20/06/2019:
Reading The Sunday Times a couple of weeks ago, there was an interesting article on installing a home EV charger...
Electric vehicles will certainly be taking centre stage in the coming years. The article quotes a 13.8% rise in the sales of electric vehicles in the UK last year. Apparently the Department for Transport is looking in to plans to have charge points built in to newly built properties and many home buyers are now ranking charge points as key for their wish list.
Here are some key points that you may like to consider when planning where to charge your EV at home:
*Check with your electricity supplier to see if they offer specific EV driver deals
*Use a purpose built charging point to decrease risk of shock or fire. Don't risk haphazard extension leads plugged one to another!
*Make sure your fuse board can cope with the load - especially if you are running other electrical items at the same time as your charger
*Make sure the charge point is weather proof and connected to the mains electricity supply
*Avoid cables trailing by installing the charge point as near as possible to where you park
*Our dealerships can advise on companies who install the chargers, and you may be eligible for an OLEV grant from the government to help with installation costs. The installers we recommend offer a warranty as well, for greater peace of mind.
*Consider the type of speed you wish to charge at - common speeds being 3kW or 7kW up to 22kW. The higher the speed the more expensive the installation - (but remember the £500 OLEV grant will help).
The above assumes you have off-street parking that is part of your property. With no off street parking or shared, communal parking areas it is more difficult. Again this appears to be under discussion at the Department for Transport. Local Authorities are applying to the DfT for funding for this.
As the EV sector grows, so will the infrastructure to support it. Meanwhile our dealership teams are well versed in how to cope with all aspects of electric driving. Talk to our showroom teams for more details and advice.
Get an idea of how much it might cost to charge your vehicle by using this handy tool that our friends at Go Compare have compiled.
This easy to use Electric Car Charging Calculator has estimations for all makes and models of vehicle. Take a look!
Go Compare's Electric Car Charging Calculator
Useful links:
Electric Car Charging At Home With Volkswagen Cars
Mitsubishi Charging Recommendations
