Electric Vehicle Charging Points

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Making the choice to drive electric is one way you're helping reduce your carbon footprint. Every switch to an EV makes a difference.

Electric vehicles (EV) are becoming more popular, and it seems that this trend is only going to continue.

It’s predicted that at least two thirds of global car sales will be electric by 2040.

So, where does that leave drivers in the UK and what does the future hold for the automotive industry?

The sale of new Petrol and Diesel cars will end in 2030 in the UK.

The decision was announced by the UK Government in a bid to tackle climate change and create jobs in industries such as nuclear energy.

From 2030, petrol and diesel cars will still be available second hand. However, with no new models allowed to be sold, they'll eventually all be replaced by electric cars.

The sale of hybrid vehicles in the UK will end in 2035.

So..... what does that mean for drivers?...well, if you are going to buy an EV, you will need somewhere to charge it up.

With an ever increasing EV market and an abundance of chargepoints to choose from, is it any wonder that new EV owners struggle to choose a chargepoint thats right for them.

Generally, one that looks nice on the wall or matches the car is a common choice, but with the current climate we find ourselves in, more and more EV owners are looking closely at manufacturers that little bit more and what they can offer. 

Despite the current energy crisis, you can still save money as an EV owner, you may just need the "Triangle of Smartness"...... Smart Meter, Smart Tariff, Smart Chargepoint.... If used together then you should definitely save money against petrol/diesel over time.

Smart Tariffs

How do EV Tariffs work ?

EV tariffs are specifically designed for owners of electric vehicles who want to be able to charge them at home in the most affordable way. Electricity is used to charge the vehicle, so it makes sense that electricity suppliers should offer specific tariffs for EV owners.

These tariffs usually offer a lower rate per unit of electricity used at night, with the rationale that car owners can charge overnight when they’re less likely to be away from home, and therefore pay less to do so. 

It’s also worth noting that most, if not all, of these electric car tariffs will require you to have a smart meter so the supplier can track your usage at different times of the day and charge you the right amount (i.e. less for the lower night-time hours). If you don’t (or can’t) have a smart meter, you probably won’t be able to take advantage of these EV charging tariffs.

Which Energy suppliers have the best EV tariffs. ?

As the EV market grows, so does the demand from drivers for EV-specific tariffs. As a result, the number of suppliers offering those tariffs has grown over the past couple of years. With the ongoing energy crisis leading to high prices and many small suppliers going out of business, you’ll likely only find EV energy tariffs from bigger suppliers. 

Clink this great link for more information

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/ev-energy-tariffs/

Sorry, but now the boring stuff, that EV owners probably don't know about but need to !!!

What is PME Fault Detection?

A Protective Multiple Earth (PME) system is wired in many UK homes. In a PME system, the home’s earth wiring is connected to the neutral conductor at the mains supply connection point entering the home. The combined Protective Earth and Neutral (PEN) is then earthed multiple times on its route back to the sub-station. The low impedance path provided between neutral, and earth ensures RCDs fitted in the home consumer unit reliably detect earth faults.

A home EV charge point when installed is connected to the same point, allowing the PEN conductor to provide connection back to earth.

A possible fault condition in a PME system occurs when due to a break in the PEN conductor the home appliances appear dead. However, if a device is turned ON the neutral will rise to the live potential, and so too will earth as this is also connected to the house neutral. Under this fault condition RCDs no longer provide fault protection.

Inside the home the danger is low as no potential difference exists between the live, neutral and earth conductors to do any harm. However, if a vehicle is connected to the charge point and earthed inside the home this provides high risk of electric shock due to the potential difference between vehicle chassis and external ground. If a person stood on the ground touches the vehicle chassis, they could complete the earth’s path to ground and experience an electric shock.

The IET Wiring Regulations have addressed this problem on the installation of EV charge points for domestic and Commercial installations.

Protecting a person in the event of this fault condition can be achieved by either installation of an earth rod at the charge point, or through PEN fault detection and isolation of vehicle from home live, neutral and earth. One or the other is Mandatory......

Most EV manufacturers are now integrating this PEN fault detection within their chargepoints so there is no need for a separate device. Unfortunately, at the moment and at time of writing, the TESLA WALL CONNECTOR GEN 3 does not have this built in protection, hence the relatively low unit cost compared to other brands. The cost of a PEN fault device will push the price up to be in comparison with other brands.