Home charger installation – how to choose and fit the right EV charger

Our advice on how to fit an EV home charger, including the costs, what’s involved and how to pick the right charger for your needs

One of the biggest benefits of owning an EV is the potentially huge savings in running costs.

Charged at home, an EV can cost as little as 2p per mile to ‘fuel’, compared with around 15p per mile for a petrol car.

So if you have bought or are considering buying an EV and you have off-street parking, a home charger is a no-brainer. But it can also seem like a confusing process, so we’ve set out to explain everything you need to know about having a home charger installed, from how much it costs to how to choose the right wallbox for you.

Who can have a home charger installed?

If you own your property and have off-street parking, you almost definitely can have a charger installed. For tenants, you need to seek permission from your landlord. People living in flats may also be able to have a charger fitted as long as they have an off-street parking area.

What speed of charger do I need?

For the vast majority of people, a 7.2kW home charger is the best option. You can charge an EV using a 3.6kW device which is cheaper to buy and install, but will take nearly 18 hours to charge a 64kWh battery. A 7.2kW device halves this without requiring any major upgrade to your home’s wiring. There are some 22kW chargers available, which are three times faster than a 7.2kW, but these require a three-phase electricity supply, which most domestic properties don’t have and which costs thousands of pounds to set up.

How much does it cost to fit a home charger?

For many people, the cost of a home charger is the first and the biggest question. EVs will save you money in the long run, but there is an initial outlay.

The price of a home charger can vary significantly depending on the device. However, as a rough guide, budget around £1,000 to buy and install a new 7.2kW charger.

That’s for a ‘standard’ installation incorporating the charger into a modern circuit board and energy supply. That will be the case for the majority of drivers, but if you live in an older house there can be additional costs involved in upgrading your circuit board and possibly even the main power supply.

The location of your charger can also add costs. If it needs to be a long way from the main feed, you will need extra cabling to connect it, as well as potentially a standalone mounting point.

What does a home charger installation involve?

The process of having an EV home charger installed should start with an on-site home survey by the installer. They will assess the layout of your property, your home’s electrical systems and can advise on the best charger location. They will also advise on any potential complications such or necessary upgrades. Once this is done, you should know exactly where your charger is going, how the cabling will be routed and whether there are any additional requirements or costs.

After that, your installer will notify your Distribution Network Operator to get permission to fit the unit (usually a formality) then it’s simply a case of fitting the charger. This usually takes between two and four hours and involves adding a new RCD circuit breaker to your existing circuit board and running a cable from there to the location of the charger.

 

Depending on where the charger and any wiring is going, expect some noise and dust from drilling, and possibly a small hole or two in your walls to accommodate the cable.

Normally your power only needs to be off for a short period while the charger is connected to the main electricity supply.

Choosing the right wallbox

For most of us, cost is a key factor in choosing a wallbox. Basic models start at less than £500 for something like a WaEV, while high-end designer models like the Andersen A2 can set you back more than £1,500.

Naturally, you’ll pay more for better design and extra features such as solar panel compatibility and fancy touches such as Andersen’s Porsche paint matching service.

A mid-level unit such as the Ohme Home Pro, which supports solar panels, home batteries and multicar charging, is in the region of £1,000 including installation.

When deciding on the right charger there are various elements to consider:

Tethered or untethered

Tethered chargers are usually a little more expensive since you get a charging cable as part of the bundle. Some chargers come with a choice of lengths, with longer cables inevitably costing more. So think about how close to the charger you are able to park.

Since most cars come with a Type 2 cable as standard you could save money by going untethered. This also means you don’t have to worry about keeping the tethered cable tidy and protected but does mean you have to unpack and repack your cable every time you charge.

Home energy integration

Do you want to use solar panels or battery storage to charge your car? Not all chargers work with home energy generation and storage so if you have or are planning to get solar panels or batteries, make sure you buy a charger that will allow power from them to charge your car.

Smart apps

All chargers are now ‘smart’, meaning they can communicate with your vehicle and can be controlled via an app. But some apps are smarter than others and offer more control and information, so consider how you’re going to use the charger and what functionality it and the app offer.

Location

Most people have their charger fitted to the wall of their house or garage but this isn’t always possible. If this doesn’t work for you, you’ll need a charger that can be mounted on a post, such as the Myenergi Zappi or Rolec WallPod.

EV tariffs

Many energy companies offer special EV tariffs, which can help slash the cost of charging. A lot of these are simple time-of-day rates, which lower your energy costs during a specific period – usually between midnight and around 5am.

These will work with any smart charger but other tariffs, such as Octopus Intelligent Go, which uses a more complicated system to balance high- and low-demand periods, require a specific charger, such as those from Ohme, Hypervolt and Myengergi. While more chargers may become compatible in future, before signing up for a particular wallbox or energy rate, it’s worth making sure the two are compatible.

My own experience

Everyone’s experiences vary but I had a Rolec WallPod installed four years ago and it couldn’t have been simpler.

I had it fitted immediately post-lockdown so instead of a site visit, I sent photos to the installer of the circuit board, and its location relative to where I wanted the charger fitted. Thankfully, my house has relatively modern electrics and a very simple layout, so neither posed any issue and we set a date for the installation.

With a team of two installers, the entire process took less than four hours. And apart from a few minutes of drilling to route the cable, and a brief period without power while they plugged everything in, there was no disruption at all.

My only complaint is that the paired EV Energy app now feels a little basic. I can see if the car is charging and control peak and off-peak schedules, and it provides a breakdown of my charging sessions and costs. However, the interface isn’t particularly intuitive and while it can integrate with some in-car systems, not all manufacturers are covered, nor can I remove previously added vehicles.