How much does it cost to install an Electric Vehicle (EV) car charging station?

As part of their drive towards combating climate change, the UK and Scottish government have announced a ban on new sales of petrol and diesel vehicles as of 2030. 

This has increased the interest in electric vehicles. However one of the main reservations that people have about switching to an electric car, is that they aren’t sure how easy they are to charge. 

If you are thinking about switching to an electric car then installing your own charging port at home is definitely something to consider. It means you can be in control of your ability to charge the car and can reduce running costs. 

But, how much does it cost to install an Electric Vehicle (EV) car charging station?

In this blog, we’ll look at how much it might cost to install an electric car port, and what factors might affect the cost.

What will affect the cost of your Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station?

Electric Vehicle charger stations for your home can range between £300 – £1000 for a standard charging point. 

Why is there such a big difference?

There are a few factors that will affect the price of the your charging station:

1. What EV charging station you install
2. What is the EV charging speed?
3. Do you need any home customisation for your installation?
4. Which company carries out the installation

1. What charging unit you install

The type of charger you have installed in your home will probably have the biggest impact on the overall cost of the product. 

There are a few factors to consider here:

• Universal adaptor
• Tethered vs untethered connector
• What type of car you have (ie. Tesla requires specific adaptors)?
• How fast do you want to be able to charge your car?

Usually you may choose any of these, depending on your needs and preference, but if you let us know we will be able to advise you on which is best. 

2. What is the EV charging speed?

There are different available charging speeds for your electric car charging station, and this will affect the cost of your installation. 

While many electric cars can be connected to a standard UK household socket, the output is very low in comparison to what a specific port will charge, so it’s not usually a long term solution.

Charging speed for electric cars that is measured in kilowatts (kW). Home electric car charging ports are either 3.7kW or 7kW. The higher the kilowatts, the faster the charging speed. 

The maximum charging speed will be determined by your onboard charger, so you will need to see what you are able to install inline with the vehicle that you have.

Generally speaking, the higher the kilowatts of the charge the higher the cost. 

3. Do you need any home customisation for your installation?

It’s not always going to be a straight-forward installation. 

The cost of the installation will depend on a number of factors in relation to you home such as:

• Do you need a longer cable?
• How far is the front of your house from the fuse box?
• Do you need a new fuse box?
• Do you already have a driveway/space suitable for the 

Any factors that require modification to your existing set up will need to be factored into the cost as it will likely increase it somewhat. 

4. Which company carries out the installation

You can buy your EV charging station supply only, but the chances are that you want to get it installed. 

How much this costs will depend on which company you get to install it. 

Across the UK, the average hourly rate for an electrician may vary, but we’ve found that it’s usually somewhere between £30-£45+VAT/hour. 

At Cerretti, our call out fee is £30+ VAT per hour (£60+ VAT on the weekend), which includes the first hour on the job. After that our hourly rate is usually £30-£35 + VAT, depending on the level of electrical certification required.

You will need to include these installation costs within your budget for your car charging port. 

• Related content: How much does a certified Electrician cost for your home?

Are there any government grants for installing an electric car charging port in Scotland?

By 2030, the government is aiming to cease sales of petrol and diesel cars. So, as an incentive, the government has provided a grant for home charge unit installation. 

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) grant is also known as the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS). 

It provides £350 off the cost of the supply and installation of a home charging station. In addition the Energy Saving Trust (EST) will provide up to £250 further funding. This means that many installations of home charging ports in Scotland will be significantly reduced or not cost you anything. 

Are you eligible for these grants?

To qualify for the OLEV of the EST grant, you need to have off-street parking (ie a driveway or a garage) and you must use an OLEV-approved home charging point installer, such as ourselves.

• Related content: Is there a Government Grant Scheme Available for Installing an Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Port in Scotland?

In summary: How much does it cost to install an electric car charging port?

How much it cost to install a home EV charging station will cost anywhere between £300 – £1000, depending on a number of factors including the type of installation, the charging speed, customisation and which company installed the charging station.

However, there are also grant options to help you subsidise or in some cases cover the cost of charging station installation. 

Get in touch with us if you are looking to install a charging station for your electric car. We can provide you with an exact quote so that you are better equipped to budget your installation.