Owning an electric vehicle is one of the best decisions you can make in the current climate: However, many people are still reluctant due to the inconvenience of charging their electric vehicles – Having to travel further to find a charging station, the possibility of having to queue and the cost of public charging stations can put people off.

With the EV Industry is growing rapidly, more public charging points are being installed all the time, but the benefits of charging at home make having your own EV charger the best choice. Here are some of the benefits of installing a home EV charging station…

• Save Money – Once you’ve covered the cost of the installation, the cost to charge your vehicle at home will be much cheaper than using a public charging station
• Faster Charging – A modern and effective home charging point could charge your battery in as little as 30 minutes depending on the car and the charger, but in general, home car charging is faster than public points – with the added bonus of not having to wait for a charger to become available
• Battery Life – Like a smart phone, car batteries can become less effective over time, but benefit greatly from being fully charged rather then small bursts of public charging to keep you going. The more you can fully charge your battery, the longer it will last
• Property Value – With electric cars becoming the normal type of vehicle choice for more and more people, having an EV charger installed will be an attractive feature if you should decide to sell your home
• Convenience – Finding and using public charging stations can be costly, slow and inconvenient. At busy periods, you may find yourself sat waiting for a free charger and paying more for the privilege. Since more EV chargers are compatible with a wide variety of car manufacturers, you don’t need to worry about changing the charger should you change your car

Here, we cover some FAQs we’ve encountered when people are considering a home car charger:

How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

The cost to charge an electric car really depends on several factors like are you charging at home? Do you have solar panels? Are you using a public charging point? Are you charging your electric vehicle overnight or during the day?  Public charging points will dictate their own rates for charging depending upon the location and type of charger, if you’re using solar power then you could be charging for free, and some grid tariffs will give you cheaper options for charging overnight at home. It will, however, be cheaper to charge at home than it is to use public charging stations.

Do I need solar panels to charge my car?

This depends upon the type of battery you have in your car and the type of charger you are using and can range from 30 minutes to several hours.

Can I charge my car directly from my solar?

No. Electric vehicles charge via an AC supply so you will need an inverter.

Can I charge my neighbours to use my charging point?

There are home chargers available that allow you to charge others to use your charging point and you are able to set your own rate.

How much do home EV Chargers cost?

This depends upon the type of charger you would like, and the installation required. There may be grants available to help with the cost of installing an EV charger so it’s worth looking into this.

Is it worth getting a home charger?

Compared to standard public charging points, home EV chargers are a lot faster than public points, there’s no worry about queues for public charging, and you may have to travel further to find a charging point than a petrol station, and charging at home with save you money in the long run

Are all EV chargers universal?

Most UK EV chargers are compatible with all electric vehicles. There are three different levels of home chargers, type 1,2 and 3. The majority of modern electric vehicle charging points have type 2 connectors which is the current industry standard and what is found at public charging points.

What is a smart charger?

Smart chargers have access to the internet and can give you features such as remote access to your charger from anywhere in the world, the use of an app to manage and monitor your energy usage and allows you access to share data to optimise your car charging.