Over 80% of EV charging happens at home, and rightly so. If you’re a regular EV user or your EV is your primary car, installing a home EV charging station will be an excellent choice. There are several EV charging companies that offer affordable and feature-rich home charging solutions.
Let’s look at the top 7 EV charger installation providers in London.
Why Should You Have a Home EV Charger for Your Electric Car?
One of the key benefits of having an electric car is you don’t need to drive to a petrol station every time you run out of fuel. You can charge your EV at your home. However, many EV owners don’t install EV chargers at home and rely on public charging stations.
While using public charging points has its benefits, you miss out on a lot by not having a home EV charger. Let’s look at some reasons to install a home electric car charging station.
- Affordability: Home electric car chargers come with an installation cost, but it’s affordable in the long run. The cost of charging an EV at home is lower than charging it on paid public stations. You can also claim tax benefits if you use a home EV charger.
- Speed: Many people have a misconception that home chargers are slow. While they may not charge as quickly as a rapid charging point, they’re as fast as most chargers in off-street parking or commercial properties. A well-installed home charger can charge your car in 1-7 hours.
- Convenience: The most significant advantage of a home charger is you can charge your car at your convenience. You leave it plugged in all night, and you’ll have a fully charged car in the morning.
- Compatibility: Most electric car chargers have a universal socket and are compatible with many EV cars. Thus, if another EV driver brings their vehicle to your home, they can use your charging station to charge their car.
- EV Battery Health: Like a phone battery, an EV car battery wears down over time, especially when you charge it repeatedly. Fully charging your EV at home once a day is better for your car’s battery health than plugging it multiple times a day at public charging stations.
- Property Value: With electric vehicles becoming so popular, EV drivers are on the rise. Therefore, a home with an installed EV charger is more valuable. Getting an electric car charging point installed in your house can dramatically increase its resale value.
Things to Consider Before Installing EV Charging Points
Electric charger home installation is a significant investment. Consider these factors before starting your search for the best EV charger installation London providers.
Required Charging Power
The max charging rate for a home EV charger can range between 3.7 kW to 22 kW. The higher the charging rate, the faster your EV will charge. For instance, a 3.7 kW charger will take 10-12 hours to charge a car fully, whereas a 22 kW car charger will take only 2-3 hours. Determine the charging power you need first.
Plugs in Your EV
Type 1 and Type 2 are the two standard plug types in Europe. A car with a type-1 pin plug will need a type 1 charging socket. A vehicle with a type 2 plug will need a type 2 socket. Ensure that you clear these requirements beforehand.
Accessories and Additional Functions
You can integrate various features into your home charging station. These include cable hangers, load management, usage statistics, access restrictions, and more. Decide the additional features you need in your EV station.
Fitting and Installation
It’s important to understand the installation process of an EV charging station. Some charging point providers offer complimentary installation, some charge an installation fee, and some don’t provide installation services at all. Be sure to understand these requirements before choosing an EV home charging installer.
Installation Costs
Installation costs can vary significantly, but they often range between £300 and £500. The installation expenses can often be in addition to the cost of the charging station. So, have a separate budget for installation.
Government Grant Rules (if Any)
The UK government has introduced the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) that provides a 75% concession on the charge point installation costs. You can check your eligibility for EVHS here and apply for it.
Top 7 Best Electric Vehicle Charger Installation Companies
Dozens of electric charger installation providers are there in the UK, all having distinct features, functionalities, and rates. Let’s look at the top seven home EV charger installation providers in the country and why you should choose them.
Simplifying Electric Driving (SED) EV Charging
SED EV Charging is a leading London installer of EV charging points for both home use and commercial purposes. They install a variety of charging points, including Tesla and all OLEV approved chargers.
They also offer specialised services for flats, landlords, and combination installations with solar panels to maximise efficiency and lower costs.
SED EV Charging works with the OLEV Grant Scheme to lower the cost of installing a charger in your home.
Chargers Installed:
- Tesla (must be purchased through a Tesla Service Center)
- Range of OLEV approved Smart Chargers
London Car Charging
London Car Charging provides EV charging point installation across all the London boroughs. They offer installation of home charging points and commercial chargers.
Different car charging points are available, which means you can choose the charger most suitable for your needs and vehicle. They offer chargers with these charge capacities:
- 3.6 kW or 16 Amps
- 7.4 kW or 32 Amps
- 22 kW or 32 Amps
All their chargers are smart chargers featuring load balancing, auto updates, and solar connection options.
Chargers Installed:
- Tesla
- RolecEV
- Andersen EV
- Sevadis EV
Take Charge London
Take Charge London is a new installer of charging points for electric vehicles all around London. They offer domestic and commercial installation services. One of their advantages is a unique service level agreement (SLA) with all their customers. This gives you an annual maintenance check and an extended warranty option good for up to five years.
They also work with the government’s OLEV scheme to help reduce the cost of EV ownership.
Chargers Installed:
- Zappi
- eo Charging
- Andersen
- Smappee
EV Domestic
EV Domestic offers a wider range of EV chargers than most of the competition. They offer installation from five different charger manufacturers.
Currently, they have two offices with electricians with over 60 years of experience. This means their installation range is very wide and covers London, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent. Their office in Northampton covers Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridge and Essex.
Chargers Installed:
- Ohme Intelligent Wall Charger
- Andersen A2
- Rolec WallPod:EV HomeSmart
- EO Mini-Pro v2
- myenergi Zappi v2
EVC Installs
EVC Installs is a smaller installer offering custom home installation services. Their installers cover all of London as well as Kent, Surrey, Essex, Hertfordshire, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, and Bedfordshire.
They also offer the OLEV grant scheme funding and a three year manufacturer warranty on all installations.
Chargers Installed:
- Wallbox
- Myenergi
- SyncEV
Charge Station
Charge Station is one of the larger installers of EV charging points in London and beyond. They offer a 7 day installation service from the point of authorization. Each of their installations also comes with a 3 year warranty and can be funded with the government’s OLEV scheme.
Chargers Installed:
- Wallbox
- Myenergi
- eo Chargers
- Ohme Chargers
- EVBox
- Easee Chargers
Earth Electrical
Earth Electrical is a London installer of Rolec charging points. They are also the regional supplier for Rolec, so your options for Rolec chargers, installations, and delivery times will be very high. They install between 15 and 30 EV charge points every week, so they are highly experienced in delivering great service.
Chargers Installed:
- Rolec
How to Choose the Right Charger Installer for Electric Cars?
With so many home EV charging providers to choose from, selecting the one that best suits your requirements can be challenging. Here are a few things to consider before selecting an EV charger installation provider.
- Cost: The cost is the first thing to keep in mind before choosing a charging company. When looking at the expenses, don’t just look for the product cost but also installation cost, if any.
- Convenience: Your installer should offer a convenient experience. This includes complimentary installation, and the charger should be easy to use.
- Compatibility: Select an EV charging company whose charging stations are compatible with an array of EVs. This way, you won’t need to change your charge point every time you change your electric car.
- Customer Support: Post-installation support is another essential factor to consider when looking for a home EV charger installer. Pick a company that provides stellar customer support.
Conclusion
Though the number of public charging stations is on the rise, most EV owners prefer a dedicated home charging station. It is affordable and convenient. If you’re planning to install a home EV charger, conduct proper research and find a provider that offers the best value for money. Free installation, support for multiple EV manufacturers, and post-installation support are a few characteristics to look for.
