When switching to an electric vehicle one of the first questions you ask yourself is, how much is an EV home charger? The answer is not simple. There are many factors that can affect the price of the installation of an EV home charger. In this blog we will go through all these factors and try to give you a better understanding of how much a home EV charger costs. By the end you should have a good understanding of the best EV home charger for you based on price.
Key Factors that Influence the cost of an EV home charger
1. Charger type –
Lower powered chargers use cheaper materials and have less demand on the wiring. With our smart charger, it has a remote controlled app on your phone with smart features, which may mean it can cost more but it offers many more benefits compared to a standard EV charger.
2. Distance from your EV charger to your consumer unit –
The further away your home EV charger is from your consumer unit the more cabling/wiring may be required costing more, especially if it is a bespoke installation where additional work is needed to install the EV charger.
3. Electrical upgrades –
If your electrical supply is older or is unable to handle the power of an EV home charger then you may need to upgrade your consumer unit.
4. Distribution Network Operator (DNO) –
Your DNO will be notified of the installation of your home EV charger. If your charger is using a significant amount of power, they may charge an additional cost before you install the EV charger.
The prices of an EV home charger can vary depending on the type of installation. We offer standard installation and bespoke installation. Here is what to choose based on your home:
A standard installation (£995):
- If your fuse board is in a standard location and the cable run between your charger and power supply is straightforward, with no extra work needed to be done.
- If no major groundwork is needed to be done or any form of custom fitting required.
A bespoke installation (£1,695):
- If your fuse board is far away from where the EV charger needs to be installed.
- If additional cabling/wiring is required through walls or ceilings.
- If the installation requires any form of trenching or cable covering.
- If you live in an older property often additional work is usually required to fit the home EV charger.
- If any groundworks (digging up driveways or pathways) are required, this is a bespoke installation as more work is required leading to additional costs.
Is the “Best EV Charger” always the most expensive option?
The simple answer is no. The best EV home charger for you solely depends on how much you are going to use the EV charger, your home setup and your personal preferences of what type of charger you’d like and where you’d like it to be installed.
A more expensive charger with smart app controls is very effective as you can schedule charging whenever you like and ensure that your vehicle will always have charge by the time you come to use it.
Rather than focusing on the price and cost of the EV charger itself, make sure that the charger is installed professionally to avoid any costs later down the line if something goes wrong. Our installer will carry out a professional installation and ensure everything is as it should be.
Ways to reduce the cost or save money:
- When it comes to the cabling, use shorter paths where possible to avoid any extra work having to be done.
- Use your existing consumer unit to supply the power to the EV home charger, if it can handle the power of a home EV charger.
- Make sure that the first time you buy an EV home charger it is installed properly. If it isn’t professionally installed then something may go wrong, increasing the cost for when you then must call out someone to come and fix the problem.
Why should you install an EV home charger despite the cost?
1. Convenience:
You can wake up in the morning, stress free, with a fully charged car without having to rush around to go to a public charging station before you go to work.
2. Lower cost:
Residential electricity in most areas is a lot cheaper than the public charging stations, saving you a lot of money in the long term.
3. Smart control:
The smart app allows so many features that you can’t get with a public charger. You can schedule charging during off-peak hours (overnight) so that your car is ready to use in the morning. As well as this, you can keep track of how much power is being used.
4. Property value:
If you come to the point in the future where you sell your home, an EV home charger can be very appealing to a new buyer especially since more people are starting to buy electric cars and need a home EV charger.
Conclusion
To summarise this blog, the main factor that you need to consider when it comes to purchasing an EV home charger is if you require a standard or a bespoke installation. To briefly summarise each; a standard installation is where minimal work is required to install the EV charger. Whereas a bespoke installation will require a lot of work possibly including groundworks (digging up drives or pathways).
Remember, the best home EV charger is not always the most expensive one. You need to know what you require from the charger and base your decision from that.
If you wish to purchase an EV home charger, please look at our website where you can find all the information you need about our EV home charger.
