EV chargers
Home charging is usually the cheapest fuel you can buy
The saving comes from the tariff, not from the charger. A home charge point is mainly a way to access cheap overnight electricity safely and automatically, which is why parking and supply questions come before product choice.
Research snapshot: September 2026
Off-street parking is the first gate
A home charge point needs somewhere to park the car within cable reach of a fixed unit, without running a cable across a public footpath. A driveway, garage, carport or allocated bay usually works. On-street parking generally does not, and trailing a lead over the pavement creates a trip hazard your council is unlikely to admire.
If you park on the street, look at your local authority's position on cross-pavement solutions and at the public charging options near you before spending anything.
For leasehold or shared parking, permission from the freeholder or management company is usually needed, and cable routing across communal areas is where these projects tend to stall.
Supply and electrical checks
- Whether your property has a single-phase or three-phase supply, which caps the charging speed available.
- The rating of your main fuse and whether your consumer unit has capacity for a dedicated circuit.
- Load management, so the charger reduces its draw when the house is already using a lot.
- Earthing arrangements, which may require specific protective devices depending on the installation.
- Cable route and distance from the consumer unit to the parking space, which drives a lot of the cost.
- Notification to the network operator where required for the installation.
Most UK homes are single phase, which in practice means a charge point up to around 7 kilowatts. That is generally plenty for overnight charging. Faster home charging usually requires a three-phase supply, which is an expensive upgrade if you do not already have one.
Smart charging and time-of-use tariffs
The financial case rests on charging during cheap hours. Smart charge points let you set schedules, or hand control to your energy supplier so charging happens whenever electricity is cheapest that night. The difference between a peak rate and an off-peak EV rate is typically the largest single lever on your motoring costs.
Check which tariffs a given charger integrates with, whether the integration is via the charger or the car, and what happens if your internet connection drops. Some households find the car's own scheduling is enough, though supplier-controlled charging often unlocks better rates.
Charging from your own solar
Some charge points can follow your solar surplus, topping up the car only with electricity that would otherwise be exported. That converts export-rate energy into import-rate value, which is a good trade when the car is at home during the day.
It is less useful if the car is out every daylight hour. Be realistic about your week before paying extra for the feature, and check that it works alongside any home battery you have, since both will compete for the same surplus.
What an installation quote should cover
We do not publish charger prices here, because they vary by model, cable length, mounting and the state of your existing electrics, and an unsourced number would be worse than silence. Get two or three quotes for your specific property and compare like with like.
- Charge point make, model, power rating and whether it is tethered or socketed.
- Cable run length and route, including any trenching, ducting or making good.
- Any consumer unit work, protective devices and earthing provisions required.
- Load management hardware where the supply needs it.
- Network operator notification or application where applicable.
- Commissioning, certification and the warranty period for hardware and workmanship.
Questions to ask
- Is my supply single phase, and what is my main fuse rating?
- Where exactly will the unit be mounted, and how long is the cable route?
- Does the quote include any consumer unit or earthing work, or is that extra?
- Which supplier tariffs does this charger support today?
- Can it charge from solar surplus, and how does it behave with a home battery?
- What happens if my broadband drops out while a schedule is running?
- Who do I call if it fails in year three, and what is covered?
Home charging is an electricity decision
What you pay per unit overnight, and how much of your daytime generation the car can absorb, decide most of the value. The solar calculator covers that side of the picture.