EV Charging
Electrical Services in Northampton
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING
If you own an electric or hybrid vehicle you ideally need to have a charge point installed at home. It’s a much easier and cheaper option for you. Lives Electrical offer a fast and reliable installation service through our team of qualified electricians. Based in Northampton we also cover Milton Keynes, Bedford and the surrounding areas.
The process is easy for you. An initial survey is conducted by us to establish where the charge point should be located and the type of device you need. We can then complete all the paperwork for you which includes applying for the OLEV Government scheme. This is a £350 grant which is a contribution towards the installation of your EV charge point.
It will take less than a day to install the charger and we will demonstrate how to use the equipment once we’ve fitted it. You will also receive a test certificate for the unit and an instruction manual for future reference.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Do I have to have an EV charger at home for my electric car?
A. It’s fair to say this is not a condition of you buying an electric car. However, when you consider all the advantages it is a lot easier for you and much cheaper.
- Charging overnight whilst you’re asleep is so easy and you can take advantage of the lower-cost energy tariffs.
- You will get a 3-pin plug charger cable with your vehicle and you can use this to charge using a household socket, however, this is slow and it’s much safer to have a consistent electric charge without the risk of overheating.
- It’s quicker using a dedicated charge point that will fully charge your vehicle overnight.
- You can top-up the charge every time you’re home to ensure your battery is fully charged whenever you go out.
- There is a £350 grant available from the Government called OLEV, designed to encourage the use of electric vehicles and we can apply for this on your behalf.
Q. Is there only one sort of electric charger?
A. No, there is a range of chargers available. The most common residential chargers are Type 1 and 2. The difference between them is the speed at which they charge. We are qualified to fit all types of EV chargers with Type 2 being the most popular because of its fast charge.
There are several EV charging suppliers including Zappi, Rolec, Schneider and Pod Point. As with most products, these all look different and have a variety of functions including smart technology and providing you with a charging history. When we carry out your survey, we can talk to you about the options.
Q. Where on my property do you install the EV charger?
A. The charger needs to be fixed to a permanent structure such as a brick or plaster wall. The type of vehicle you have, your driveway and where you will park are all factors we need to consider during our survey.
As part of this, we will also look at where the charge point is located on the vehicle and the most suitable position for your EV charger. The length of cable will not be an issue as there are varying lengths but you don’t want these trailing across your driveway.
Q. How much will it cost to charge my vehicle at home?
A. It will depend on the type of vehicle, usage and your electricity tariff. The overall costs will be much cheaper than petrol or diesel. You can also take advantage of several electric vehicle energy tariffs.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Do I have to have an EV charger at home for my electric car?
A. It’s fair to say this is not a condition of you buying an electric car. However, when you consider all the advantages it is a lot easier for you and much cheaper.
- Charging overnight whilst you’re asleep is so easy and you can take advantage of the lower-cost energy tariffs.
- You will get a 3-pin plug charger cable with your vehicle and you can use this to charge using a household socket, however, this is slow and it’s much safer to have a consistent electric charge without the risk of overheating.
- It’s quicker using a dedicated charge point that will fully charge your vehicle overnight.
- You can top-up the charge every time you’re home to ensure your battery is fully charged whenever you go out.
- There is a £350 grant available from the Government called OLEV, designed to encourage the use of electric vehicles and we can apply for this on your behalf.
Q. Is there only one sort of electric charger?
A. No, there is a range of chargers available. The most common residential chargers are Type 1 and 2. The difference between them is the speed at which they charge. We are qualified to fit all types of EV chargers with Type 2 being the most popular because of its fast charge.
There are several EV charging suppliers including Zappi, Rolec, Schneider and Pod Point. As with most products, these all look different and have a variety of functions including smart technology and providing you with a charging history. When we carry out your survey, we can talk to you about the options.
Q. Where on my property do you install the EV charger?
A. The charger needs to be fixed to a permanent structure such as a brick or plaster wall. The type of vehicle you have, your driveway and where you will park are all factors we need to consider during our survey.
As part of this, we will also look at where the charge point is located on the vehicle and the most suitable position for your EV charger. The length of cable will not be an issue as there are varying lengths but you don’t want these trailing across your driveway.
Q. How much will it cost to charge my vehicle at home?
A. It will depend on the type of vehicle, usage and your electricity tariff. The overall costs will be much cheaper than petrol or diesel. You can also take advantage of several electric vehicle energy tariffs.