How much does an EV charger installation cost, and what grants are available?
Most EV charger quotes vary for one reason: the distance and difficulty between your consumer unit and where you want the charger. Everything else is comparatively predictable.
What drives the price
Cable route length is the biggest single factor. A charger on the wall next to the meter is a straightforward job. A charger at the far end of a detached garage across a driveway is a different one, with a longer run, possible ducting and reinstatement.
After that it is your existing supply and board. If there is spare capacity and suitable protection, the install is clean. If the board is full or lacks the right protection, that work needs pricing in rather than discovered on the day.
- Cable run length and route difficulty
- Spare capacity and protection at the existing consumer unit
- Main fuse rating and whether load management is needed
- Charger choice: tethered or untethered, smart features, brand
- Groundwork or ducting for detached garages and driveways
Grants: who can still get help
Government support has narrowed over the years but has not disappeared. Grant schemes have continued to target flat owners and renters in single-unit properties, landlords, and workplace and residential car park installations, rather than owner-occupiers of houses with driveways.
Because the eligibility criteria and amounts change, check the current position on the official GOV.UK pages linked below before assuming either way. We handle the installer-side paperwork for schemes the installation qualifies for.
What a proper survey checks
A survey that takes two minutes is not a survey. The things that matter are the main fuse rating, the earthing arrangement, the available spare capacity, the cable route and whether load management or an earth rod is needed.
The other genuinely useful output of a good survey is a decision on charger type. A tethered unit is more convenient day to day. An untethered socket is more flexible across vehicles and easier to replace a damaged cable on.
Timescales when you have a car arriving
Most standard installs are completed in a single day. The part that can add time is notification to the network operator where the supply arrangement requires it, so the earlier you book after ordering the car, the less pressure there is on the delivery date.
Every install is certified to BS 7671 and comes with a walk-through of the app and tariff setup, because a smart charger that is never linked to an off-peak tariff is money left on the table every night.
Official guidance
This guide is general information. For the final word on your own situation, use the official sources below.
Common questions
Can I have a charger without a driveway?
Not usually with a fixed wall unit and a cable across a public pavement. Options depend on your local authority's approach to on-street charging.
Do I need a three-phase supply?
No. The vast majority of home installs are single phase 7kW, which fully charges most cars overnight.
How long does an install take?
Most are three to five hours on a single visit, including testing and certification.