Can anyone install a car charging point?

There are a wide number of home car charging points available on the market and most domestic car charging points have a similar method of install. However, car charging points whether for home or for business, should only ever be installed by a certified, and fully qualified, electrician.

Can I have a charging point installed at home?

If you have off-road (e.g. driveway, designated parking spot in close proximity to home, garage) parking available at home, then the answer is yes!  If you don’t have parking available adjacent to your home then you still may be able to have a charger installed, but this will be entirely dependent on you being able to safely (for you and for other people nearby) charge your car taking the lead from your home charge point to the vehicle.

If you’re unsure, then send us an email info@aspectenergymangement.co.uk and we’ll be happy to advise on the right solutions for your particular circumstances.

What are the alternatives to a home charging point?

If you’re unable to have an EV charger installed at home, then you can charge your electric vehicle using a variety of public charging networks. You’ll find these at service stations, in retail parks and lots of other places too. Always remember to check compatibility, as the type of charger can differ and to save yourself a wasted trip we recommend using an app such as Zap Map (available for iOS and Android) – find out more about Zap Map here: https://www.zap-map.com/live/

You may also have charging points available at work or in public car parks – these can also be a handy alternative for those unable to acquire a home charging point. You can read some more useful tips over on AutoTrader (https://www.autotrader.co.uk/content/advice/charging-an-electric-car-with-no-driveway) about all the ways you can charge your electric vehicle.

There are, of course, a few drawbacks with public charging points:

- Reliability – frequently we’ve found charging points out of order on arrival and this can be stressful when driving on a limited range

- Limited Availability – as electric vehicles become more popular the use of public charging stations is increasing and it’s becoming more difficult to grab a spot at the charging station.

- No overnight charging – although you can leave your car overnight at many points, should you choose to, there are safety and moral concerns in doing so (i.e. are you taking up the charger that someone else may have been able to use.

- Cost – public charging points have to make a profit for their owners, and so the cost of charging on these devices is significantly more expensive, as much as £1/kWh on some chargers.

If you do have dedicated off-road parking at your home, then it is our thorough recommendation to have a charging point installed by a qualified home EV charger installer.

Can I have my charger installed to my garage or outbuilding?

Each home is different, which is why here at Aspect Energy Management we’ll be happy to come and assess your property, ask where you’d like the charger installed and then give you the best advice on how to proceed with your charge point install at home.

In a majority of cases a garage or outbuilding install is possible – and provided that it’s convenient for you, and you’re able to access your vehicles charge point (i.e. you can park closely to the garage or outbuilding) then you should be happily charging in no time.

If you’d prefer the charge point installed on a wall of your home then, again, that’s no problem.

Either way, get in touch info@aspectenergymanagement.co.uk or give us a call 0114 294 5188 (we’re a friendly bunch) and we’ll be happy to help.

How much will I pay to charge my car once the charger is installed?

You’ll pay per kWh at whatever rate your electricity is usually. You can generally find this about looking at your latest electricity bill or giving your supplier a call. At the time of writing electricity rates are on average 17p-20p/kWh according to NimbleFins (https://www.nimblefins.co.uk/average-cost-electricity-kwh-uk).

For a typical electric car with a 60kW battery (approx. 200 mile range) you’ll be looking at around £10 for a ‘full tank’. So you can see there are some real cost benefits versus a traditional petrol/diesel car and even significant savings versus the paid public charging network.

How much does a home car charger install cost?

Like many things in life, costs can vary, and those costs will depend on a few things such as:

- The existing electricity supply to your home, for example some homes may need a separate supply for their car charger – as home chargers take up to 7kw of energy we may need to load balance to ensure you’re always experience a smooth charge while you’re watching TV or cooking up a storm in your electric oven.

- The position of the charging point – some installs are easy than others, so dependent on exactly where you’d like the EV charger installed can affect cost. The most regular installs are on the exterior wall of a home or a garage – we’ve not had any roof installs yet – but we’re always prepared for the unexpected!

We use Rolec electric vehicle charging points, and we’re certified Rolec installers, as we’re confident in the quality of the device and we’re sure it’ll keep you charging for many years to come!

As a rough guide most standard domestic EV charging point installs cost between £495-£795 and this includes the Government EV charging grant (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-grants-for-low-emission-vehicles).

We sound like a broken record, we know, but if you have any questions then please just ask. We’ll be happy to give you advice and we can even pop out and give you a no-obligation quote.

How can I get a car charger installed?

We’re glad you asked! There are a number of certified car charging installers out there – and a quick Google search will bring up many options for you. Many of the results you’ll find are ‘middle-men’ who sub-contract the install of the car charger and often won’t come to see your property prior to the installation being carried out. We’d advise you to be cautious in using these firms and instead where you can go directly to the electric vehicle charger installer – typing something like ‘car charging point installer near me’ will usually reveal some good results (do your own research too).

When you speak with the team here at Aspect Energy Management about your home car charger install, you’re speaking directly with the people that will be assessing, advising and carrying out the job – so you know you’re in safe hands and you’ll be getting the right advice from the very start.

We’re a domestic car charging installers in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley, South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. We offer business car charging installations nationwide. If you’re unsure of whether we can cover your area/job then please simply get in touch with the team.

OK, so for the last time (hurrah), do remember please to get in touch info@aspectenergymanagement.co.uk or call 0114 294 5188 and speak with us about your car charger install requirements today. Thanks for reading our blog!