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A graphic of Constantine the Octopus installing a home charger
  • Nov 9, 2022

  • 7 min read

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How much does it cost to install an EV charger?

While electric car charging ports have begun popping up all over the UK (with more than 35,000 public charging ports currently available) the most convenient and fuss-free way of charging your car is at home.

If you have off-street parking, an EV home charger means you can charge your car while you sleep. This is also the most cost effective and environmentally friendly way to charge your car. This is especially true when your electric car is powered by renewable energy.

We’ve given you the low-down on an electric car charger cost, as well as how long it’ll take you to charge your vehicle and how to secure an electric vehicle charger for free with Octopus Electric Vehicles.

What are the costs of installing an electric car charger?

The actual electric car charger cost differs depending on which model you pick. At Octopus Electric Vehicles, there are three chargers to choose from.

The Ohme Home Pro charger comes free with our salary sacrifice scheme and ultimate EV package and includes a standard installation. The Ohme Home Pro costs from £999 for customers who are looking for a charger on its own, or are taking a car through Business Contract Hire.

The Wallbox Pulsar Plus which is small and compact starts at £1049. Don’t let its size fool you, despite being smaller than a toaster and weighing less than a laptop this charger is efficient and perfect for daily charging. The cost of the Wallbox Pulsar Plus through Octopus includes the EV charger installation cost.

The MyEnergi Zappi 2 starts at £1119. This adaptive EV charger takes power from the grid, solar or wind so it’s the perfect eco choice. It also has optional charging modes which use 100% green energy generated from your own home Solar PV system or wind generation (greatly increasing the return on the investment on your charger and your EV). The cost of the MyEnergi Zappi 2 through Octopus also includes the cost of installing the electric car charger.

After the upfront investment costs of getting your charger installed, the savings you’ll make charging an electric car compared to running a petrol or diesel car are significant.

The cost of charging outside of the home on a rapid charger costs on average 18p per mile, while the cost of fuel can be anywhere up to 27p per mile.  Not only is an electric car kinder on your pockets, but it’s kinder on the environment too.

And it gets better…if you’re charging your car at home overnight, the cost of driving can work out as little as 2.4p per mile!

With the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff you can charge at night when electricity is cheapest. This gives you six hours of super cheap energy overnight between 11:30pm and 5:30am, so your car is ready to go in the morning as soon as you are. And as an Octopus EV customer you get the added benefit of Intelligent Octopus Go - EV Saver - saving you an extra 1p on cheaper overnight/off-peak rates.

How long does it take to install an EV charger?

The full process of installing an EV charger can take as little as two hours.

With Octopus, the installation process includes:

  • Remote survey
  • Routing the cable
  • Fitting the charger
  • Electrical connections
  • Testing
  • Claiming charging grants

Our team will do all electrical testing and the charger will be fitted onto a brick or plaster wall, or the nearest suitable place. An earthing unit will also be fitted where needed.

We’ll also check for any charging grants you may be eligible for and will let you know of any money-saving opportunities that might be available to you.

Can anyone install an electric car charger?

It’s highly recommended for the electric car charger to be installed by a qualified professional.

If you’re applying for grants, you often won’t be eligible unless you use an approved installer.

There’s also a health and safety risk when installing the charger due to the power usage, so a certified and approved installer should be used.

This will give you the peace of mind that everything has been installed correctly and safely.

Grants for installing EV chargers

This is the perfect time to make the switch to an electric vehicle, as various grants are available to assist you with the EV charger installation cost.

The ‘Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant’ is run by the UK Government and funds up to 75% towards the cost of installing electric vehicle smart charge points at domestic properties. This is available to both tenants and commercial landlords.

If you’re planning on implementing charging stations at your workplace, or want to ask your employer, there’s a ‘Workplace Charging Scheme’ grant which is voucher-based and provides support towards the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charge-points. This applies to businesses, charities and public sector organisations.

If you don’t have a driveway and want some on-street parking nearby, there’s the ‘On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme’ for local authorities to provide residential charge points for plug-in electric vehicles.

Install an electric car charger for free with our ultimate EV package

Are you looking for the best electric vehicle package? The one that’ll provide you with the electric car of your dreams as well as a free home charger and installation?

Our ultimate EV package offers that and more.

You’ll also receive a free home charger plus 4,000 free miles if you switch to an Octopus energy tariff (or 4,000 free miles on Electroverse if you don’t have off street parking), routine servicing, maintenance and repairs, breakdown assistance from The AA and four new tyres every 20,000 miles.

With the choice of cars like an Audi Q4 e-tron, a Tesla Model 3, or a MINI Electric (and many more) you’ll have your pick of a whole range of brand new electric vehicles.

You’ll then pay the initial down payment before selecting the term and mileage that you want.

And we’ll take it from there! You’ll have everything you need to get going electric at the click of a button.

Once the contract comes to an end, you just return your car. It’s as easy as that. It’s completely hassle-free.

We offer everything you need to hit the road with bespoke EV tariffs and smart charging solutions, so you can charge when energy’s cheapest and greenest.

To get your free electric car charger and installation, take your pick from the top electric vehicle’s on the market here.