Going electric? These are the four things you need to know about home charging

Four things you need to know about charging your EV at home

With the 2030 ban on new diesel and petrol cars inching ever closer, you may already be considering an electric vehicle (EV) for your next lease car – and there’s a lot of information to take in for charging them.

A home charging unit is typically the cheapest and most convenient way to keep your EV charged up. If you’re in two minds about installing one, these are the four key things you need to know.

Is EV charging more expensive than petrol and diesel?  

Despite rising energy costs, EVs maintain a clear financial advantage over petrol and diesel cars when it comes to running costs.

The real cost comparison

Let's look at the numbers:

• Electric vehicles: According to EDF Energy, at the UK's average electricity price of 27p per kWh, an electric car costs approximately £7.70 for 100 miles - just 7.7p per mile
• Petrol vehicles: With average fuel economy and petrol at £1.34 per litre, the same journey costs about £12 - nearly 60% more expensive at 12p per mile

For perspective, filling a 40-litre petrol tank at £1.80 per litre costs £72 (and even at £1.45 it still costs £58). But fully charging even a large 100kWh Tesla battery at 19p per kWh costs just £19.

Managing your home charging costs

While your electricity bill will increase when charging an EV at home, several strategies can minimise this impact:

• Smart home chargers automatically select the cheapest times to charge
• Off-peak tariffs offer significantly lower rates overnight (often 50-75% cheaper)
• Energy management apps like Optiwatt help optimise your charging schedule
• Fixed-energy tariffs provide more predictable charging costs

These approaches make home charging consistently more economical than both public charging and traditional fuels.

The charging location advantage

Where you charge makes a significant difference to your costs:

• Home charging: Approximately £13 for a full charge (60kWh battery)
• Public charging: Around £26 for the same charge
• Rapid charging: About £19 for a 30-minute charge (gaining ~90 miles)

With a home charger, you can conveniently take advantage of those cheaper off-peak rates while petrol and diesel drivers have no similar option for reducing fuel costs.

Even with the current energy price challenges, EV running costs remain substantially lower than traditional fuels - particularly when charging at home during off-peak hours.

What about flexibility and convenience?

While home charging offers cost advantages, flexibility and reliability are equally important factors when considering an EV.

The public charging landscape

The UK's charging infrastructure has grown substantially, with 85,163 public charging points across 42,970 locations as of August 2025. This represents a 25% increase since August 2024, showing the rapid pace of network expansion.

But there's still a real difference in how many chargers you'll find depending on where you live:

• Greater London leads with 26,304 charging points
• The South East follows with 10,834 charging points
• West Midlands holds third place with 7,665 charging points

This geographical imbalance means that while some areas enjoy excellent coverage, drivers in less-served regions may face more limited options. 

The monthly addition of over 1,200 new charging devices shows commitment to improving this situation, but the infrastructure gap will take time to close.

High-speed charging availability

For longer journeys and quick top-ups, access to rapid charging is essential:

• There are now 17,132 Rapid or Ultra-rapid charging devices across the UK
• Ultra-rapid chargers (150kW+) have grown by 52% in the past year
• Six major networks (InstaVolt, Tesla, BP pulse, and others) control 50% of high-speed charging

The South East leads with 2,432 high-speed chargers, followed by Scotland (2,016) and the north eest (1,902), while the north east (603) and Northern Ireland (204) have significantly fewer options.

The home charging advantage

With the public charging network still developing unevenly, installing a home charger provides valuable benefits:

• Guaranteed availability whenever you need to charge, no waiting around
• Predictable costs without exposure to premium public charging rates
• Convenience of overnight charging without planning around charger availability

For those living in areas with less developed infrastructure, a home charger provides essential peace of mind - you'll always start each day with sufficient range for your needs.

Don't be worried about compatibility

Navigating EV charger options doesn't have to be complicated. Here's what you need to know to make the right choice for your home charging setup.

Understanding charging speeds

Home charging options come in three main varieties:

• Standard 3-pin socket (2.3kW): While possible, this offers extremely limited power, resulting in very slow charging
• Standard home charger (7kW): The most common and practical option for most homes
• Fast home charger (22kW): Requires specialised three-phase electricity, rarely found in UK homes

Why 7kW is the sweet spot

The 7kW home charger offers the best balance for most EV owners:

• Universal compatibility with virtually all electric vehicles
• Practical charging speed, delivering approximately 30 miles of range per hour
• Works with standard UK home electricity supplies
• Flexible usage throughout the day, not just overnight
• Reasonable cost compared to higher-powered alternatives

With this charging rate, you can add meaningful range in just a couple of hours - perfect if your schedule doesn't always allow for overnight charging.

Avoiding false economy

While it might be tempting to choose a lower-powered charger to save money upfront, be cautious of units offering less than 7kW. These typically require 8-9 hours for a full charge, limiting their practicality to overnight charging for smaller EVs.

If budget is a significant concern, a standard domestic socket might work as a temporary or backup solution, but the significantly slower charging speed (less than half that of a 7kW charger) makes it impractical as a primary charging method for most drivers.

The 7kW charger represents the optimal balance of cost, charging speed, and practical everyday usability for the vast majority of EV owners.

The practical considerations 

When installing a home EV charger, several practical factors will determine how seamlessly it integrates into your daily routine.

Tethered vs. untethered chargers

Home charging units come in two main varieties:

Tethered units: Come with a permanently attached cable

• Advantage: No need to keep a charging cable in your car
• Consideration: Fixed cable length that needs tidying away when not in use

Untethered units: Requires you to use your own charging cable

• Advantage: Future-proof if your next EV has a different connector type
• Consideration: You'll need to store and handle your cable separately

Smart features and connectivity

Modern chargers offer helpful smart features that require Wi-Fi connectivity:

• Remote charging control through apps
• Scheduled charging to utilise cheaper off-peak rates
• Charging status monitoring

Installation planning checklist

Before installation, consider these practical questions:

• How strong is your Wi-Fi signal at your intended charger location?
• Where is your car's charging port located in relation to the charger position?
• If choosing a tethered unit, will the cable comfortably reach your car's port?
• Do you want the charger discreetly positioned or easily accessible?
• Will the cable be a trip hazard in its planned location?
• Does the installation spot protect the unit from extreme weather?

Taking time to think through these practical considerations before installation will save significant hassle later. The right setup ensures your home charging experience enhances rather than complicates your EV ownership journey.