Frequently Asked Questions

At GreenMile Electrical, all the EV charge points that we install conform with the latest BS 7671 wiring regulations and the IET best code of practice for EVs.

A standard installation includes:

• Your selected EV charge point.
• A 10m cable that runs from your fuse box to your vehicle’s charge point which will either be installed within surface mini trucking (inside the property) or clipped neatly to your property’s external wall. Note – we aim to keep the installation as aesthetically pleasing as we can, ensuring whenever possible that cables are hidden both internally and externally.
• The installation of a separate electric circuit for your EV charging point in your fuse box. Please note that we need enough space within your fuse box to enable us to do this – we can discuss this further before installation.

Upon completion, your EV charger unit will be fully inspected and tested by our highly-qualified electricians and you’ll receive an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC).

Before installing any EV charging equipment, it is our responsibility to ensure that your property complies with all the relevant electrical standards. If any non-compliances are identified, we will discuss these with you before any work begins.

• The charge point must be fixed to the main property and be able to utilise the property’s earthing arrangement.
• The property’s earthing arrangement must meet current regulations – we are required to check this by law (upgrades will usually cost extra).
• No groundworks – Lifting of flags and digging trenches for cables etc
• You must comply with the terms and conditions of the OZEV Domestic Scheme, and your property’s earthing arrangement must meet legal regulations.

• The price for an EV charge point installation will vary if the above criteria are not met. Any other work will be charged additionally.
• Cable runs that exceed 10 metres.
• If a mini consumer unit c/w overload and fault current protection is required (because there is not sufficient space on the existing consumer unit, for example).
• Any cable chasing requested by the homeowner.
• Any groundworks requested by the homeowner.
• The necessity to introduce an alternative earthing system, i.e. an earth rod/inspection chamber.
• The necessity to install a high-gain antenna in the case of poor GPRS signal.

• You can charge your electric vehicle at home or at one of the public charging points.
  Charging your electric vehicle at home is safe, convenient, and above all, cost-effective. Installing EV home charging points is what we specialise in.

You may charge your car at home or at a public charge point station – however, it is much more cost effective and convenient to charge your car at home.

Every electric car comes with a different-sized battery. The capacity of a battery is usually expressed in kilowatt hours (kWh), which is a measure of the energy storage available. So, to work out how much it costs to charge your car, you can look at the cost of electricity (either at your home or at a public charging point) and calculate it by the size of your car’s battery.

For example…

A Tesla Model S has a 100kWh battery. The average cost at a public rapid charging point in the UK is approximately 35p per kWh. Therefore the cost to fully charge the battery is £35.00 (100 x 35p). If you were charging at home, the average cost is more like 13p per kWh, making the cost a very reasonable £13 (100 x 13p). Considering that a full tank of petrol/diesel for an average executive car can cost £70-100, that’s a major saving.

With GreenMile Electrical, a home charger can be purchased and installed for £665* (incl VAT) if your car qualifies for the OZEV grant.

To see if you qualify click here.

The length of time all depends on the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point.
A typical electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under eight hours to charge from empty-to-full with a 7kW charging point.

Please see below some examples of estimated charging times:

• Approximately 30 minutes using a 50kw EV rapid charge point (these are mainly seen at service stations etc.)
• 1 hour at 22kw (mainly commercial & industrial charging stations)
• 3-4 hours using a 7kw charge point (domestic)
• 6-8 hours using a 3kw charger (domestic)

Some hints and tips for charging your car:

• Regularly top up your charge rather than waiting to recharge from empty.
• Most electric cars are able to add up to 100 miles of range in 35 minutes using a 50kW rapid charger.
• The bigger your car’s battery and the speed of the charging point will directly affect the amount of time it takes to charge.

It’s all about personal preference. A tethered system has a charging plug and cable wired in – you pull it from the wall and connect it to your car. A socketed or untethered EV system, meanwhile, is more like a traditional plug socket: you take a lead from the car and plug it into the charging point.

Both variations of charge points will charge your EV at the same rate. The only difference is how you connect them to your vehicle. Many people opt for tethered, because it allows drivers to leave their EV’s charging cable in the boot. So, you simply park and plug-in.

Socketed units are the best way of future-proofing your charger, because they give you the power and flexibility to change the lead to suit each vehicle you may drive. This spares you from retrofitting the lead or investing in an adaptor if you change car.

For more information on the differences between socketed and tethered charge points or if you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us on 01942 790 975.

Please contact our team of experts who can offer you some advice and provide a free, no obligation quotation – a friendly electrician will visit your home prior to installation to check everything is in order.

We install our EV charge points in accordance with the current BS 7671 wiring regulations and IET code of practice for electric vehicles, and your charge point will be installed by an experienced NICEIC approved electrician to the highest standard.