Q How do I install an electric / hybrid car charging point?

A

Home charging points are compact, weather-resistant, and can be easily installed. However, it's best to have a professional handle the installation. You can seek advice from your sales executive or electric vehicle specialist, and they may even recommend an installer. Alternatively, you can arrange the installation with your electrician.

There are government grants available to help cover the cost of setting up an electric vehicle chargepoint socket at your residence. This grant is known as the electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint grant, and it's accessible to flat owners and renters.

With this grant, you can receive a 75% discount on the purchase and installation of a socket, with a maximum benefit of £350.

You are eligible to apply for this grant if you either own and reside in a flat, including those obtained through the shared ownership scheme, or rent any residential property. Additionally, you must have an eligible vehicle and a private off-street parking area at your home. Please note that you cannot apply for this grant if you have already received funding through the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) or the Domestic Recharge Scheme or their previous iterations.

Businesses can also benefit from government grants. The EV infrastructure grant gives you money off the cost of wider building and installation work that’s needed to install multiple chargepoint sockets. This grant is open to small and medium-sized businesses and covers over 75% of the project's expenses, up to a maximum of £15,000. You can receive up to £350 for each chargepoint socket installed and up to £500 for each parking space equipped with supporting infrastructure. Furthermore, you can secure up to 5 grants across 5 different locations.

Additionally, you can take advantage of The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS), a voucher-based program that provides eligible applicants with financial support for the initial costs of purchasing and installing electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints. This scheme is overseen by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and managed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). It's worth noting that this grant can be combined with the EV infrastructure grant.