What Type of EV Charger Is Best for Me?

Are you considering buying an electric vehicle? Perhaps you’ve just purchased one? Whichever stage of the EV buying journey you’re at, it’s important that you give some consideration to your home EV charging options. If you’re wondering what type of home EV charger is best for you, read Andersen EV’s guide now…

Introduction

On the face of things, buying an EV charger seems like a relatively simple appliance - after all, it’s just a means of charging your EV right? 

Well, like many things, once you start looking into the details, you’ll find that there are many factors to think about when it comes to selecting the perfect EV charging point for your home. 

In fact, you may be slightly startled at the sheer number of things you have to think about. 

The reality, however, is that choosing and purchasing an EV charger for your home is easy - provided you’ve done your homework.

And, in the following article, you’ll find that we’ve done that homework for you! We’ve set out all the things you need to think about in order to select the perfect charger for your property. 

How to select the best EV charger for your home

Do you remember those ‘choose your own adventure’ books that you’d often encounter in the library as a child? What follows is akin to that style of story - each step follows on from the other - and by the end you’ll know exactly what type of EV charger will work for you and your home. 

Step 1: your electric vehicle

Okay, so your journey towards your perfect home EV charger begins with - naturally enough - your electric vehicle. 

In order to select the correct home EV charging point, you need to have a good understanding of your EV - its range, battery capacity, charging time, and connector type will all have an impact upon what type of charger will be best for you. 

Of these factors, it’s the connector type on your EV that will have the biggest impact upon your choice of charging point. 

Luckily, these days the majority of EVs have the same type of connector type. This connector is known as the Type 2 connector. 

If you’ve bought your electric car any time after 2014, then it will almost certainly have a Type 2 connector (since 2014, Type 2 connectors have been mandated on all new EVs in the EU). 

To put it another way - the Type 2 connector has pretty much become the ‘universal’ type of EV connector. 

If you’ve purchased a particularly high-end EV - such as a Porsche Taycan, Volvo C40 Recharge or Audi e-tron - then you are likely to find that it has a CCS Type 2 connector. 

A CCS Type 2 connector combines both a standard Type 2 connector and a fast-charging DC connector within a single socket. 

Next step - once you’ve determined what type of connector your EV has, you can narrow down your search further. For example, if your car has a Type 2 connector, you now know you need a charging point with a Type 2 plug. 

Step 2: recommended provider

As electric cars become more and more popular, automotive brands are increasingly recommending home charging partners. 

By selecting an EV charger from a recommended partner you can be assured that you’ll end up with a compatible, trusted charger. 

In fact, by choosing a charger from a recommended provider you can skip many of the steps listed in this article and jump straight to enjoying a charger that’s perfectly suited for your EV!

Here at Andersen EV, we are the recommended provider of home charging services for Jaguar, Land Rover, and Porsche.

Step 3: your home parking arrangements

Where do you park your EV when you’re at home? Your answer to this question will have a big impact upon your choice of charging point. 

If you have off-street parking (e.g. a driveway), then you’ll be able to install a traditional wall-mounted EV charging point. You simply need to ensure you have sufficient space to install the charger, and a parking space that’s within reach of the charger’s cable. 

For example, here at Andersen EV, our A2 home charging point requires 500 mm of clearance on both sides of the unit to allow suitable access to the cable.

When it comes to the charging cable on the A2, you have a choice of lengths: 

• The 7kW version of the Andersen A2 is available with either a 5.5m or 8.5m charging cable. 
• The 22kW version of the Andersen A2 is available with a 6.5m length charging cable. 

Whilst these numbers may seem small ‘on paper’, in reality they are very long and more than sufficient for the majority of UK driveways. 

But, what if you don’t have off-street parking at home? In that case, a traditional home EV charging point like the A2 won’t be suitable (most local authorities advise strongly against attempting to run charging cables across pavements and car parks). 

Instead, you will need to consider alternative charging methods such as using a public or workplace charging point.

Next step - if you have off-street parking such as a driveway, then you will be able to buy a traditional wall-mounted EV charging point. 

Step 4: charging capacity

Okay, so if your car has a Type 2 socket, and you have off-street parking, what’s the next step in selecting a charging point? 

The answer is determining how much charging capacity you require…

Home EV chargers tend to be available in a choice of charging capacities. For example, here at Andersen EV, our A2 charge point is available in two charging capacities: 

• 7kW. 
• 22kW. 

So, which capacity is right for you? The answer to this is largely determined by your EV. 

The best way to go about deciding what capacity charger is right for you, is to figure out how long a certain capacity will take to charge your EV. 

To do this, you’ll need the following pieces of information: 

• The capacity of your car’s battery (this will be in kWh). 
• The power output of your desired charging point (this will be in kW). 

To work out the charging time of a particular home EV charger, simply divide the capacity of your car’s battery by the power output of the charger. 

The resulting number will be the length of time it will take to completely charge your EV’s battery. 

To make things easier, let’s take a look at a practical example: 

• You have purchased a Porsche Taycan which has a battery capacity of 79.2kWh. 
• You are thinking about buying the 7kW version of the Andersen A2. 
• By dividing the Porsche’s battery capacity by the power output of the Andersen A2, we discover that it would take just over 11 and a half hours to charge the Taycan’s battery from empty to full. 

By working on the basis of charging time you can select a charging point that best meets your needs. 

Next step - once you’ve decided upon the charging capacity you want from a home EV charging point, you’re ready to move onto the next step - ensuring your home’s electricity supply is suitable. 

Step 5: home electricity supply and connection

Shouldn’t you just buy a home EV charger with the highest charging capacity you can afford?!

You’d be forgiven for thinking that’s a good piece of advice - but the reality is that your home’s electricity connection and supply is likely to have a big influence on the capacity of charger you can buy. 

Let us explain…

The majority of UK homes are connected to the electricity grid using a single-phase connection. 

A single-phase connection is used to distribute AC (alternating current) and uses two wires to connect to the main electricity network - one ‘live’ wire and one neutral wire. 

If your home has a single-phase connection then you will be restricted to a 7kW charging point. 

However, if your home has a three-phase connection then you’ll be able to install a more powerful home charger of up to 22kW. 

Think of a three-phase connection as being a ‘beefed up’ type of connection to the grid. Three-phase connections deliver electricity in a more consistent, linear and steadier way than single-phase connections - and thus can better handle the power draw demands of something like a 22kW fast EV charger. 

If you’re not sure what connection type your home has (and consequently are not sure what capacity charger you can have installed), then simply take a photo of your electricity metre and send it to us. Our experts will be able to advise you accordingly.

Next step - once you’ve figured out what electricity connection your home has, you’re ready to move onto the next step; considering your ‘smart charging’ requirements.

Step 6: determining your ‘smart charging’ requirements

Okay, so far you’ve checked connector type, off-street parking, what capacity of charger you want, and the type of electricity connection your home has. 

What’s next? 

It’s at this point you want to settle upon the smart charging features you require from a home EV charger. 

Smart charging features can vary considerably from charger to charger, but common features include: 

• The ability to integrate with a home solar panel setup. 
• Integration with a smartphone app. 
• Remote locking. 

If these features are important to you, then be sure to select a home EV charger (such as the Andersen A2!) that includes them.

Next step - once you’ve decided which smart features you require in a charger, you’re ready to think about less technical matters…

Step 7: kerb appeal

At this point, you’ve ticked off the most important technical considerations for buying a home EV charger that’s perfect for you. 

Now, it’s time to give some thought to what you want your EV charging point to look like. 

Choosing the right finish for your home EV point is more important than many people realise. 

Why? 

Because more than likely your charging point is going to be visible from the roadside/pavement. As a result, your choice of charging point can affect what property experts call the ‘kerb appeal’ of your home - and ultimately its value. 

Plus, there’s the fact that you’re going to be using and looking at the charging point every day. You want a charger that’s going to be a pleasure to look at and use. 

Finally, if you’ve invested in a beautiful, premium EV - you don’t want to diminish the ownership experience by having to plug it into a cheap-looking charger everyday. 

The aesthetics and finish of a home EV charger really do matter. 

So, what are your options? 

As we’ve just mentioned, at the cheaper end of the scale you’ll find that your design and aesthetic options are rather limited - with budget home EV chargers being little more than plastic boxes. 

At the premium end - such as the Andersen A2 charger - you’ll find that you have myriad design, colour and finish options. 

Here at Andersen EV, you have multiple customisation options: 

• You can have the front of the A2 finished in either a metal cover or an accoya wood cover (both options have multiple colours to choose from). 
• The body of the A2 can also be selected in multiple colours. 

Overall, you have an impressive 126 colour and finish combinations you can choose from.

The A2 also has other features that make it a truly elegant appliance. These include integrated LED lights - to show charging progress and to aid with nighttime use - a plug compartment that conceals the connector - and compact dimensions. 

What’s more, the A2 is also made from the highest-quality materials including solid aluminium and stainless steel right here in the UK. It’s even possible to order samples so you can see what your final A2 will look like.

Next step - at this point, you’re really close to choosing the perfect EV charging point for your home. The next step is to think about how you’ll actually have your EV charger installed at home.

Step 8: installation

One of the biggest steps in choosing a home EV charger is the installation requirements. 

Do you want to arrange the installation yourself, contacting a local electrician to do the work? Or would you rather the provider of the EV charger arrange installation? 

It’s important to answer these questions in order to find an EV charger provider that can meet your installation requirements. 

If - like many people - you’d rather the provider of the EV charger take care of installation for you, then you should check what’s involved.

Here at Andersen EV, we offer three installation options: 

• Independent installation - where you purchase the charger, it’s delivered to your home, and you arrange for installation independently.
  
  
• Andersen EV installation - where you purchase the charger, and we complete the installation on your behalf.
  
  
• Installation via an approved partner - one of Andersen EV’s installation partners instals the charger for you. 

Next step - once you’ve found an EV charger supplier that offers your desired installation option, it’s time to move on to the penultimate step - purchase!

Step 9: purchase

At this point (we hope!) you’ve managed to whittle your options down to the point that you’re ready to make a purchase. 

If you still have questions about your chosen EV charger, then we’d recommend purchasing your charging point from a provider that offers a consultation service - like Andersen EV.

We offer a complimentary consultation service where you can have all your questions answered by our experts. Our consultation service is available by telephone or email, or we can arrange a 15-minute virtual consultation. 

Next step - hopefully, you’re now able to purchase your perfect home EV charger. However, just before you click that ‘buy now’ button, there’s one final step to take.

Step 10: post-purchase support

In order to select the home EV charger that is best for you, you should also give some thought as to what your requirements will be ‘post-purchase’. 

For example, if you buy a premium home EV charger, such as the A2, you’ll enjoy an extensive warranty which can provide peace of mind. 

It can also be handy to purchase from a charging company that offers extensive support documentation and advice - this will allow you to get answers to your questions with only a few clicks. 

Next step - enjoy your new home EV charger!

Start enjoying the perfect home EV charging experience with Andersen EV

We hope you’ve found our guide to selecting the best EV charger for your home both useful and interesting. 

If you’re at the point where you’re thinking of investing in a charging point for your property, then consider investing in the Andersen A2; the UK’s only premium home EV charging point. 

Explore the Andersen A2  now