Can you charge an electric car at home? Yes – and given that private cars are usually parked overnight, most electric car owners rely on EV charging at home to ensure that their electric car is ready for use each morning.
As well as being convenient, charging electric cars at home also has the advantage of being, in most cases, the cheapest time to recharge.
Our Home and community EV charging stats page contains further insights into the number of EV chargers at homes across the UK and how many shared or community charge points.
For information about EV charge points in the workplace, visit our guide to charging at work.
What EV home chargers are available?
More than 50 manufacturers provide charging units suitable for EV charging at home. Typically units are wall-mounted, and available either with a tethered Type 1 or Type 2 cable, which can be plugged straight into the car, or with a Type 2 socket for use with the vehicle’s charging cable.
The standard power rating for a home charger is 7kW. For a EV such as the Nissan Leaf 40kWh version, this will provide an 80% charge in around 6 hours.
What is the cost of installing electric car charger at home?
Prices vary depending on the EV home charger that is selected. Typically a 7kW charge point will cost between £700 and £1200 fully installed.
We’ve partnered with Hive, the UK’s largest eco-tech brand, to get you out and about for less. Buy a Hive EV charger for your home, and you’ll get a £20 credit and a Hive Charging Card to use when you pay with Zapmap at over 25,000 public charge points across the UK.
Charge for free, at home and away
New Hive customers can combine their £20 Zapmap charging credit with Hive’s FreeCharge offer to enjoy free charging at home, and on the road!
Head to the Hive website to find out more about their home chargers.
Other EV-focused tariffs that offer similar schemes for electric car charging at home are available. Check out our EV Energy Tariffs guide for further detail.
To work out the cost of EV charging at home, Zapmap’s Home Charging Calculator calculates charging costs for any new or used plug-in vehicle. You can personalise the results for different electricity costs and the level of charge required to help you find the true costs of electric car charging at home.
