Home charging · Your first charger
Your first home charger.
Fewer choices than you think.
Charger brands can look wildly different, but the basics are the same on every one. Once you know that, there are only a handful of decisions left — and none of them is about speed.
What every home charger already does
- Same speed. About 7kW — roughly 30 miles of range per hour, whichever brand you buy.
- Fits any car. The standard Type 2 plug works with every modern electric car and plug-in hybrid.
- App and scheduling. Every charger has an app so you can charge in cheaper overnight hours.
- Built for the weather. Made to live on an outside wall through rain and frost.
The decisions that are left
- Cable: attached and ready to grab, or a socket where you plug your own cable in.
- Tariff: a simple timer, or a charger that works with smart EV tariffs.
- Signal: does your Wi-Fi reach the driveway, or do you need built-in mobile data?
- Looks: what you are happy to see on the front of your house.
Decide where you park and where the charger should go, so the cable reaches the car's charging point without stretching across a path. Check driveway Wi-Fi by playing a video where the charger will sit. Have a photo of your fuse board and meter ready — most installers ask for one with the quote.
Usually the charger mounted on an outside wall close to the fuse board, a short cable run, the electrical protection it needs and a test of the finished install. Longer cable runs, digging, a new consumer unit or a supply upgrade are normally extra — ask for them to be listed separately.
- Is a home power sensor included and fitted?
- How long is the cable run, and what does extra length cost?
- Will my main fuse and supply cope, and will you put that in writing?
- Who do I contact if the charger or app stops working?
Two cars charging together is a big, sustained load. Ask a qualified electrician to check the meter, supply and cable routes before you buy anything, and get that check in writing.
General guidance, not an assessment of your home's electrics.