The cost of switching to an electric car doesn’t just come down to the savings you make on fuel. You also have to take installation costs into consideration to get the full picture on how much you will pay.
However, that is not always easy to do as many of the prices advertised do not mention the hidden costs that are often involved. We go into more detail about what these are and the true cost of installing an EV charge point.
While you probably expect to pay the price you are quoted by an electric car charger company, unfortunately, that is often not the case.
When you receive a quote you should always ask if there are any additional charges for installation. Ideally, you should receive a fixed-cost quote that covers everything including materials, labour and VAT.
If you agree to a quote without checking, some companies may charge extra for the time it takes to install and configure the hardware and software and any additional materials. Their get-out clause will usually be buried somewhere in the terms and conditions, so it pays to ask upfront.
The truth is, that the price initially promoted by many companies is not the figure you will actually end up paying. As with any advertisement that promotes a low price, you should always confirm that the amount you have to pay will be the same. In most cases you should expect to hear there are some add on costs that were not originally mentioned. As the saying goes, if the price is too good to be true, then it usually is.
The amount you pay for an EV charger depends on the type of system you buy (3.6kW, 7kW or 22kW). The RAC say that the average cost for a home charge point is about £800. Some may cost more or less, and you have to decide whether or not to buy the charge point yourself and pay for the additional costs, or pay for an all-in-one installation package.
If you buy the charge point yourself, you then have to factor in the cost of paying for a qualified electrician, which can take up to half a day to complete the work. The cost per hour will vary depending on person/company you hire for the job, but it could anything from £200-£400 plus VAT.
When paying for an electrician, you must ensure they are fully qualified, insured and have relevant experience installing EV charge points. The last thing you want is someone interfering with the electrics in your home that is not qualified to do so.
At AAC, we believe in being transparent about costs. The price we quote will always be the final amount you pay and we can help you save even more money through the OLEV grant. To find out more about our range of electric car charger services and to organise a free survey and quote, email carchargers@aac.uk.net or call 01707 32 55 66.
