used to the early morning petrol station dash.
A home charge point is a type of charger you can have installed at your home.
It’s fitted to the wall on the outside of your house and can provide charge to your EV’s battery at a quicker rate than standard chargers that plug into domestic sockets.
The typical home charge point charger offers from 3-7kW, but can go up to 22kW if you’re fancy and have three-phase power at your address.
A standard, non-wall-mounted charger plugged into a domestic socket can offer 3kW, so you’ll be getting a much quicker charge with a dedicated unit.
If you're purchasing an electric car from cinch, you might also want to consider a myenergi zappi charging point. We've partnered with myenergi to offer an easy home charging solution where you can even use solar panels to get a boost.
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Charging time for EVs with a home charge point
The Nissan Leaf is a popular electric vehicle on the market and comes in a 40kWh battery model that will take around 13 hours to charge with a regular mains charger.
Switch to a 7kW home charge point, and you could drop this charging time to around six hours.
Home charge point chargers are ideal for plugging in overnight, so you can wake up to a fully-charged car and get on with your day.
How are home charge point chargers installed?
Getting your home charge point fitted is a relatively easy process, especially if you own your home and don’t need to seek landlord permission before making these changes.
Your supplier will arrange for the home charge point to be delivered.
Once you’ve received your home charge point, your installer will drill through the exterior wall to allow the box to be connected to the electrics. It’s then wired to the household mains.
You should be able to monitor your home charge point charger through WiFi, allowing you to keep an eye on how much electricity you’re using, as well as the costs of charging.
How do you use home EV charge points?
Exactly how to use your home charge point will depend on the one you choose, as it’s likely the process will differ slightly depending on your model.
The good thing is it’s always straightforward regardless of which charger you use.
Park your car in a spot where the home charge point can comfortably reach with the cable.
If you haven't got a charger installed yet, think about where your car’s charging port is and where would be most convenient for you to park.
Most home charge point chargers use Type 2 connector cables. You’ll need to plug the correct end into your EV to allow it to charge, while the other end is connected to the home charge point.
Some domestic/home chargers also have the option of a tethered cable, which is always connected to the charger – one less thing to remove and replace!
If your home charge point charger uses an app, open it up and go through the processes to start charging.
You can even set a charge schedule to decide when you’d like to charge your car – off-peak times are best for saving money.
Once you’re ready to go, it’s as simple as unplugging, tidying up those cables safely, and getting on the road.
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Do I need a home EV charge point?
You don’t necessarily need a home charge point as you can still use the standard cable that plugs into the mains, but it makes life easier – and quicker.
Having a home charge point will provide a faster charge, and you can set up charging schedules and monitor charging from your phone.
If you can’t have a home charge point fitted at your address, there are still other ways you can charge your EV, and the public charging network is expanding at a rate that makes it simple to top-up on the go.
How to pick the right one
Most home charge point chargers come with Type 2 charging cables, as these are the ones used for new EV models.
Type 1 charging cables were used in some older editions, so you might need to check your vehicle’s manual to make sure you’re certain of what cable you’ll need.
Once you’ve got those details sorted, you can pick a home charge point charger that’s a good fit for the type of cable.
Home charge points are available as 3kW, 7kW, and 22kW power outputs, but not all properties have the phase-three power needed to supply the 22kW option.
Costs might differ too depending on the unit you pick, but there are grants available to help cover the price of purchasing and installing chargers.
Government grants for EV chargers
There are a few government grants on offer that will go towards the cost of purchasing and installing an EV charge point for anyone that fits the criteria.
You’ll need to visit the gov.uk website to see the full details and check if you’re able to apply.
EV Chargepoint Grant for Landlords
If you live in a rented property, your landlord can apply for a grant that will cover up to 75% of the cost of purchasing and installing an EV chargepoint, up to the value of £350.
Rental property owners can apply for up to 200 EV Chargepoint grants for landlords per financial year on residential properties, and up to 100 grants for commercial.
EV Chargepoint Grant for people living in rented properties
If you own and live in a flat or rent any residential property, you could be eligible for up to 75% of the costs to have a charge point fitted, up to a maximum of £350 per grant.
The EV Chargepoint grant for people living in rented properties is provided by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), and you can also apply to use this grant to replace an older charge point at a property you’re moving into.