New regulations for smart home EV charging
Posted on 8th July 2022
Electric vehicle (EV) sales in the UK are increasing quickly and are already ahead of targets set by the Climate Change Committee.
It’s expected that there will be 400,000 new EVs in the UK by the end of 2022.
Although it’s estimated that four out of 10 drivers don’t have access to dedicated off-street parking this still means the majority of new EV owners could charge them at home.
If you’re thinking about installing an EV charger at home you’ll be pleased to know that from 30 June they should all meet new smart charge point regulations.
What the new regulations mean
One of the most important requirements in the new regulations is that EV charge points must be able to charge at specific times to access cheaper off-peak electricity tariffs.
Government figures show the average cost of domestic electricity in 2021 was just over 28p per kWh (June 2022) but with rising energy prices this figure could double. The regulations are intended to make sure EVs can make the best use of energy including using cheaper off-peak energy between 10pm and 8am when there is often a surplus of renewable energy and lower prices. Using a standard 7kW home charge point for four off-peak hours could provide a range of 80 to 100 miles at a cost of around 2p per mile.
Suggestions that new chargers won’t work at other times have been denied and you will continue to control how and when your EV charges with the ability to override smart charging if you wish.
How smart charging works
National Grid says there is enough energy capacity to meet the need to charge a growing number of EVs. However, smart charging will spread demand throughout the day and help to avoid the traditional evening peak of electricity demand between 6pm and 8pm.
Your EV smart chargers will have a random delay function so that all EV charging doesn’t start at 10pm. They will smartly manage when to start charging during off-peak hours. Utility companies can extend the random start times from 10minute to 30minute intervals if energy use is exceptionally high on a particular day although the feature can be disabled if you need to start your charge immediately.
You can find useful information about EV charging on the Energy Saving Trust website.
Please get in touch if you would like a quotation to install an EV charging point at your property.
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