How to charge your electric car at home

Everything you need to know about charging your car at home

At its core, an electric vehicle (EV) is almost like a huge smartphone. Using a charger, you keep the battery topped up, and it'll chug along merrily.

The easiest and most convenient way to ensure your EV is ready to go at a moment's notice is to get an at-home charger installed.

Though there are some caveats. You'll need to make sure:

• You have off-road parking
• That the distance from your electricity meter to where the charger will be isn't longer than 30m

It's safe, convenient, and tends to work out cheaper than topping up your car with regular old fuel.

And with the rising fuel prices and the impending 2030 petrol and diesel ban, there's never been a better time to make the switch from combustion to electric.

We've pulled together this definitive guide to charging your EV at home, so you're armed with all the information you could need about getting yourself set up for electric success.

Which charger should I choose?

There's no one size fits all when it comes to chargers. It'll need to suit your needs and be the right one for you.

But we can give you tips on how to choose the right one.

There are a few things to consider when picking the right charger for your EV:

• Do you want to pay monthly or outright?
• What charging speed do you want?
• Would you prefer a tethered or untethered charger?
• What connector type do you need?

Worth noting: if you opt for an untethered charger, you won't need to worry about connector types. Anyone can use their own charging cable (which comes with their car) to plug into your charger.

It's also worth future-proofing by considering these questions:

• If you change vehicles, will you need a different connector type?
• Will you get solar panels in the future? Some modern chargers can be set to use only solar energy

Once you've weighed up all these factors, you'll have a much better idea of what charger suits your needs – and your budget.

Some lease deals will even offer a charger with the car, so look out for these too.

The charging process: A step-by-step guide

Charging your electric car at home is actually pretty straightforward. Here's how to do it:

For tethered chargers:

1. Make sure your car is parked close enough for the cable to reach your charging port
2. Open your car's charging port
3. Take the connector from your charger and plug it into your car – you'll hear a click when it's properly connected
4. Most chargers will show a light or display to confirm charging has begun
5. Your car will also display charging status on its dashboard and/or app

For untethered chargers:

1. Retrieve your charging cable (usually stored in the boot)
2. Connect one end to your charger
3. Open your car's charging port
4. Connect the other end to your car
5. Look for confirmation lights on both the charger and your car

Most EVs come with an app that lets you:

• Start or stop charging remotely
• Set charging schedules to take advantage of cheaper overnight rates
• Monitor charging progress
• Receive notifications when charging is complete

When you're finished charging:

1. Press the release button on the connector (or use your app/key to unlock it)
2. Remove the cable from your car
3. Close the charging port
4. For untethered chargers, either store the cable back in your car or in a safe place

It might feel unfamiliar at first, but after a week or two, plugging in your car will become as natural as charging your phone.

Installing an EV charger at home

Getting an EV charger installed at home is a pretty straightforward process.

Getting your charger installed

Some installers may need to know a few details about your house, including the age of the property, location of the electricity meter and where you'd like the charge point installed. This helps them understand what the installation will involve.

Most standard installations will take around two to four hours.

Though if your house is a little trickier to contend with – for example, if your electricity meter is inside on an internal wall or the cable will need to be longer than 15m – this can take a full day and cost a little more.

If your home electrical system needs upgrading, the installation company will be able to do this too, but again it might incur an extra cost.

But once your charger is installed, you're good to go.

Tethered vs untethered: what's the difference?

You've got two main options when it comes to home chargers:

Tethered chargers come with a cable permanently attached. They're convenient – you just plug straight into your car – but they're only compatible with certain connector types.

Untethered chargers don't have a cable attached. Instead, you use your own charging cable (which comes with your EV) to plug into the charger. This gives you much more flexibility, as anyone can use their own cable regardless of connector type.

Got a Tesla lease? Don't worry, you don't need to fork out for the Tesla-branded charger. As long as you can plug in the right charging cable, you can use any home charger you'd like to get your Tesla back to full charge.

An untethered charger is an excellent choice if you want flexibility for future vehicle changes, or if you're likely to have friends or family charging different types of EVs at your home.

Smart charging features

On 30 June 2022, new regulations were introduced that state that chargers must have smart functionalities such as scheduling and the ability to send and receive data.

Scheduled charging will allow you to specify when you want the car to charge and give you greater insights into the best times to charge – perfect for taking advantage of cheaper overnight electricity rates.

Once installed, a charger with an output of 7.2kW will charge a standard EV in around six and a half hours, making it the perfect choice to ensure you're always ready to get going.

Home charging essentials: What you need to know

If you want to install a home charger, you'll need access to off-street parking, whether that's a driveway or a garage.

The charging lead can't be stretched over a public footpath or road, and the charger itself will need to be installed by a professional electrician to make sure it's safe and not going to overload the electrical circuit.

If you're renting, you'll also need to get permission from the landlord before you go drilling holes in the wall – many companies may ask for proof that the landlord or letting agency has agreed to the installation.

Installation requirements:

• Off-street parking (driveway or garage)
• Professional electrician installation
• Charging lead can’t cross public paths
• Landlord permission (if renting)

It's also worth bearing in mind that it's going to be cheaper to charge your vehicle overnight. It does make the most sense: simply plug in when you get home in the evening, and you'll wake up in the morning to a car that's fully charged and ready for an adventure.

Many energy providers offer tariffs with cheaper electricity rates overnight – and you may already be on one of these – so financially, it just makes sense.

All home EV chargers sold from 30 June 2022 are also subject to the new EV laws, so they'll be set up to charge in the off-peak hours by default.

But if you're ever short of juice, you can always override this and give your car a boost.

Why charge overnight:

• Cheaper electricity rates
• Car ready for morning
• Takes advantage of off-peak hours
  • Post-2022 chargers do this automatically

It's also not advised to charge your EV long-term with a three-pin plug and an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) cable (also known as a granny cable).

Standard household sockets aren't designed for the sustained high current that EVs demand, creating potential overheating risks. They're also painfully slow, typically delivering just 2.3kW compared to the 7kW+ from a proper home charger – meaning you'll be waiting three times longer for a full battery.

There's nothing to stop you from using a regular ol' plug, and it can be very useful in a pinch, like if you've popped to see some relatives and you have no other choice – but it is a lot slower.

It's alright if you just need to top up a little, but for the most effective home charging, getting a dedicated EV charger installed is quicker and safer.

Regular plug vs dedicated charger:

• Regular plug: 24+ hours for full charge (2.4kW)
• Dedicated charger: 6-8 hours for full charge (7kW+)
• Dedicated chargers are safer and more efficient

EV home tariffs

Dedicated EV tariffs were out of the picture thanks to the energy and cost of living crisis, with most providers pulling their fixed-rate deals. But now they're back in business – and several providers are offering competitive rates for electric car owners again.

Charging your car at home is almost always the most affordable way to get from flat to full.

Even though it'll mean your annual electricity bill increases, it still works out cheaper than continuing with petrol and diesel fuels.

A dedicated EV tariff, aimed at electric car owners, can make these costs even more affordable by offering discounted rates – typically overnight.

Overnight charging not only saves your hard-earned cash, but also helps to balance the grid by reducing the daytime demand, and potentially reducing the need for investment in additional power generation capacity.

Many EV tariffs also offer 100% renewable energy, or energy companies will pledge to offset car emissions through tree planting, making the switch kinder on your wallet and the environment.

The five types of EV tariffs:

1. Single-rate tariff: You pay a single rate through the day and night, but it's discounted if you own an electric car

2. Static time-of-use tariff: Offering cheaper electricity overnight, this is the most common tariff you'll see, and generally has the best charging rates

3. Dynamic time-of-use tariff: Offers a different price per unit of energy depending on the time of the day, with electricity becoming cheaper when there's a dip in demand

4. Type-of-use tariffs: These separate your EV charging costs from the rest of your energy use, using a smart meter and smart charger. Electricity used to charge your car is charged at a reduced rate

5. Vehicle to Grid (V2G) tariffs: Currently being trialled by Octopus Energy and Ovo Energy, this technology allows EVs to store energy and sell it back to the grid when it's most needed

Current EV tariffs available:

Octopus Energy leads the market with several options*:

-            Octopus Go: 7.5p/kWh between 12:30-05:30am (static time-of-use)

-            Octopus Intelligent Go: 7.5p/kWh for six hours overnight with smart charging (type-of-use)

-            Octopus Agile: Dynamic pricing that changes every 30 minutes (dynamic time-of-use)

Other providers:

-            EDF GoElectric: Offers cheaper overnight rates for EV owners

-            Ovo Energy: Has EV-specific tariffs with off-peak discounts

-            British Gas: EV tariffs available with their home charger packages

Before switching, compare the overall annual cost, including both day and night rates, as cheaper night rates often come with higher day rates.

*Accurate at time of editing

Charging at home vs in public

There’s no denying that public chargers are useful.

With over 70,000 public charging points found across the UK now, it’s unlikely you’ll be caught short without one nearby for a quick top-up charge. And a quick top-up is what they do best.

They do tend to work out more expensive than your at-home charger, and you may need to download an app to get it to work – but if you need a quick burst of energy to get you where you’re going, they’re excellent.

And to easily find your nearest public charging point, there are a whole host of useful apps for electric car drivers. Even if you’re 200 miles from home you’ll know exactly where to go.

Another public option is rapid chargers, more often found at motorway services.

These are ideal if you’re on a proper adventure, and need to get your battery back to full. They can boost your range by 100 miles in as little as 30 minutes, making them the ideal choice for a quick pitstop.

And with Tesla now opening the Supercharger network to other EVs, you’ve got even more choice when it comes to quickly getting some juice back in your car.

Widely regarded as one of the best rapid charging networks out there, the Supercharger’s 250kW potential could have something like the Polestar 2 with a 78kWh battery back to 80% in just 20 minutes.

Enter BYD, who are taking steps to make the charging process as fast as filling up with fuel with their new charging system.

What if I don’t have a driveway?

Unfortunately, if you don’t have access to off-road parking, or your off-road parking is in a communal area, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to install a home charger.

You won’t be able to get a charger installed if the cable trails over any property not owned by you, or your car will be more than 30m away from your electricity meter, which means that – as it stands – not every home is going to be suitable.

But, particularly if you live in a big city, this doesn’t have to stop you making the electric switch.

You can use the UK’s network of public chargers, with many popping up at supermarkets and shopping centres, so that you can run errands while your car is charging. Or if you need to top up quickly, you can opt for using a rapid charger.

These options tend to run a little more expensive, but they are useful if you’re on the go.

There are other options though: many workplaces are now installing electric chargers as an incentive for employees to make the switch. If you plug your EV in at the start of the working day, an average electric car will be fully charged by the time you go home.

And with backing from OZEV and the government, the Energy Saving Trust introduced the on-street residential parking scheme, where local authorities can apply for funding to increase residential charge points in their area.

There are even chargers popping up in streetlights.

This should make it easier for people in areas without much off-street parking to be able to charge their EV with absolute ease. 

Ready to make the switch to electric?

Home charging is the cornerstone of electric car ownership – it's convenient, cost-effective, and means you'll always start your day with a full battery (as long as you remember to plug it in).

Whether you opt for a tethered or untethered charger, take advantage of overnight tariffs, or need to rely on public charging points, there's an electric solution that'll work for your lifestyle.

The infrastructure is improving all the time, with more charging points appearing across the UK and new technologies making charging faster than ever.

Even if you don't have a driveway right now, the options for electric car owners are expanding rapidly.