Frequently Asked Questions
A big benefit of installing a dedicated EV charger is being able to charge more quickly than you would by plugging into a standard plug socket. Because three-pin sockets can only draw up to 3kW of power, it could take as long as 13 hours to fully charge a car with a 40kWh battery. And with more EV models with higher capacity batteries and expanding mileage ranges hitting the market, it makes sense to have a charger installed.
The most common options include:
- 7kW charger – this is the standard for home EV chargers, capable of fully charging a car with a 40kWh battery in around 5-6 hours. Ideal for making the most of the 5- or 7- hour off-peak charging period offered by the Good Energy Green Driver tariff.
- 22kW charger – a fast charger that requires a three-phase electricity supply. A 22kW charger may not be necessary for EVs with lower capacity batteries. But it could be something to consider if you’re getting a high performance or longer-range model such as the Tesla Model S 100D, which has an 85kWh battery.
Charging your electric vehicle at home with a Redlec charger is convenient and much more cost effective. For example, charging a 30 kwh Nissan leaf overnight will cost around £3.60 and be able to run for up to 115 miles.
There are two main charger designs available: tethered chargers which have a charging cable attached; and untethered which do not have a cable. Which one you opt for is largely down to personal preference, but there are some benefits and drawbacks to each style.
- Tethered chargers mean you won’t need to find your cable every time you want to charge, making them more convenient. However, if you upgrade your EV to a model with a different connection type (such as rapid charging), you’ll have to upgrade your charge unit as well.
- Untethered chargers mean you can’t just park up and plug in immediately. However, they’re slightly more flexible – if you upgrade to an EV with a different connection type you can just upgrade the plug configuration rather than replace the whole unit.
Yes. The OLEV Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) provides generous cost savings for businesses/organisations across the UK for the purchase and installation of electric vehicle chargers at their workplace premises. Workplaces are eligible for up to £14,000 grant funding (£350 per socket, a total of up to 40 chargepoint sockets permitted at your premises under OLEV WCS) towards their chosen chargepoints, so long as their chargepoints are ‘smart.’
As a rule of thumb we like to have charger’s installed within 2 weeks but all efforts are made to fit in with our customers needs and so we try our best to be as flexible as possible with regards to the installation times.
The majority of installations will take either half a day or a day from start to finish.
We know cables on show can be a little ugly and so all efforts will be made to make the cable as discreet as possible, we can discuss and agree the specifics of the cable route at the quotation visit.
OZEV Grant
From April 2022, the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) will no longer be open to homeowners (including people with mortgages) who live in single-unit properties such as bungalows and detached, semi-detached or terraced housing.
Installations in single-unit properties need to be completed by 31 March 2022 and a claim submitted to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) by 30 April 2022.
The scheme will remain open to:
- Homeowners who live in flats
- People in rental accommodation (flats and single-use properties)
The grant is still available for the workplace, further details can be found on gov.uk website