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Charging Your EV at Home: A Guide to Choosing the Right Charging Equipment

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With the rise of electric vehicles, many people are wondering how they can charge their electric cars most efficiently and cost-effectively at home. If you’re an EV owner interested in taking control of your electric car charging, this guide is for you! The type of equipment required to charge your vehicle will depend on a few factors such as the make, model, and battery capacity of your vehicle. This blog post will cover everything from charger types to purchasing advice to ensure that you get the best charging solution for your needs. Read on and learn all about how to select the right charger so that you can maximize efficiency while minimizing costs!

Overview of charging equipment options – Different types and features to consider

When it comes to EV charging, there are a lot of options to consider. You need to know if you’re getting the right equipment for the job and what features you should look for when making your choice. Level 1 chargers use 120 volts and only provide 2-5 miles of range per hour whereas Level 2 chargers use 240 volts and offer around 25 miles of range per hour. Additionally, most EV models now come with a built-in DC quick charger which can replenish up to 80% of your battery in 30 minutes or less. Knowing the time constraints associated with each type of charger will help you decide which fit your charging needs best. Furthermore, there are smart chargers that allow you to control power levels for faster charging times and more economical electricity bills – something definitely worth looking into!

Factors to consider when selecting a home charging station – Wall-mounted or portable, plugging into existing outlets or direct installation

Deciding on the right home charging station for your electric vehicle can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! There are two main types to think about: wall-mounted and portable. Wall-mounted stations offer a more permanent solution since they tend to stay in one spot and can usually carry more charge than portable options. With a portable option, you don’t need special installation and you have the flexibility of moving it wherever is most convenient. Another factor to consider is whether you should connect into existing outlets or install directly. Although plugging into existing outlets is less expensive and faster, a direct installation gives more power charging possibilities as well as surge safety.

Remember Maintenance Requirements – Regularly check & clean your charger to make sure it’s working properly

To ensure that your EV charger can perform as intended, it is important to remember to keep it up to date. This is particularly crucial if you want to keep using it regularly and avoid the possibility of having a faulty charger when you need it. Regularly inspecting and cleaning your charger can prevent you from being stranded due to a malfunctioning charger or any other issue relating to its maintenance.

You can prevent costly mistakes and have a dependable method of EV charging. While owning an EV has some limits, such as restricted range and charging station availability, there are several solutions to this difficulty. If you are aware of the many ways to charge your EV at home, you will be able to charge it with ease! Even if one option does not meet your requirements, there are countless more. Thus, instead of being anxious about being held back by this technology, be motivated to seek out new ways to power up and savor the benefits that an EV charger can provide.

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Rollout of EV chargers in UK gathers pace

The total number of public electric car chargers across the UK has grown by almost 15% since the end of December.

According to Zap-Map, the UK’s leading EV charging app, there’s been an increase from 28,458 to 32,663 of devices.

The biggest growth sector was ultra-rapid charging which grew 40% in the first half of 2022, which shows that the ultra-rapid charging roll-out is more than keeping pace with the increase in EV drivers, which has grown 29% over the same period.

The growth in ultra-rapid charge points is largely due to networks such as MFG EV Power, InstaVolt and GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, which are rolling out high-speed charging ‘hubs’ of at least six devices across the country.

In terms of where chargers are located, of the 4,205 new devices installed this year, 1,662 of them are ‘on-street’ chargers.

Found on residential streets, on-street devices tend to be either slow or fast chargers and, generally speaking, provide an alternative to charging at home.

The number of these chargers has increased by just under 19% in 2022 so far, growing from 8,842 at the end of 2021 to 10,504 at the end of June.

Although a combination of networks, including char.gy and Connected Kerb, has been driving the growth of on-street chargers, ubitricity – which predominantly fits slow devices into lampposts – has installed 981 chargers so far this year, the most of any network.

“The 40% increase in the number of ultra-rapid chargers is clearly the headline figure so far in 2022. These types of chargers make longer journeys far easier, so the big increase should really mean we see an end to ‘range anxiety’,” said Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder & COO at Zap-Map.

“But let’s not forget that slower chargers also have a critical role to play. They might not provide the excitement of adding hundreds of miles in minutes – but with more than half a million pure-electric cars now on UK roads, their part to play in the adoption of electric cars is just as important as their ultra-rapid counterparts.

“It’s crucial that the rollout of high-speed charging hubs continues at pace, alongside the increasing provision of on-street chargers for those without driveways, ideally with local councils engaged along the way.”

Volkswagen ID.4 review

Is VW’s new electric car right for your family? We find out…

Futuristically designed inside and out, the ID.4 is Volkswagen’s first 100% electric SUV.

Winner of the prestigious World Car of the Year 2021 award, this distinctive family-sized EV features a small driver’s digital instrument cluster and a larger infotainment screen mounted on the centre console (just like its smaller sibling, the ID.3 hatchback).

Priced from £34,995 and available with two sizes of battery (52kW and 77kW), it has a range of between 211-317 miles and achieved a maximum five-star Euro NCAP score, making it one of the safest new cars on the road.

Fitted with Isofix points in the front passenger seat, as well as the rear, standard safety and driver assistance systems include AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking), lane assist, adaptive cruise control and driver fatigue detection.

It also features a centre-mounted airbag which protects the driver and front passenger from hard mutual contact in the event of a side crash.

In terms of size, the ID.4 is about the same size as a Tiguan, but bigger inside, so it’s substantial with plenty of room for the family.

There’s also lots of space for luggage – 543 litres with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1,575 litres with all the back seats flipped.

We tested the ID.4 with the biggest battery and the longest range (starting at around £46,000). It’s mid-range and is billed as the ‘Family’ version. There’s also the entry-level Life, followed by Style, (Family), Max, GTX and GTX Max.

Despite feeling big on the road and weighing more than two tonnes, it’s swift with a 0-62mph sprint time of 8.5 seconds. And, as ever with an electric vehicle (EV), there’s instant oomph and zero emissions.

It’s also easy to drive with a commanding view of the road. The interior design is cool, comfortable, well put together and minimalist, though the infotainment screen won’t appeal to everyone because it’s all about tapping and swiping – and it’s not the most responsive system out there.

It would be an exaggeration to call this version of the ID.4 fun to drive, but all EVs have their moments (especially at traffic lights and overtaking) and it’s a joy to cruise along silently.

Our test car was not all-wheel drive, but still seemed to have plenty of traction and grip. Composed, unless really pushed in more challenging corners, it’s more agile than you might think for a big car.

However, if you want all-wheel drive and more tuned driving dynamics, then you’ll have to opt for one of the more sporty range-stoppers.

As far as practicality goes, if you have a home wallpod, it will fully charge overnight (11 hours). If you can find a 125kW rapid charger, it will take just 38 minutes to reach 80% full charge, while a real-world range of 250 miles is very realistic.

Of course, the ID.4 will also charge on the move via regenerative braking (which returns most of the energy from braking and coasting back into the battery while you’re driving).

Electric SUV rivals include the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia e-Niro, Audi Q4 e-tron, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Skoda Enyaq and Ford Mustang Mach-e.

Verdict: If you’re looking for a big SUV that’s kind to the planet, stands out from the crowd and boasts serious badge appeal, then the practical Volkswagen ID.4 could be right up your street. In short, it’s the kind of sensible car you buy with your head, not your heart. Price: from £34,995 – £56,380 (including the Government Plug-in Car Grant)