There can be a significant lead time in arranging the installation of a charge point so it is best if this gets underway as soon as possible after your new electric car is ordered.

If the car is a new Renault ZOE or Nissan Leaf on PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) then installation of the charge point will be organised by the manufacturer. As part of this deal the manufacturer will specify their preferred charge point.

In most other cases you will need to arrange the installation yourself. We can help you through the process with advice and guidance:

1. We provide details of the main installation companies below.
2. Our guide to selecting the most suitable charge point for you is here: Choosing a Charge Point.
3. Our guide to check on your eligibility for a government grant for the charge point is here: Government Grant for Electric Car Home Charge Point.

If you are a Fuel Included customer then you can of course call or email us at any time for more detailed advice.

Note you may find that a charge point is occasionally referred to by its more technical name ‘Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment’ or EVSE.

Charge Point Installers

The biggest companies making and installing domestic charge points  – let’s call them the ‘Big 3’ – are the following (with links to their website and to our news feed with articles about them):

1. Chargemaster PLC: Chargemaster website, Chargemaster news items.
2. POD Point: POD Point order page, POD Point news items.
3. Rolec EV (part of Rolec Services Ltd): Rolec website, Rolec news items.

However, there are many other smaller manufacturers and installers; here’s a brief (not definitive) list:

1. Andersen order page, premium charge points.
2. ChargedEV, nationwide installation partners for Rolec, based near Sheffield.
3. Charging Solutions Ltd, partner with Chargemaster, based in Wales.
4. The Phoenix Works, nationwide installers, based near Leeds.
5. SOL Electrical, install POD Point and Rolec charge points in the South West of England.
6. EV Charging Solutions, based in the Midlands.
7. API Electrical Ltd, install in the North West of England.
8. Armstrong Renewables Ltd, install in the North East of England.
9. New Motion EVSE Ltd, based in London and part of a Dutch group, the largest provider in Europe.

 

Installation Process

In most cases the installation company is likely to contact you for information on your property, including asking for photographs of your main consumer unit (‘fuse box’) and the preferred location for the charge point. Usually a dedicated cable will be run from the consumer unit to the charge point so sometimes the installer may also ask for information on, and photographs of, the route between the two. Generally an isolator switch will be installed in this new circuit.

Typically a standard installation will allow for cabling of up to 20m in length. If the distance is greater than this then there may be an additional cost to the customer (of perhaps £5 per metre). Similarly there may be additional costs if the installation is complex (e.g. passing a cable over a walkway or under a path); these issues are likely to be highlighted by the installer ahead of the installation visit. Sometimes the electrical system in the house will lack a mains isolator switch and this may need to be installed in advance by your electricity supplier; again the installer should flag this ahead of their visit.

The installation itself will take less than a day (it can be as little as an hour). You will need to be in attendance and the electricity supply will be turned off for much of the work.

After the installation is complete you will likely be asked to sign off on the work (and will be given a set of keys to the charge point if it is key protected). You should test the charge point as soon as possible by connecting your car, ideally while the engineer is still present in case it shows up any issues.

PS: I have previously described the installation of my charge point in detail here and here.