THE BENEFITS OF A HOME ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINT
Providing a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, electric vehicles (EVs) are more popular than ever.
When it comes to charging one, most EV owners rely on a home charging point. But what is an EV home charger and what are the benefits of owning one? We have everything you need to know.
What is a home EV charging point?
There’s a common myth surrounding EVs that they’re difficult to charge. In reality, charging an EV couldn’t be easier or more convenient.
The majority of EV owners rely on a home electric vehicle charging point to give their EV the energy it needs. These EV chargers are installed at your home and are connected to your energy supply. Installed in a location close to where you park your car, such as at the end of a driveway, they then connect to your vehicle via an EV charging cable.
Most EV home chargers provide charging speeds of around 7kWh – twice as fast as charging with a conventional 3-pin plug - allowing you to charge your car overnight ready for the next day.
Thanks to this convenience, they’re used by the majority of EV owners in the UK.
There are a few pieces of legislation around the use of EV home chargers in England, Scotland, and Wales, like randomised delays and default off-peak charging – you can read about the regulations here.
What are the benefits of having an EV charger at home?
Cost-effective
Once you’ve had a charger installed, you can then use an EV-friendly energy tariff such as those provided by EDF Energy. In the long term, this will prove much more cost efficient than charging in public, where you often have to pay a fee per charge.
Discover more about EDF Energy’s tariffs
More eco-friendly
EVs are already extremely eco-friendly and charging at home allows you to take that one step further. Choose a renewable energy tariff and you’ll avoid the carbon emissions that may result from using public charging points.
Our partner EDF Energy provides energy that’s 100% renewable and comes from sources such as solar and wind power.
Find out more about home EV charging
Faster charging
When it comes to charging at home, the only alternative to a home charging point is a standard 3-pin plug. While these can be used to charge an EV, they provide much slower charging speeds.
As charging an EV demands a high amount of current, standard 3-pin 240V plugs are not considered a safe long-term method of charging your vehicle.
Convenient
We’ve touched on this already, but the convenience of a home EV charging point really can’t be overstated.
By having one installed, you can charge your car whenever it’s idle at home. For most motorists, this would mean waking up to a charged battery every morning. Add in the fact that most EVs have ranges that far surpass the average daily distance travelled by motorists and you can be assured that you’ll have more than enough power to navigate the day.
Assured quality
By purchasing a home EV charger from Halfords’s partner BOXT, you’ll be receiving a top-quality product. All of the products in our range benefit from the highest safety rating, third-party certification, and installation carried out by one of BOXT’s trained technicians.
Plus, you’ll be covered by a three-year manufacturer’s product warranty and a one-year BOXT workmanship warranty, giving you that extra peace of mind that you’ve made the best decision.
How do I choose which EV charger to buy?
These are the key factors you’ll need to consider when deciding which charger to buy:
- Charging speeds – The majority of home charge points will charge at a speed of 7.4kWh, while some models can charge as fast as 22kWh, although this faster speed is not available for every household and will depend on your house’s wiring infrastructure. You can compare these charging speeds to the size of your car’s battery to see how long each would take to charge the vehicle.
- Complete package – While you can buy an EV charger and arrange installation and your energy tariff separately, here at Halfords we offer the complete package for added convenience. You can choose the EV charging unit and arrange installation through BOXT, while also selecting an EDF Energy tariff.
For lots more great advice about charging an electric vehicle, head over to our Electric Vehicle Home Charging hub.
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