EV Charging

New to electric cars and the world of electric car charging? You may feel unsure where to start when it comes to choosing an EV charger for your home.

You know your car runs on electricity and you have to charge it. But how do you go about choosing the best charger for your budget, tastes, and needs?

What should you look for in an electric vehicle charge point?

If you’re finding the process of researching car chargers overwhelming, let’s break it down and start with the key points.

Price

Start by coming up with a rough idea of your budget.

We’ll calculate the final installation cost once you’ve completed a remote Online Site Survey, as details like the distance between your power supply and where you want the charger can influence the final installation cost.

These guide prices will help you choose a price bracket you’re happy with.

Consider whether you want a no-frills product with a lower starting price or whether you’re happy to pay more for a premium-looking product.

[Tip] Most customers choose a mid-priced charger with some extra features that doesn’t break the bank. The Ohme Intelligent Wall Charger, Wallbox Pulsar Plus and Sync EV are some of our most popular products within this budget range.

The Essentials

Before choosing your charger, ask yourself these questions to make sure you come to the right decision:

1. Do you want your home EV charger to look good on the wall?

Your electric car home charger wallbox will be on display for others to see, depending on where you park and where you’d like us to install it on the wall.

Many customers want something stylish that suits the look of their property, like the Andersen A2. Or, they want a product that’s small and discreet, like the Wallbox Pulsar Plus or Sync EV.

2. Do you want the charging cable permanently attached or not?

One significant difference between most wall chargers is whether they have a charging cable attached.

Some electric vehicle drivers prefer the cable attached – like a petrol pump – as it can be more convenient.

Others prefer “socket only” versions because they offer more flexibility to source your own charging cable and can look neater when not in use.

Connectivity and app features

Did you know electric car chargers can do more than simply supply electricity to the battery in your EV?

Some premium smart electric car charger features include:

Scheduled charge – choose when charging starts and stops for your vehicle. Useful if you have cheaper electricity prices overnight, for example.
Charge history – some charger apps show you how much energy you’ve used and an estimated cost.
Remote lock/unlock – other products allow you to “lock” your charger via your phone to prevent unwanted use.

Features like these work by connecting your car charger to your mobile phone or tablet via an app, which requires WiFi or mobile data. If that’s important to you, it’s worth factoring this into your decision-making process.

Other features

If you’re after a product that simply charges your car, all smart chargers will do the trick. So, choose the price and style that’s right for you.

However, if you’re interested in exploring unique features available with selected chargers, use the tool at the top of the page to discover some examples.

Built-in earth protection – avoids the need for an earth rod to be drilled into the ground at your property.
Solar – if you have solar panels, selected chargers can use solar energy to charge your car. If you don’t have solar panels, weigh up the cost of installation versus potential savings
Finance – Smart Home Charge offers finance on some car chargers to spread the cost of purchase and installation.