How to plug into home charging electric cars

Having the ability to charge up at home completely transforms the electric vehicle driving experience.

Home charging is often seen as one of the easiest ways to top up your EV as it allows you to park up outside your house, plug in and return to a fullycharged vehicle.

There are some things you need to think about prior to installation, however.

We’ve got some key info about what you need to know when it comes to having an EV charger put into your home.

HAVE YOU GOT OFF-STREET PARKING?

This really is a key place to start. While there are options out there for people without off-street parking, if you’re looking to get a charger installed at home then you’ll ideally need a parking space or land around your home.

You’ll also need to own your home or have the permission of the homeowner to have a charger installed.

You may want to think about how you’d park an EV in relation to a charging unit, too, ensuring there’s enough space for the cables to reach the car.

WHAT TYPE OF CHARGER?

There are plenty of options when it comes to chargers, too.

Multiple providers are available in the UK, including Ohme, which we’re working with for this installation.

There are units of different shapes and sizes, too, with both tethered a nd untethered options available.

The former, as it suggests, has its cable permanently attached while the latter requires you to have a cable separately and plug it in each time.

There are pros and cons to each type, but if you’re looking for the smallest unit possible which takes up the least space, then an untethered one might be a good idea.

There’s also the option of 7kW or 11kW charging powers. The slower 7kW unit is the most popular and is still quick enough to fully charge up an average EV overnight.

You’ll get a quicker charge time from the 11kW version, but it’ll require an upgraded three-phase power supply in your house, which will add extra expense and time if you don’t have it installed already.

PRE-INSTALLATION

Once you’ve settled upon your charger provider, it’s likely that they’ll get in touch about a pre-installation review of your home.

You’ll be asked to provide details about your current energy provider, the location of your consumer unit and a general layout of your home so that the company can get a better idea of what they’re working with.

An engineer will visit beforehand to work out how and where the charger will go.

Electric vehicle chargers require an upgraded

WIRED TO GO: Chargers are a game-changer for the electric car market – but they do involve some work around the house to have them installed.