EV Buyers Guide

EV Charging Buyers’ Guide

EV charge points for domestic and commercial properties. In this guide, we provide key information on what’s required to become an EV installer, plus key considerations and product recommendations for end users.

Call or go online

0300 303 88 26 ElectricalDirect.co.uk

2

Contents Part One:

4

Background to the rise in EV Charging - trends on electric vehicle ownership

Part Two: Government grants - a key driver behind chargepoint installations

6

Part Three: Becoming an EV installer

10

Part Four: Product specification - legal requirements

14

Part Five: ElectricalDirect recommends

20

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

3

Part One: Background to The Rise in EV Charging - Trends on Electric Vehicle Ownership.

4

The sale of new petrol and diesel cars or vans will be banned in the UK from 2030, as we continue to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels to ensure the UK reduces its CO 2 emissions. Consequently, car owners will be steadily making the switch to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), commonly known as electric vehicles (EVs) – and a requirement for more charging points to be installed, both at home and on work premises, will also grow. The signs are already there, with the latest figures from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reporting an uplift of 38% in BEV car sales year on year (November 2022). And looking to the future, research undertaken by ElectricalDirect (December 2022) has found that 56.3% of car owners plan to switch to an electric car for their next purchase – with 57.4% expecting to install an electrical charger at home. All of this signals a real business opportunity for electricians looking to expand their business into new areas. In this guide, we provide an overview of key considerations for EV chargepoint installations, as well the training required to become an EV charger installer - and a look at some of the leading products on the market.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

5

Part Two: Government Grants – a key driver behind chargepoint installations.

6

To incentivise the adoption of electric vehicles, there are several Government grants available to facilitate the installation of EV Chargepoints. Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant 1 The EV Chargepoint Grant provides funding towards the cost of installing electric vehicle smart chargepoints at some domestic properties across the UK. It replaced the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) on 1 April 2022. a) Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant - if you own and live in a flat, or you rent any residential property If you own and live in a flat, or you rent any residential property with an off-street parking space, the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant contributes up to £350 or 75% - whichever amount is lower - towards the cost of buying and installing a socket. To qualify for the scheme, flat owners or renters of a property must have an eligible vehicle that meets the approved list of Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and the electrical chargepoint must be on the list of OZEV approved chargepoint models. Furthermore, applicants must use a qualified electrical installer from the OZEV authorised installer database.

For further information on eligibility and how to apply click here.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

7

b) Electric Vehicle Chargepoint and Infrastructure Grants for landlords There are two grants available for landlords.

An EV Chargepoint Grant offers landlords money off the cost of installing electric vehicle chargepoint sockets. With this scheme, landlords are able to receive either £350 or 75% off the cost to buy and install a socket, whichever amount is lower – and for each financial year can get up to: • 200 grants for residential properties • 100 grants for commercial properties These can be across several properties and installations, or for one property. The EV Infrastructure Grant gives landlords money off the cost of wider building and installation work that is required to install multiple chargepoint sockets. The work can be for sockets that landlords want to install now, and in the future, for example, wiring and post installations. Landlords may receive up to £30,000 or 75% off the cost of the work, depending on how many parking spaces the work covers - and landlords can apply for up to 30 infrastructure grants each financial year. For further information on eligibility and how to apply click here.

EV Charging Buyers’ Guide

8

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) 2

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme open to businesses, charities and public sector organisations. The grant covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints capped at a maximum of: • £350 per socket • 40 sockets across all sites per applicant For further information on eligibility and how to apply click here.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

9

Part Three: Becoming an EV Installer.

10

In-line with the requirements that were issued in 2018, the BS7671 Wiring Regulations states that an EV chargepoint should be installed on a new, dedicated circuit to not interfere or overload other circuits in the home. For this reason, installing an EV charger would fall under Notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations.

Electricians that are Part P registered can install electrical vehicle chargepoints and sign off work without having to notify their local council.

Qualified electricians who aren’t Part P registered can still install EV chargepoints. However, they will need to have the work signed off by the local council.

Even experienced electricians are advised to undertake an electric vehicle charging course, to ensure they are installing them correctly and safely.

Routes to Training

An electric vehicle charging course should cover the installation of the electric vehicle charging equipment (Mode 3) in accordance with the requirements of BS 7671:2018 + Amendment 1:2020 (Section 722) Electric Vehicles Charging Installations and IET Code of Practice - Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation (4th Edition). Skilled electricians, installers and engineers have the option to obtain training directly through City & Guilds, electrical trade associations, private training providers or EV charger manufacturers.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

11

ROUTE 1 City & Guilds

Working with key industry bodies and key employers across the EV charging sector, there are three training courses on EV installation provided by City & Guilds that have been developed specifically to meet the required safety benchmark to install and maintain an electric vehicle charging point.

1

2921-31 Design and Installation of Domestic and Small Commercial Electric Vehicle Charging Installations.

2

2921-32 Design and Quality Assurance of Largescale Electric Vehicle Charging Installations.

3

2921-33 Installation and Maintenance of Largescale Electric Vehicle Charging Installations.

In addition, the City & Guilds qualifications have been approved by ECS (Electrotechnical Certification Scheme), allowing existing gold card members to add this new suite of qualifications onto their card, showcasing that they have the recognised ability to carry out EV installation services across public and commercial sites.

For further information about City & Guild EV installation courses click here.

EV Charging Buyers’ Guide

12

ROUTE 2 Trade Associations

Electricians, installers and engineers can also undertake training courses via a trade body. Members of NICEIC, NAPIT, and Select can take courses aimed at electricians and electrical contracting businesses who are looking to understand the specific requirements relating to Section 722 of BS 7671. With a particular focus on Section 722 ‘Electric vehicle Charging Installations’ and the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicles Charging Equipment Installation, the courses include an overview to the latest government gr ants and funding strategies.

ROUTE 3 Private Training Providers

Companies such as Trade Skills 4 U and Logic 4 Training also offer EV charging installation courses, that meet the competency requirements for installers to register on the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) grant scheme.

ROUTE 4 Becoming an OZEV (Office for Zero Emissions) Authorised Installer

Any end user looking to take advantage of the aforementioned govern ment funding grants needs to employ an OZEV authorised installer to undertake the works. In order to join the government’s OZEV authorised installer list, professional electricians and installers must firstly be a member of a Competent Person Scheme, such as NAPIT or NICEIC, and demonstrate this with a valid membership number. Applicants will also be asked to

confirm the details of their EV charger installation training. To apply to be an OZEV authorised installer, see here.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

13

Part Four: Product Specification – legal requirements.

14

OZEV Compliant Chargepoints

To take advantage of any government funding, the chargepoint equipment that is installed must be approved by OZEV. Residential and commercial chargepoints must meet a minimum set of technical requirements, with the manufacturer being responsible for obtaining approvals for new and existing models. Each model must have a unique name or identification that is easily identifiable and must be used by installers when applying for grants. Any inconsistencies between the model listed on the OZEV-approved chargepoint model lists and the model name supplied on the equipment could lead to grant applications being rejected, and action taken against manufacturers.

For further information click on what is required to be compliant click here.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

15

New Government Regulations

New government regulations have also recently come into force, in terms of the required functionality of newly installed chargepoints of less than 50kw, for domestic or business use.

There are currently two parts to the government’s new Electric Vehicles (Smart Chargepoints) Regulations 2021.

The first part of the regulations came into force in June 2022, with initial measures put in place to support the increasing demand for electricity as the UK transitions to electric vehicles. It stipulates that all chargepoints:

1

In addition, the regulations state that car owners should be given more transparent information on their charging sessions. This includes being shown the total time within a single charging session that the power flowed between the chargepoint and the vehicle – and also a log of all charging events over the past 12 months. This information should be able to be viewed individually or grouped, by week, month or year. Must be supplied pre-configured with a charging schedule, to encourage charging to take place when electricity demand is lower. Have a randomised delay of up to 10 minutes at the start of the schedule to protect the grid and local substations from a surge in demand when multiple EV chargepoints are activated. 2

EV Charging Buyers’ Guide

16

The second part of these regulations came into force in December 2022 to focus on increased security and applies to private chargepoints (domestic or workplace). Existing domestic or workplace chargers aren’t affected, and these regulations only apply to England, Wales, and Scotland.

The second phase of the regulations stipulates:

1

EV chargepoints must now include a tamper detection system that issues alerts and records any attempts to the front cover being removed or any breach of the boundary to access internal components - and notifies the chargepoint owner.

2

EV chargepoint owners must be able to access a log of charging notifications via secure log.

3

Users must be able to identify the software version of their charge point and when this should be updated.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

17

Product Specification - choosing a chargepoint

Tethered or Untethered EV Chargepoints When installing an EV chargepoint, customers have the option of tethered, or untethered. A tethered charger has a cable built into the unit. If choosing this option, customers should be sure that the cable supplied will be long enough to reach the vehicle. The cable will also need to be stored correctly to avoid damage. With an untethered charger, the cable is separate and needs to be connected to both the vehicle and the charger each time. This offers the benefit of it being more futureproofed, should the user need to change to a different plug configuration – if they purchase a new electrical vehicle from a different manufacturer, for example. Single or Dual Outlets A dual outlet is ideal for businesses and households that require more than one EV chargepoint. With a dual outlet, two EVs can be charged at the same time, however depending on the available power - one vehicle may take precedent over the other, slowing down charging.

EV Charging Buyers’ Guide

18

Speed The charging speed for electric vehicles depends on the power source, the output of the charger and the charging capacity of the vehicle.

Starting from the lowest charging output, below are the most common charge speeds:

• Three-pin plug – 2.3kW • Home charge point – 3.6kW • Home charge point – 7.4kW • Home charge point – up to 22kW

Most electric vehicles charge at around 7kW at home, which is roughly 30 miles of range per hour. To charge a vehicle at a significant higher rate (such as 11kW or 22kW) the property must have a three-phase electricity supply. However, most residential properties in the UK operate on a single-phase supply and so are unable to support a three-phase 22kW charger. It is possible to apply for an upgrade to a three-phase supply through the distribution network operator (DNO) , but this can be very expensive with costs ranging from £3,000 to £15,000. It is also worth noting that many electric vehicles on the market cannot facilitate this power supply.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

19

Part Five:

Recommends

Our range includes solutions from leading brands Wallbox and Rolec. Both feature EV chargers that meet the scientific requirements set out in the Electric Vehicles (Smart Chargepoints) Regulations 2021, are beautifully designed and packed with useful features.

20

Pulsar Max Wallbox’s Pulsar Max is tougher, simpler and smarter than ever before. It’s built to withstand both outdoor and indoor use, with an easy-to-install design that reduces time on site. It offers, powerful smart charging which is futureproofed in line with any anticipated regulation changes that may occur – with a pleasing look suitable for domestic or commercial settings.

Key features: • Type 2 - Tethered Lead • Faster charging with up to 7.4kW • Smart scheduling for energy and cost savings • Easy indoor and outdoor installation • High quality, scratch-resistant matte finish • Voice control enabled with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant devices • Integrated PEN fault protection. No earthing rod needed.

Search product code 937737 on our website.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk

21

Another major benefit for users is that Pulsar Max is compatible with all Wallbox Energy Management Solutions, including Eco-Smart solar EV charging, Power Boost dynamic load balancing and Dynamic Power Sharing (DPS). DPS can monitor a building’s demand and compare it to its maximum allowable value. When lower than the maximum, DPS can be enabled on a primary charger point so any remaining available power can be supplied to multiple secondary chargers that are on site and paired using the myWallbox app. However, dynamic power sharing cannot be used simultaneously with Eco-Smart unless a power meter clamp is fitted to enable this functionality.

Search product code 354303 on our website.

For the full range of Wallbox products visit: www.ElectricalDirect.co.uk/brands/wallbox

EV Charging Buyers’ Guide

22

Zura Versatile and sophisticated, the Rolec ZURA offers never-seen-before customisable aesthetics, is future-proof and feature rich.

Key features: • Type 2 - Untethered

For the full range of Rolec products visit: www.ElectricalDirect.co.uk/brands/rolec • Plug & charge, mobile app or RFID controlled charging • Up to 7.4kW charging output • Fully Customisable Fascia • Dynamic Load Balancing • TruePEN PME fault detection (no earth rod required) • Approved for the OZEV EV chargepoint grant & workplace charging scheme (WCS) • Alexa & Google assistant compatible • Independent back plate for easy wall or post mounting • Designed & Manufactured in the UK

Search product code 419877 on our website.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of advice given, ElectricalDirect cannot accept liability for loss or damage arising from the use of the information supplied in this guide.

Explore our range at ElectricalDirect.co.uk Our friendly customer services team is here to help, 7 days a week. For any product queries, please call one of our expert advisers on 0300 303 88 26.