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How to charge your electric car at home

There are two ways to charge your electric car at home. The first is to use a regular household multi-socket extension lead and plug it into your car’s charging point. Depending on your car, this could take up to a day to fully charge, so it's not really a practical solution for most people.

This is why most electric vehicle owners opt for a dedicated electric vehicle charging point which will charge most vehicles to full in around 8 hours. Charging can be done overnight which is not only convenient but can also be cost-effective as you can take advantage of a cheap electricity tariff to bring down the cost of electric motoring even further.

The different types of charging cable explained

There is a confusing amount of different charging cables for the various electric vehicles on the market. Before arranging for a charging point to be installed, you should obviously check which of these plugs your car is compatible with and also make sure that the charger supports this type of charging.

Type 1 – Type 1 is the most commonly used plug in Europe and also the most convenient as it is the same standard as a domestic socket.

Type 2 (Mennekes) – A seven-pin plug that is commonly used with Tesla vehicles and supports Supercharging.

CHAdeMO – CHAdeMO is a quick charging standard that is used by most Japanese and Korean EVs.

Combined Charging System (CCS) – Commonly used by German manufacturers such as BMW and Volkswagen, the CCS charger works with a five-pin plug.

Different power outputs

Wall chargers usually include different output options including slow 3kW, faster 7kW and a super-fast 22kW. For most people, the 3kW option is perfectly adequate as this would charge an average electric car such as a Nissan Leaf in 6-8 hours.

A 7kW unit is a good option if you need to make multiple charges in one day as this can charge the same car to full in just 3-4 hours. The super-fast 22kW option is even faster, but probably not worth the extra expense for most motorists.

Arrange for an electrician to install

Once you know what type of charger you need, it’s time to call in the professionals. It is important that the work is undertaken by a qualified electrician who will be able to ensure it’s installed safely, without putting any undue strain on your home’s electrical supply.

Williams SW Ltd has a fully qualified team who can advise on the best electric charging option for your home and your vehicle. Contact our team today to arrange a consultation on 0117 287 2811 or learn more about what we do here.

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