A 7 kW home EV charger typically costs £800 to £1,500 installed, including the unit, cable to the consumer unit, a dedicated circuit, testing and registration. A long cable run or work on the consumer unit adds £200 to £600. EV chargers are 20% VAT, not the 0% rate that applies to insulation, solar and batteries, and every new home charger must be a smart charger. You need off street parking or a wall the car can park beside.
Key takeaways
- Typical installed cost for a 7 kW home charger: £800 to £1,500. Long cable runs or consumer unit work add £200 to £600.
- 7 kW is the standard for a house on a single phase supply; it adds roughly 25 to 30 miles of range an hour and charges most cars overnight.
- Every new home charger must be a smart charger under UK regulations, so it can schedule charging for a cheap overnight window.
- Tethered (cable attached) is convenient; untethered (socket only) is tidier and works with any car. The price difference is small.
- EV chargers are 20% VAT. Solar panels and batteries fitted alongside are 0% and shown separately on the quote.
- Arranged by Stay Warm and installed by NICEIC or NAPIT registered installers who notify the electricity network operator and issue the certificate.
How much does an EV charger cost to install?
These are typical market prices for a home charger in London, Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire. They are indicative; your own price depends on where the consumer unit is, where the car parks and the state of the existing electrics.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7 kW smart charger, standard installation | £800 to £1,500 | Unit, up to a typical cable run, dedicated circuit, protection, testing, registration |
| Long cable run | £200 to £600 extra | Consumer unit at the back of the house, charger at the front, or a detached garage |
| Consumer unit work | £200 to £600 extra | Older board with no spare way, or no room for the required protection |
| Tethered vs untethered | Small difference | Tethered includes a 5 to 7.5 m cable; untethered you buy your own |
| Solar aware charger | Usually a modest premium | Diverts solar surplus into the car instead of exporting it |
| VAT | 20% | EV chargers are not on the 0% energy-saving materials list |
A standard installation means the charger goes on an outside wall close to the consumer unit, the cable runs along walls or through one wall, and the board has space and modern protection. Most 1990s and later houses fit that. Older homes with the meter in the hall and a garage at the end of the garden are where the extras come in.
What adds to the price?
- Distance. Every metre of armoured cable and every wall it passes through costs money. A charger on the same wall as the meter is the cheapest case.
- Consumer unit. An old fuse board, no spare way, or missing protection means an upgrade before the charger circuit can be added.
- Earthing. Some supplies need an extra earth electrode or a charger with built in protection. The installer checks this on the survey.
- Supply size. Most London homes have a 60 to 100 amp single phase supply, which is fine for 7 kW. A charger at 22 kW needs three phase, which almost no house has.
- Groundworks. A charger on a post in a driveway, or a cable under a path, adds digging and making good.
- Detached garage. Cable buried across the garden and a small board in the garage.
Tethered or untethered?
A tethered charger has the cable permanently attached, usually 5 to 7.5 m, and you plug it straight into the car. An untethered charger has a socket; you use your own cable and put it away afterwards. Tethered is quicker every day and there is nothing to carry. Untethered looks tidier, works with any connector type, and the cable is not left outside. The price difference is small, so choose on convenience and on whether you might change cars.
Why every home charger is now a smart charger
UK regulations require any new home charger to be a smart charger. It connects to your wifi or a mobile signal and lets you set the hours it charges, see what the car used, and delay charging to a cheap overnight window. That last point is where the running cost saving is: time of use tariffs offer a low rate for a few hours overnight, and a smart charger fills the car in that window without you thinking about it.
The same logic applies to a home battery, which can charge in the same cheap window. See is a home battery worth it.
Charging from your own solar panels
A solar aware charger measures what the panels are producing and what the house is using, and sends the surplus into the car rather than exporting it for 5 to 15p per kWh under the Smart Export Guarantee. A 4 kW system in London generates around 3,400 to 3,800 kWh a year; a car that is at home in the day can soak up a large share of it in summer. If you have panels or plan them, ask for a charger with this function, and check it works with your inverter.
On a mixed job the quote shows the solar and battery at 0% VAT and the charger at 20%, as HMRC requires. See solar panels and is solar worth it.
What do I need at home to have a charger?
- Off street parking. A driveway, garage or a parking space beside a wall you own. A cable across a public pavement is not acceptable.
- A place for the unit. An outside wall or a post within cable reach of where the car parks.
- Permission where needed. Homeowners can usually fit a charger without planning permission. Tenants need the landlord's consent; leaseholders need the freeholder's; listed buildings need consent for the unit on the wall.
- Wifi or mobile signal at the charger for the smart functions.
EV chargers are arranged and project-managed by Stay Warm and installed by NICEIC or NAPIT registered installers. The installer surveys the electrics, fixes the price, fits the charger, notifies the electricity network operator and issues the electrical certificate. Most installations take half a day. The EV charger installation service page has the process, and if you are also thinking about solar or a battery we can price the three together.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to install an EV charger at home?
Typically £800 to £1,500 for a 7 kW smart charger installed, including a standard cable run, a dedicated circuit, testing and registration. Long cable runs or consumer unit work add £200 to £600. EV chargers are 20% VAT.
Is a 7 kW charger enough?
Yes for almost every home. It adds roughly 25 to 30 miles of range an hour and fills most cars overnight. A 22 kW charger needs a three phase supply, which very few houses have.
Do I need planning permission for an EV charger?
Usually not for a house you own. Tenants need the landlord's consent, leaseholders the freeholder's, and listed buildings need consent for the unit on the wall. The installer notifies the electricity network operator, which is separate from planning.
Can I have a charger without a driveway?
Not in the normal way. A cable across a public pavement is not acceptable and a charger on a wall needs the car parked beside it on land you control. Some councils run on street charging schemes; check with yours.
Is an EV charger 0% VAT like solar panels?
No. EV chargers are 20% VAT. The 0% rate for energy-saving materials covers insulation, solar panels, batteries and heat pumps, not chargers. A quote for solar plus a charger shows the two rates separately.
Is there a grant for a home EV charger?
Not one that we arrange. The schemes we track for homeowners with their own driveway do not include a charger grant. Check gov.uk for the current position for flats and rented homes before you buy, as rules change.
Can the charger use my solar panels?
Yes, with a solar aware charger. It measures your surplus and sends it into the car instead of exporting it, which is worth more than the 5 to 15p per kWh the Smart Export Guarantee pays. Ask for the function at quote stage.