HOME EV CHARGERS: SPOTLIGHT

Most UK homes use a 7kW (Level 2) charger, which offers a good balance of speed and cost. You’ll need one compatible with your car’s connector (usually Type 2 in the UK/Europe). You also choose between ‘tethered’ (cable attached) or ‘untethered’ (socket only, use your own cable).

Yes, using a specific EV charging cable (often called a ‘granny charger’), but it’s very slow (around 2.3kW) and not recommended for regular use due to the sustained high load on domestic wiring. It’s best for emergencies or occasional top-ups.

Tethered: Has the charging cable permanently attached to the unit. Convenient (just park and plug), but the cable length is fixed, and you can’t switch cable types.
Untethered: Has a socket, requiring you to plug in your own cable (usually supplied with the car). More flexible (can use different cable lengths/types), looks neater when not in use, but requires handling the cable each time.

Type 2 is the standard connector for AC charging (home and public slow/fast chargers) in the UK and Europe. Most EVs sold today use Type 2. Type 1 is older and less common now, mainly found on older models like the first-gen Nissan Leaf.

With a typical 7kW home charger, it takes around 4-12 hours depending on the car’s battery size (e.g., a 40kWh battery takes about 6 hours, an 80kWh battery about 11-12 hours). A 3-pin plug charger (around 2.3kW) can take 15-40+ hours.

A smart charger connects to the internet (WiFi/Ethernet/Cellular). This allows features like remote start/stop via an app, scheduled charging (to use cheaper overnight electricity tariffs), energy usage monitoring, and sometimes integration with solar panels or grid balancing schemes. Smart chargers are now mandatory for UK government grant eligibility.

Yes, this is a major benefit. Smart chargers can be scheduled (often via an app) to charge only during specific off-peak hours when electricity rates are lower (e.g., Octopus Go/Intelligent, OVO Charge Anytime).

Yes, modern electrical regulations (BS 7671) generally require surge protection devices (SPDs) to be fitted for EV charger installations to protect the charger and the vehicle from voltage spikes. Most reputable installers will include this as standard.