Electric Car (EV) Charger Installation
Charge your electric car conveniently and quickly with H2ecO’s installation service. Installing home EV chargers in Dorset can help remove some of the worry around public charging and might even save you some money when compared to charging in public charging points.
As a market-leading installer of eco-friendly products, H2ecO has provided energy-efficient solutions to homeowners for over 15 years. Our friendly team in Dorset prioritises our clients, leaving driveways as neat as when we started.
We are a Tesla, My Energi and ROLEC Approved Installers.
WHAT IS THE EV CHARGING POINT GRANT?
This is a Government grant towards the install of an electric vehicle charge point at your home or workplace from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).
- Home Chargers: Grants of up £350 Available or 75% off the cost to buy and install a socket.
- Workplace: Grants of up to £500 Available per point
Financial Benefits of EV Chargers
- Reduced spend on public charging: Save on charging costs by charging at home. No need to rely on costly public charging stations.
- Off-peak tariffs: Take advantage of when electricity is cheaper with off-peak nighttime charging.
- Tax reliefs: Enjoy salary sacrifice schemes and reduced VAT on home chargers, offered by a lot of workplaces.
- Higher property value: Boost your home’s value to future buyers. 57% of people are willing to pay more for homes with renewable technologies.
Key Benefits Installing an Electric Vehicle Charger
- Convenient charging: Easily charge your electric car at home without worrying about running out of energy on the road or having to use public charging stations.
- Fast charging processes: Enjoy fast and efficient charging on your doorstep.
- Cost savings: Cut down on the cost of using public charging stations. Save money by charging your car at night when electricity is cheaper.
- Smart features: Schedule charging remotely by connecting to smart apps. Integrate your EV station with solar panels using EV smart features.
Types of Electric Car Chargers
Electric car charging involves two main components: chargers and connectors.
1. EV charger types
- Slow (3 kW – 6 kW): Uses a standard 120V AC outlet. It has the slowest charging speed (6-12 hours), and is suitable for overnight home charging.
- Fast (7 kW – 22 kW): Uses a 240V AC outlet and provides faster charging (3-4 hours). These are more commonly installed in workplaces.
2. EV connector types
Your charger will usually have either a Type 1 or Type 2 connector, so it’s vital to ensure you pick the right port for your car.
- Type 1: Older EVs. Provide slow to fast AC charging
- Type 2: Most UK EVs. Standard for home/public use
- CHAdeMO: Japanese models like Nissan Leaf (rapid DC)
- CCS (Combo): Most modern EVs (rapid DC)
How Do We Install Your EV Charger?
- Site assessment: Our installers inspect your property to find the best place for your charger. We will look at your parking space, electrical capacity, and check you have all the relevant permissions to start the installation.
- Installation: Mounting the charger on an exterior wall with a secure fastening, running the cable to your fuse box, and making electrical connections. We also connect smart chargers to Wi-Fi networks. Your network may require software updates to support the installation, which we also provide.
- Testing: We do rigorous testing on the charger – ensuring it works with your electric vehicle – and show you how to connect the car to the charger. We will also show you how features and settings work.
GET IN TOUCH
See it in action
If you have solar PV or are considering installing it to complement your new Electric vehicle we would recommend considering the Zappi charger from Myenergi.
This video from Fully Charged explains nicely how it works to allow you to charge your car only from your own electricity generation.
EV Charger Installation FAQS
How Much Does EV Charger Installation Cost?
Electric vehicle charger installation costs vary depending on the power level of the unit, whether you need supply or supply with installation, and the cost of running cables underground to power the unit (trenching).
- Supply only: A 3kW EV charging unit ranges from £250-£500, and a 7kW unit ranges from £450-£800.
- Supply & installation: Supply with installation costs roughly £1,000 or £650 with a government grant (if eligible).
- Trenching: Trenching costs (if you need to run cables underground) are around £30 per metre for soft ground. You may need digger access to break through hard surfaces like concrete.
How do Electric Car Chargers Work?
EV chargers supply energy to your electric vehicle’s battery with an electric current from the grid.
- Connect vehicle to charger: Plug the cable from the charger into your EV’s charging port. EV plugs are different from standard plugs as they handle higher voltages, have locking systems for safety, and typically have more pins.
- Let the vehicle and charger communicate: Your vehicle and charger communicate digitally to ensure everything is safe and compatible. This step checks for proper connection, electric current limits, and battery status. You can check this on your car’s dashboard display, EV app, or on the charger itself.
- Power transfer: The charger begins transferring current to your vehicle, and the onboard converter turns it into usable power.
Additional considerations
- Brand: EV charger brands have different costs, so browse your options and find the best one for your needs.
- Fuse box upgrades: We may need to replace or upgrade your fuse box so that it can handle the additional electricity use.
- Isolator switches: These switches ensure your electric charger is isolated from the main electrical supply, keeping you and electricians safe during maintenance. They typically cost £100-£200.
- Driveway modifications: We may need to modify your driveway to fit the electric charging station, allowing you to park close to the charging port.
- Lighting: We can also install lighting to ensure your electric charger is well-lit for security.
