You’ve decided to switch to an electric car. Perhaps you’ve already ordered one, or you’re still looking at a few different models.

But there’s another decision to make: how are you going to charge it?

Home charging can be convenient and relatively inexpensive, particularly with the right electricity tariff. However, not every household needs the same setup.

Here are the main things worth considering before buying a charger or arranging an installation.

1. How much charging do you actually need?

Start by thinking about how you use your car.

Someone driving 15 miles a day around Hull or Beverley will have very different charging requirements from someone regularly travelling 100 miles.

It’s also worth considering when your car is parked at home. If you arrive at 6pm and leave at 7am, you potentially have 13 hours available to charge.

And remember, you don’t need to charge an EV from empty to full every night. Many drivers simply top up the energy they’ve used.

If you have two electric cars, regularly make longer journeys or have limited time at home, your requirements may be different.

2. Do you need a dedicated EV charger?

It’s possible to charge some electric cars using a portable charging cable connected to a UK three-pin socket, often called a granny charger.

However, this is considerably slower than a dedicated home charger. An ordinary household socket and its wiring may also be unsuitable for the sustained load involved in charging a vehicle for several hours.

We wouldn’t recommend relying on an ordinary socket for regular charging without having the electrical installation properly assessed.

What about a properly installed EV charging socket?

For someone with modest mileage, a suitable three-pin socket and dedicated electrical circuit designed for EV charging could be an option worth considering.

This needs to be designed and installed by a competent electrician with appropriate wiring, protection and equipment. It’s not the same as simply using the nearest household socket.

Dedicated home EV chargers

For most people charging regularly at home, a dedicated wall-mounted charger is likely to be more convenient.

A typical UK home charger operates at around 7kW, depending on the electrical supply and vehicle. That’s considerably faster than a portable three-pin charging arrangement.

Dedicated chargers can also offer scheduled charging, energy monitoring and compatibility with certain electricity tariffs.

3. Where should your charger go?

This is worth thinking about before choosing the equipment.

Where do you normally park? Where is the vehicle’s charging port? Will the cable reach comfortably without creating an obstruction?

Your electricity meter and consumer unit might be close to the proposed charger position, or they could be on the opposite side of the house.

That doesn’t necessarily prevent an installation, but it can affect the cable route and overall cost.

A good installer should help you find the right balance between convenience, appearance and the electrical work required.

4. Which charger features are worth paying for?

There’s a wide range of chargers available, but the most expensive option isn’t automatically the best.

Tethered or untethered?

A tethered charger has a permanently attached cable, making it convenient to plug in when you arrive home.

An untethered charger has a socket, so you use a separate compatible charging cable. Some homeowners prefer its tidier appearance.

Neither is automatically better. It comes down to how you want to use it.

Smart charging and tariffs

Many chargers allow you to schedule charging through an app. This can be useful if your electricity supplier offers cheaper overnight rates.

Check compatibility with your vehicle and tariff before choosing a charger, as not every combination offers the same features.

Solar compatibility

Some chargers can make use of surplus electricity generated by solar panels.

Whether this works well depends on your solar system, available generation and when your car is parked at home. Battery storage and other energy-management equipment can also affect the options.

5. What should your installer be checking?

Installing an EV charger isn’t simply attaching a box to a wall.

Your installer should consider your existing electrical supply, available capacity, protective equipment, cable route and whether any alterations are necessary.

Depending on the property, load management may also be needed to keep electrical demand within the available supply.

There are also relevant notification or approval arrangements with the electricity network operator.

We don’t expect customers to understand all these technical details. That’s our job.

You just need to explain how you’ll use the car, where you’d like the charger and what matters most to you.

6. How much does home EV charger installation cost?

The installed price depends on the charger selected, its position, the cable route and whether any additional electrical work is required.

For example, installing a charger close to the electricity supply may be relatively straightforward. A complicated cable route across a large property could involve more work.

Smart Power offers a BG Sync Energy home EV charger supplied and installed from £899 including VAT for qualifying standard installations.

The standard package includes up to five metres of installed cable. Any additional work is explained and quoted before installation.

It’s worth getting a proper quotation rather than comparing charger prices alone.

Could you qualify for an EV charger grant?

Certain renters, flat owners, landlords and households with approved on-street charging arrangements may qualify for government support.

Some grants offer up to £500 towards eligible installation costs. The current schemes are scheduled until 31 March 2027, subject to change.

Not every homeowner qualifies, and approval may be required before work begins.

See our EV charging services or check the latest government EV charger grant guidance.

7. Getting the right advice before you buy

There’s no single perfect home charging solution for everybody.

Some people need a straightforward charger for short daily journeys. Others need to charge multiple vehicles, work around unusual parking arrangements or integrate charging with their existing energy setup.

At Smart Power, we help customers throughout Hull, Cottingham, Beverley and East Yorkshire understand their options and arrange a suitable installation.

What do we need to provide a quotation?

Getting started is straightforward. Send us your contact details, property address, vehicle details if known and where you’d ideally like the charger fitted.

Photographs of your electricity meter, consumer unit, proposed charger position and likely cable route are particularly useful. Please photograph visible equipment only, without opening covers.

Don’t be shy with the photos! A mixture of close-ups and wider shots helps us understand the full arrangement.

We can often provide a quotation from this information without an initial site visit, although some installations require a closer assessment.

Thinking about installing an EV charger?

Whether you’ve already ordered an electric car or you’re still exploring the options, Smart Power can help you work out what you need.

Get in touch with Smart Power about your home EV charger installation.

Alternatively, call 01482 205222 or email info@smartpower.co.uk.