Electric Vehicle Charging Points
Electric vehicles can be cheap to run and when charging at home using dedicated Electric Vehicle Charging Points (EVCP) on the right EV tariff, can be significantly cheaper than a petrol or diesel equivalent.
Different methods of charging:
Home Charging
Slow charging:
- Not recommended for every day use as it can take upwards of 12 hours (depending on the size of the battery) to fully charge the vehicle.
- Does not require installation of additional charging equipment.
- Can be plugged into a standard socket outlet using a cable that comes with the electric vehicle.
- Should only be used in emergencies as charging from a standard socket outlet for prolonged periods can potentially overload the circuit and cause tripping. Also if any problems already exist on the circuit, such as a break in continuity on a conductor of a ring circuit, this could lead to more serious issues such as cables overheating, which poses a fire risk.
Fast charging:
- This is the recommended method for charging your electric vehicle at home.
- Requires the installation of a dedicated electric vehicle charging point.
- Can be used to top up or fully charge the electric vehicle overnight. It takes roughly 6-8 hours to fully charge the vehicle (depending on the size of the battery).
Public Charging
Rapid charging:
- Available at public charging stations, usually found at motorway service stations, supermarkets, public car parks and other dedicated charging hubs.
- It takes between 30-60 minutes to fully charge the vehicle, (depending on the size of the battery), however not all electric vehicles are compatible with rapid charging.
Fast charging is also available at public charging stations.
As of July 2024, there over 61,000 public charge points the UK, spread across over 22,000 locations. The following website provides a comprehensive map of all EV charging locations across the UK and can be filtered depending on what method of charging your EV requires:
https://www.zap-map.com/
What is involved when having dedicated Electric Vehicle Charging Points fitted at your home?
Prior to any work starting, a free survey will be carried out on the property to determine whether Electric Vehicle Charge Points can be safely added to the electrical installation in it's current condition. A number of factors have to be taken into consideration, including:
- The type/age/condition of the cut out and the size of the main service fuse. In most cases this will be located next to the fuse board/consumer unit and electricity meter. If it is determined that this equipment is in bad condition and/or the main fuse is rated at less than 60 amps then the Distribution Network Operator (for Yorkshire this is Northern Power Grid), will need to be notified before any work starts. They will then carry out an assessment which could lead to a service head and/or cut out fuse replacement.
- Whether the supply coming into the property is looped. A looped supply is where a single electricity supply is shared between 2 or more properties. It is often seen in terraced or semi detached houses. If your property has a looped supply then the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) must be notified before any work starts. They will then carry out an assessment which may result in a new independent electricity supply being installed.
- The condition of the fuse board/consumer unit. Is there a spare way for the addition of a new circuit to serve an EV charge point? And if so, does the existing fuse board/consumer unit contain the correct type of RCD? In a lot of cases the answer is likely to be no. Up until very recently, the vast majority of RCDs installed in domestic properties have been type AC. These do not provide adequate protection as they are only able to detect and respond to residual AC current and not the residual DC current from an EVCP.
There are 2 possible solutions for this:
- Install a second consumer unit fitted alongside the main consumer unit containing a type A RCD or RCBO.
- Install a replacement consumer unit containing type A RCDs or RCBOs.
It is also highly recommended to have a surge protective device (SPD) fitted as part of the job. An electric vehicle is an expensive piece of equipment and should be protected against damage from transient overvoltages.
Some Electric Vehicle Charging Points (EVCPs) also come with built-in RCD protection, which eliminates the need for an RCD at the consumer unit end, provided that the circuit supplying the EVCP is installed in a particular way, for example using armoured cable which is clipped to the surface of a wall.
- The earthing and bonding arrangements. This must be checked when having any type of electrical installation work carried out, not just when having an EV charge point installed. It involves checking that the water service pipes are earthed at the stop tap and the gas service pipes are earthed at the meter. An adequately sized (10mm) green and yellow sheathed earth cable should be visible and should be clamped tightly to the metal pipework. Also the main earth cable running from the cut out to the consumer unit is checked to ensure it is an adequate size and is connected securely.
- Maximum demand. The maximum demand is the highest amount of electricity you are likely to use in your home at any given time. A typical domestic EVCP can require up to 32 amps so it is important to determine whether it is safe to introduce this extra demand into your current setup without overloading the main fuse. Most main fuses in domestic properties are either 60a, 80a or 100a. If the maximum demand is determined to be higher than 60 amps, then the DNO must be notified before any work starts, and they may need to upgrade your main fuse. If you already have appliances such as electric showers, electric cookers or electric heaters, which use a large amount of current, then your maximum demand will already be quite high. If this is the case then some kind of load management/load curtailment solution may also need to be used on the EVCP to ensure that the system is not overloaded when your electric vehicle is charging. This will constantly monitor the amount of current being used by the entire electrical installation and will ramp down charging when it is close to being overloaded. If you are charging your electric vehicle overnight, which will be true in most cases, then it is less of an issue as you are unlikely to be using the shower/cooker/heaters at these times.
When all the above requirements have been satisfied, work on installing the EVCP can begin. An EVCP will have it's own dedicated circuit, meaning that a new cable will be run from the consumer unit to the position of the EVCP, typically on the front of a garage or on the side of the property. This will typically be an armoured cable fixed to the external wall to minimise disruption/damage to the inside of the property.
Upon completion of the work, the EVCP and associated circuit will be tested and commissioned and all appropriate certification and notification will be taken care of by us.
https://www.energynetworks.org/industry-hub/resource-library/low-carbon-technologies-cut-out-rating-guidance-to-electric-vehicle-or-heat-pump-installers.pdf
