FAQ

No difference at all

The Office for LOW Emissions Vehicles (aka OLEV) changed it’s name in December 2020 to Office for ZERO Emissions Vehicles (aka OZEV)

In the UK, new electric cars are eligible for a plug-in car grant (PiCG).

The government puts a sum of money towards the purchase of zero-emissions vehicles, creating a cash incentive for buyers to switch to electric cars and van.

This, along with higher taxes for some new diesel cars, is aimed at helping the country achieve its targets for cutting CO2 emissions. It also makes it easier for people to buy low-emissions cars.

So far, the PiCG has helped more than 285,000 purchases.

We are very transparent at our end and there are a number of ways you can get a quote through us.

The best option would be to receive a quote online by filling in our EV Survey which we have made simple for you and you can input the installation details and then we can give you a quote once you have chosen the products and charger for you.

Alternatively, we can offer a 1-to-1 consultation and talk you through the options, if the installation is a larger than average installation or there are items that maybe trickier than usual  we would conduct an onsite survey at your premises.

Every EV installation is generic and may differ, we try to aim to keep the costs on the website to the same as the price as you will on installation, if you can answer the pre survey as best you can this will enable us to give you the most accurate quote possible.

If the pre survey you filled in does not match on the day of the install you may incur extra costs so it is vital the pre survey and information you provide is accurate.

The prices on our website are a guide to the cost of installation. We will need you to complete our Online Site Survey so our in-house technicians can assess the work involved and give you an accurate quote. This means you can make an informed decision and no hidden charges on the day of installation.

The website prices include the products and the installation , again this is subject to the pre surveying filled in correctly , we can help you with the process and advise on how to fill the survey in.

Battery technology and charging infrastructure is constantly improving, quickly turning EVs from niche vehicles to viable replacements for combustion-engined cars.

But how far you can drive between top-ups is still a valid concern, which is why manufacturers are improving the quality of battery life everyday.

Each car range is different and you can access this information to help you make a decision on purchasing a electric car.

While it’s true that mileage may vary but the “we show you what you can expect from an in real world “it’s not really credible with EVs like the Model 3 with abysmal range (211mi) and the i-pace with too good to be true range (253.

The proof is that we have actual real world and real range test like what Carwow that drove few EVs until empty battery on highway and UK winter condition (lights and heater on) the model 3 LR achieved 270miles and the i-pace 223.

Another real word test made by the Norvegian Automobile Federation tested 20 EV’s in their highway,city and mountain passes during winter with snow and ice and even in those unfavourable conditions then the model 3 still managed to achieve a respectable 251 miles with the ipace trailing behind at 207 miles.

A lot of factors will also come down to cost.

If you’re buying outright, then electric vehicles are more expensive.

The upfront cost can be quite a lot higher than petrol or diesel, but remember to include the cost of tax, insurance, servicing and fuel in your final budget.

Given the increasing demand and low supply, electric vehicles might stay more expensive for a while – but they do come with a lot of perks.

The range of electric vehicles is becoming more popular with more manufacturers developing electric cars so we anticipate that costs will start to decrease over time.

The infrastructure in the UK is being built to cope with the demand of the EV Sector each day.

In the UK, there are four main places you can find chargers:

1. at home
2. at work
3. at public locations 
4. at service stations

You’ll sometimes need to take your own separate charging cable with you.

Most EV drivers plug in their car to a chargepoint whenever they park to stay topped up.

We offer a wide range of EV charge stations and can install at your home or place of work.

Drivers usually choose a dedicated EV charging point because it’s faster and has built-in safety features.

A home EV Charger is a compact weatherproof unit that mounts to a wall with a connected charging cable or a socket for plugging in a portable charging cable.

As well as having the power to control when you charge up your vehicle or give it a top up when required, you can also control the tarrifs and costs to when you charge meaning you can control what you pay per charge.

As the name suggests, this method results in the longest charging times, with some larger EVs needing up to 24 hours to replenish their batteries when charged this way.

Even something as small as a Nissan Leaf with a 40kwh battery will require nearly 12 hours for a full battery.

Normally running at about 3kw, these chargers are occasionally still found at public charging points but are more often than not the portable type that feature a three-pin plug for use with a domestic electricity supply.

Most electric cars get one of these units as standard, but the ever increasing size of battery packs mean that most manufacturers recommend using them only when no other charging method is available.

Of course, if you don’t cover many miles a day, then slow charging allows you an easy way to top-up the car’s cells overnight, while the slow rate of charge means less heat is generated in the battery, which can help prolong its useful life.

The short answer is, yes. Any device, appliance or machine that draws electricity will add to your electric bill. Electric vehicles must be plugged-in and charged up regularly to run.

The real question is how much EV ownership will affect your overall electricity usage.

primary variables that affect how much an electric vehicle will add to your electricity bill:

What is fast charging ?Just like other electric products, some EVs are more efficient than others. Instead of MPG, electric vehicle mileage is measured as kilowatt-hours per 100 miles (kWh/100 miles). Another measurement is MPGe, which stands for miles per gallon equivalent. MPGe is calculated by estimating how far an EV can go using the amount of kWh that is equivalent to one gallon of gasoline. The EPA has estimated one gallon of gas to be 33.7-kilowatt hours (kWh).

Fast Charging or Rapid Charging is synonymous with Level 3 Charging or DC Fast Charge, more technical terms.

DC fast charge stations are high-powered commercial stations that are only found in public places.

All fast chargers, rated between 7kW and 22kW, work this way, and can fully recharge small electric vehicles in three to four hours.

Rapid chargers are quicker still, and there are two kinds.

Rapid AC charging just uses more power (43kW), while rapid DC charger supply DC current straight to the car, allowing the car to charge at 50kW.

Tesla’s Supercharger network works at a much higher 120kW power. supply

Rapid chargers are the fastest way to charge your electric vehicle, providing between 60-200 miles of range in 20-30 mins.

Home charging points typically have a power rating of 3.7kW or 7kW (22kW chargepoints require three phase power, which is very rare and expensive to install)

Both Type 1 and Type 2 plugs have pins to transmit the power load and an earthing mechanism for safety. In addition, Type 2 cables have resistors that communicate with the EV or PHEV, to ensure that the charging process runs smoothly.

The vehicle ‘knows that it is plugged in, and other resistor functions maintain a uniform supply of power, detecting the strength of the cable to draw power accordingly.

The resistors in the Type 1 cable detect whether the cable is plugged in, will turn off the charger when the lever is pressed to unlatch the plug.

Also, Type 1 is a single-phase charging cable and Type 2 charging cables are available in single or three phase.

EVs and hybrids currently on the market are fitted with these two different types of charging sockets and many of the newer vehicles coming to market, even from the Asian market, are now being supplied with Type 2 connectors.

In an untethered electric car home charging unit, the EV charging cable that is used to charge your EV is not permanently fixed to the charging station.

Such an EV Home charging station is usually referred to as ‘socket only’.

You will always want a universal Type 2 charger plug connector.

Choose an appropriate length cable – we recommend 7.5m as a good compromise between ease of use and ease of storage, but you can get shorter cables (easier to store), or longer cables (offer more reach).

From experience, our customers have benefited more from a 7.5 m2 lead.

‘Smart charging’ is, of course, the smartest way to charge your electric vehicle (or EV). The idea is simple: unlike conventional (or ‘dumb’) chargers, smart chargers can communicate with each other, your car, and the grid. The result? A cheaper, more energy-efficient and sustainable way to top up your car.

What is included in a basic installation:-

• The fitting of your selected Chargepoint on a brick or plaster wall, or other suitable permanent structure.

• Routing of the cable through a drilled hole in a wall up to 500mm (20 inches) thick, where needed

• Up to 10 metres of cable, run and neatly clipped to the wall between the distribution board and the Chargepoint up to a height of up to 1.8m.

• All electrical connections at the origin of the supply and Chargepoint.

• Installation of a Type C MCB.

• Up to 3 metres (10 feet) of plastic conduit or trunking to conceal interior wiring.

• Electrical testing and the NICEIC Certification.

• Demonstration of the Chargepoint functions and App (if applicable)

London’s Electric Vehicle charge point network is a global leader. At the start of 2020, there were almost 5,000 charge points – one for every six electric cars in the capital, and 25% of all points in the UK.

Over time these battery packs become less efficient in the same way a mobile phone does.

Batteries degrade over time as they’re charged and discharged and won’t hold the same capacity as when they’re new.

However,because of development in battery technology and the number of battery cells in a car’s battery pack, the batteries in modern EVs should still have a good capacity even after years of use.

There are plenty of older EVs still on the road that are in fine order after thousands of miles and years of battery degradation.

So while a decade-old phone will have to be perpetually plugged in to work, a decade-old EV will still offer an acceptable range.

From the moment an electric car hits the road it emits no tailpipe emissions, but will still produce some degree of pollution from tyre and brake particles.

The real environmental impact though, occurs before an electric car has left the factory floor.

A report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) highlights that emissions from battery electric vehicle (BEV) production are generally higher than those from internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) production.

One study suggests that CO2 emissions from electric car production are 59% higher than the level in production of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs).

The greater emissions are largely attributed to the battery manufacturing process, something the EEA suggests could be amended to incorporate increased use of renewable energies.

However, once an electric vehicle begins its life on the roads the bulk of its emissions have already been produced; whereas with combustion engines, a long period of tailpipe emission production is just beginning.

Power Systems

The first main difference between an electric vehicle and a plug-in hybrid is that the first one is powered only by an electric engine (which is fed by rechargeable batteries) and the second one has a double power system which combines rechargeable batteries (which are, unlike traditional hybrid cars, charged by plugging them into an electric charging station) plus a back-up gasoline engine.

Silent Zero-Emission Mode

As electric cars are always powered by their electric engines, they have zero emissions and silent operation. This does not happen with plug-in vehicles, as when they are using their traditional engine they cause pollution and noise.

Savings

The reduced cost per kilometre of electric vehicles makes them more economical in daily use. Also, their mechanic system is simpler so they require less maintenance.

Driving Range

Another one of the great differences between plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles lies in their range. PHEVs offer a much more limited range in electric mode (generally a maximum of 50 kilometres against the 200 km. of many electric models). However, thanks to the added value provided by its traditional fuel engine its total range is much better and it may be even longer than that of a traditional vehicle (approx. 800-1,000 km).

One of the most commonly asked questions from clients is ‘how much does it cost to charge an electric car’?

We are told it’s a fifth of the price of fuel. Now we know we get cheaper road tax and running costs with an EV, but the exact charging cost is harder to pinpoint.

Here’s how to work charging costs for an Electric Car

You need to consider pence per litre as pence per kilowatt hour (kWh) when working out electricity costs used to fill up your vehicle. A kWh is a standard measurement of energy that your energy supplier will use to bill you and refers to a person using 1,000 watts of electricity for 1 hour.

For home charging your electricity bill will show this cost – on average it will be between 10-14 pence.

To fill up, if you look at petrol being 128p per litre, electricity will be between 10-14 pence per kWh. We now understand the cost of electricity, but we don’t know the size of the tank. If your petrol car has a 40 litre tank and petrol is £1.28, the cost to fill it up is £51.20.

With an electric vehicle your tank size is now a measurement of capacity, representing how many kWh of energy it can store. The larger the capacity, the bigger the tank. The largest battery size currently available is the Tesla model s 100d – the 100 representing amount of kWhs it can store.

The cost to charge for this vehicle at 10 pence per kWh would be £0.10 x 100 = £10.00

No you must be a qualified electrician to install an EV Charge Point and the relevant paperwork and documentation must be issued on completion of the installation.

Also, the system installed must comply with BS7671 and if you want to claim the £350 OZEV voucher an OZEV approved installer must be used .

Finally, you may not be covered on your car’s warranty if you choose to not use a qualified electrician.

We cover the whole of the North West of England for installations, but if you are unsure, send us an enquiry using the form on this page and we will advise if we cover your area.