Government grant for smart chargers only
On 1st July 2019 the eligibility criteria for the OLEV (Office for Low Emission Vehicles) home charger grant changed and now only covers installation of a ‘smart’ charger’.
Previously electric car owners could apply for this government grant of £500 or 75% of the total cost of a ‘smart’ or ‘dumb’ home charge point.
So what is a ‘smart’ charger?
A ‘smart’ charger is connected to the internet via a wi-fi connection, allowing the charger to interact with apps and companies. Although the services available may be limited on day one, it opens up lots of future service opportunities enabling smart and managed charging for various purposes.
Smart chargers are able to slow down or stop charging an electric vehicle for short periods of time. This helps manage the additional load of electricity from EV charging within the capacity of the electricity network. This will keep energy bills down for everyone.
Smart Charging can also refer to the ability to control the time your electric vehicle charges. For example, you may want to schedule your electric vehicle to charge when your tariff cheapest via your charger. This can currently be done through the car settings on most EVs.
Benefits of smart charging
- Smart charging opens opportunities for cheaper tariffs with energy suppliers
- Ability to schedule charging to start when your ‘Off Peak’ tariff starts
- Reducing your vehicle running costs and Co2 emissions
- A free mobile app allowing you to monitor your usage and set charging schedules
- A safe, fast and easy way of charging your electric vehicle
- 24/7 support line for any charging issues (with our recommended provider, ChargePoint Inc.)
Feature |
Dumb Charger |
Smart Charger |
|---|---|---|
OLEV grant eligible |
X |
Yes |
Access to cheaper energy tariffs |
X |
Yes |
Reducing vehicle running costs by scheduling off-peak |
X (possible via car NOT charger) |
Yes |
Mobile app to monitor usage and set schedules |
X |
Yes |
Do I Qualify for the Grant?
To qualify for the Government grant towards your electric vehicle home charge point you must:
- Have private off-street parking
- You must be the registered keeper/ nominated primary user of the vehicle
- Be a homeowner or have your landlord’s permission to install the charger if rented
- The grant must not have previously been claimed at the property, or the household must have two eligible vehicles if you are claiming a second charge point
- You must have taken use or bought the electric car after October 2016
- Opt for the installation of a charger which uses ‘smart technology’
More on Smart Charging…
We were a project partner in the Electric Nation Project. The trial involved getting 700 smart home chargers installed across the country and is still the world’s largest smart charging trial in the world to date.
The project’s aim was to find out if smart charging was possible on a large scale. A summary of the project’s results has now been published.
So having helped get 700 chargers installed and communicating we really do know our stuff when it comes to charging – we can help point you in the right direction to get a reliable home charge point installed with 24/7 support backup if you do decide to lease an electric vehicle.