If you've been thinking about buying an electric car but are put off by the thought of having to find public charging points to keep it juiced up, then fret no more.

The solution is simple: thanks to improved technology, most electric car owners charge at home. When charging your car is as easy as plugging in a smartphone, the convenience of installing a home charger eliminates the need to rely on public charge points.

Likewise, the cost of home-charging tends to be far more affordable than using pricey public chargers. Depending on your electricity tariff, it's possible to charge your electric car for practically free!

Looking to learn more about charging your electric car at home? You're in the right place. We'll take a look at how you can install a home charging point, the costs involved, and a whole host of other topics involving electric car charging below.

Getting a home EV charger installed

When it comes to charging an electric car, you have two options:

• A conventional three-pin plug
• A dedicated home charging point (or home wallbox)

The best way to charge an electric car at home is through a home wallbox. It is the quickest, most convenient, and tidiest way to charge your car at home.

A home wallbox is a separate box that is wired directly to your home's electricity supply. Generally, the companies that supply them will install them for you, but electricians with specific certifications will also be able to help.

Basic wallboxes charge at 3kW but, generally, the most common units will charge at 7kW. As a result, charging times are halved compared to the three-pin socket approach, so you'll have a car that's fully charged after an overnight session.

A conventional three-pin plug is the cheapest and most straightforward, but it's also the slowest way to charge your car. Your car should come with a cable and adapter so you can plug into a conventional three-pin socket, but it's only recommended as a last resort.

Do all electric cars have the same plug or connector?

For level 1 and level 2 charging, most electric vehicles will use the same standard plug. However, for fast charging, manufacturers use different plugs.​Tethered wall chargers have a cable permanently attached to them, which means that you can only use them to charge vehicles that they are compliant with.

Untethered home chargers are purely sockets, which require an additional cable to charge a vehicle. This might allow for more charging versatility if you decide to change your car to a different brand or as charging technology advances.

Because they lack a cable, untethered options tend to be cheaper. You will, however, need to provide a cable that works for your car.

In the EU, the type 2 connector is the standard charger used on all electric vehicles sold, making it the most common option if you decide to install a tethered wall box in your house.

What power should your EV charger have?

In the UK, most homes have single-phase power, meaning they can output a maximum of 7.4kW.

Three-phase charging is usually only available from commercial or industrial premises, which allow for up to 22kW charging. Although it is faster, it is more expensive to run per hour.

A 7kW charger will charge the average EV in 4-8 hours, meaning that it’s an ideal option if you’re looking to charge your vehicle overnight, when electric prices are sometimes cheaper.​

How much does installing an electric charging point at home cost?

The cost depends on your desired charging speed as well as any 'smart' features you want your charger to have. Basic 3kW chargers start at around £350, with 7kW units setting you back between £500-£1000. 'Smart' units that feature wireless controls via smartphone apps, meanwhile, cost between £900 and £1100 depending on features.

For the most part, the cost of fitting is included in the price. But if you need major changes to your household wiring, then you'll be looking at extra charges which may exceed the higher end estimate of £1,000.

Government grants are still available, for certain groups, including flat-owners, those in rented accommodation, and landlords. To check eligibility and stay up to date with available grants, take a look at the Government’s website.

It's worth keeping an eye out for offers, too. Some manufacturers are offering a free wall box and fitting when you purchase an electric vehicle from them.

Is it safe to have an EV charging point installed?

With a dedicated charge point being the safest way to charge your EV at home, you might be wondering how safe it is to have it installed on the outside of your home.

Home EV chargepoints will typically have a feature known as dynamic load balancing, giving your charger the ability to adjust how much power it takes, depending on how much it being used in your home. This way, you don’t need to worry about your electric tripping.

Chargers undergo rigorous testing to ensure they meet safety standards so you can feel confident knowing there is a secure connection whenever you need to charge your EV.

The chargepoint itself is a weatherproof unit, so you can rest assured they are safe and convenient to use.​

How much does it cost to charge a car at home?

Calculating the cost of home charging is easy. However, you'll need to know your car’s battery size as well as the price per kilowatt-hour for your electricity, which is on your energy bill.

To work out the cost of charging, use this formula:

Size of battery (kWh) x Cost of your electricity (pence per kWh) = the cost of charging your car from zero to full

A small electric car like the upcoming KIA EV3 has a choice of two battery capacities, 58.38kWh and 81.39kWh.

Using the price cap per kWh of 24.86p/kWh as of the time of writing, we can calculate that charging a 58.38 kWh battery would cost approximately £14.52 and charging an 81.39 kWh battery would cost approximately £20.24.

By switching to a cheaper energy supplier, or one with a cheaper overnight rate, you can make sure the cost of charging your car is even cheaper.

How long does it take to achieve a full charge?

For the most part, a 7kW fast-charging wall box is the quickest method of charging at home. But how long your car will take to charge depends on the model you own.

With a 7kW wall box, something like a MINI Electric will be fully charged in as little as three and a half hours, while a Nissan Leaf 40kWh will take six hours.

Simply locate your fuse box and meter and take note of the following:

• In single-phase supplies, there will be a single large system fuse alongside the meter and fuse box containing circuit breakers.

For some real-world examples, charging times for the Volvo EX30 vary based on its battery size. The 49 kWh battery takes approximately 6–7 hours for a full charge using a 7kW charger, while the larger 64 kWh version requires about 8–9 hours.

The Kia EV3 will have two options for battery capacity, 58.38 kWh and 81.39 kWh, meaning it would take between 8 and 12 hours to charge them to full capacity using a 7kW charger.

For the Hyundai IONIQ 5, again charging times depend on the battery size. The 58 kWh version typically charges in around 8 hours, while the larger 77.4 kWh battery may take up to 11 hours using a standard 7kW charger.