Electric vehicles are now becoming ever more popular among people in the UK, especially since the government introduced plans to reduce carbon emissions by 100% by 2050. There are many benefits to switching to an electric vehicle, from protecting the planet to lowering your outgoing costs. Another benefit to investing in a new electric vehicle, is that electric car charging points are now popping up all over the place, such as supermarkets, car parks and shopping centres, so you never have to be worried about your vehicle running out of charge.
However, if you are yet to invest in an electric vehicle, then we’re sure that you will have an abundance of questions. In our guide, we will run through everything you need to know about EV charging and utilising our renewable energy home and business plans.
All You Need To Know About Electric Car Charging At Home
As a renewable energy provider, we are always looking for ways to reduce carbon footprints and protect our beautiful planet, and that’s why we now supply electric car charging, also known as EV charging, whereby we can provide and install charging stations for electric cars. You can also take advantage of the UK governments Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, which offers you funding for installing a charger at domestic properties of up to 75%. The combination of saving the planet and saving money makes an electric vehicle worthwhile, and the Ampower team are always more than happy to answer any questions you may have about charging stations and bespoke electricity plans for home. We thought we would answer a few questions about electric vehicles and charging your vehicle at home to help clear a few things up:
- How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car?
- What Outlet Can I Plug My Electric Car Into?
- How Much Does It Cost To Install An Electric Car Charging Point At Home?
- How Long Does It Take To Charge An Electric Car?
- Where In Public Can I Charge My Electric Car?
- How To Charge Electric Car At Home
How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car?
Electric cars will cost significantly less than petrol or diesel vehicles, which can cost between 10-16p per mile. Whereas, the average UK electricity plan will cost you 14p per kWH, which roughly equates to 4p per mile for an electric car. This means that you will be saving yourself up to £10 per 100 miles if you were to drive an electric vehicle. You will be saving a significant amount with an electric vehicle and can make further savings depending on your energy provider. Ampower is a renewable energy provider, which means that your home electricity plan is more affordable and saves the planet.
In addition to the savings you make in terms of running the car, you can also benefit from a number of other money-saving incentives. Just some examples include the following:
- No more road tax - if the car has a listing price of less than £40,000, then you will not need to pay any road tax on the vehicle
- No emission charges when in London - fully electric cars are provided a 100% discount when driving through London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone.
- Reduced or no parking charges - some towns and cities are encouraging electric cars, so will offer a reduced price or no charge parking fee.
When it comes to purchasing the vehicle, you can also take advantage of another government grant called the Low-Emissions Plug-In Grant, which offers a sum of up to £2,500 to help pay for a brand new low-emissions vehicle.
What Outlet Can I Plug My Electric Car Into?
There are three different types of charging points you can use for your vehicle. These include rapid, fast and slow EV charging points. Each different charging point represents the different outputs and charging speeds which are available to you. It is first important to check your car manual to see which charging point is recommended for your electric vehicle.
- Rapid - Rapid chargers come in one of two different types. Either AC or DC, which means alternating or direct current. All current rapid AC chargers in the UK are rated at 43kW, whereas most rapid DC charger are currently at 50kW, both of which will charge your car at around 80% within 30 to 60 minutes. This means that while you are going food shopping, your car can be charged in a short period of time to almost full capacity.
- Fast - Most fast chargers include those which provide power from 7kW to 22kW; these chargers will usually charge your vehicle in around three to four hours.
- Slow - Slow units are commonly around 3kW and are best used when you wish to charge your vehicle overnight as they can take around six to 12 hours to charge.
Not every car will have the same connectors; however, there are not that many varieties out there. There are two different connectors you need to know about: ones you will plug into your vehicle and the one that connects to the power source. If you are looking to charge your vehicle in a public place, then you will need to remember to bring your connector, as they are not supplied at the charging point. All you will need to do when charging in public is attach the connector your car came with to the electric charging point on your vehicle and the EV station.
How Much Does It Cost To Install An Electric Car Charging Point At Home?
On average, an electrical charging point will cost around £650 or more to install on your property, which includes the government grant of 75% up to a maximum contribution of £350. Ampower is a certified provider of EV home chargers, and provide chargers that can charge various leading brand vehicles. We aim to book the Installation in within 7-10 days and once installed, you can monitor your usage through our app.
How Long Does It Take To Charge An Electric Car?
A lot of people are under the assumption that electric cars will take hours and hours to charge, making them inconvenient for those doing long distances when their car runs out of electric. However, the advanced designs of electric vehicles mean that you can charge your car in as little as 30 minutes. The length in which it takes for you to charge you vehicle will depend on the charging point. For example, a rapid charger will take 30 minutes to get to 80% charge, a fast charger will take 4 hours, and a slow charger will take 12 hours. Most public chargers are rapid or at least fast, so if you are taking a long journey, then you should be able to easily charge your vehicle without having to worry about a long waiting time.
Where In Public Can I Charge My Electric Car?
One of the main concerns that many have in regards to electric vehicles, is whether they will be able to charge their car during the day when at work or taking a journey. Luckily, there are now thousands of electric car charging stations across the UK, and even more are popping up thanks the government’s new ambitions to lower emission gases. Some electric vehicles will have a setting that tells you where the nearest charging point is, or it will add a charging stop off into your travels. You can also use apps such as PlugShare which finds charging stations worldwide and even allows you to filter by plug type. Other apps are also available such as ZapMap, ChargePoint and NextCharge, which are all worth adding to your phone.
You are most likely to find an EV charging point at supermarkets, shopping centres and workplaces. All work environments that offer electric vehicles on their car schemes must have electrical points at their place of work, and to add an extra perk, they are usually located close to the entrance. As discussed previously, some shopping centres will offer a reduced parking fee or free parking for those with electric vehicles, allowing you to park and charge your car while shopping for as long as you like.
How To Charge Electric Car At Home
Charging your vehicle at home is often one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways of charging your vehicle. All you will need is to install a charging point onto your property, at a location best suited to you, and plug in your vehicle when it is not in use, such as throughout the night. Most home chargers are either 3kW or 7kW; if you decide to go for the higher-powered charging points, then you will find that they are slightly more expensive. However, they do halve the time it takes to charge your vehicle at home, so are worth the price if you pop out often throughout the day.
Ampower partners with EngageEV, who not only offer charging stations for your home, but also offer EV charging points for business as well. They offer extensive knowledge in EV vehicle charging so you can get the most out of your electric car. To make your home charging point safe, it is usually required that you have off-street parking, so you do not have any cables that can cause accidents. All of your EV charging points will be wired into your central metering unit; this is done as it is much safer for the electrical load. The charging point does not take long to install and can be used immediately after installation, all you need to do is contact the Ampower team about our EV charging and electricity plans.
Need To Know More?
Purchasing an electric vehicle is one of the most environmentally friendly investments that you can make, and with the advanced technology and range of models now available, it could not be easier for you to find the perfect vehicle for your use and requirements. Whether you have an electric vehicle already or not, the Ampower team are just a phone call away to help with your EV charging. Our team are more than happy to discuss options with you and to provide a quote for home and business electricity plans.