EV CHARGING · KENT
Charge your car on your own solar.
Smart home EV charging designed around your car, property and energy use, whether you already have solar panels or simply want a convenient way to charge at home.
What is a home EV charger and how does it work?
A home EV charger provides a dedicated way to charge your electric car from your property’s electricity supply, usually while the car is parked on your driveway or at home overnight.
Smart chargers can also manage when your car charges, helping you make use of lower-cost electricity tariffs or, with a compatible setup, surplus electricity generated by your solar panels.
Why install a dedicated
EV charger at home?
A home EV charger gives you a convenient, dedicated way to charge your car where you park it, so you can plug in at home and have the car charging when it suits you.
With a smart charger, you can also control when your car charges, make better use of suitable off-peak electricity tariffs and, if you have solar panels, potentially use surplus solar electricity to help charge your car.
Charge at home
Plug in when you get home and charge while the car is parked, rather than relying entirely on public charging.
Make use of smart tariffs
Schedule charging for suitable off-peak periods if your electricity tariff offers lower rates at certain times.
Use your own solar
With a compatible solar setup and charger, surplus electricity from your panels can be directed towards charging your EV rather than all being exported to the grid.
Designed around your property
Solec can assess your electrical supply, where you park and your wider energy setup before recommending the appropriate charger and installation.
Frequently Asked
Questions
View AllAre there grants available for home EV chargers?
Yes, for some households. Eligible renters and people who own and live in flats may currently qualify for government support towards the cost of buying and installing an eligible EV chargepoint, subject to the scheme’s eligibility requirements. Other EV charging grants may also be available for eligible households, landlords and properties. Solec can advise whether your proposed installation may qualify, but eligibility is determined by the relevant government scheme.
Do I need solar panels to have an EV charger?
No. A home EV charger can use electricity from your normal grid supply. If you do have solar panels and a compatible smart charger, available surplus solar electricity can potentially be used to help charge your car.
Can I charge my EV using my solar panels?
Yes, with a compatible solar system and smart charger. How much of your EV charging can come from solar depends on factors including the size of your solar system, available surplus generation, when your car is at home and how much electricity the rest of your property is using.
Solar, battery and EV charging
working together
Your solar panels, battery storage and EV charger don’t have to be treated as separate parts of your home. With the right setup, they can work together as one coordinated energy system.
Solec can look at how your household generates, stores and uses electricity, then design the system around your home, driving habits and energy needs.
You don’t need to install everything at once. If you’re considering an EV now but may want solar panels or battery storage later, tell us. We can take your future plans into account when recommending your charging setup. Likewise, if you already have solar or battery storage, we’ll consider the equipment you already have rather than starting from scratch.
Generate
Your solar panels generate electricity during daylight hours for use around your home.
Store
Battery storage can capture surplus solar electricity for use later rather than exporting all of it to the grid.
Charge
A compatible smart EV charger can use available solar generation to help charge your car when it’s plugged in.
Manage
Smart equipment and monitoring help you understand how electricity is being generated, stored and used across the system.
Is my home suitable
for an EV charger?
Most homes with off-street parking can potentially have a home EV charger installed, but the right setup depends on your electrical supply, where you park and where the charger can be safely located.
Before recommending an installation, Solec assesses the property and electrical setup so we can identify what’s required and whether any electrical work is needed first.
Because Solec also carries out electrical work, we can identify any electrical upgrades required as part of the assessment and explain what’s needed before installation.
We’ll look at:
- Where you park — the position of your driveway or parking space and the most practical location for the charger
- Your electrical supply — we’ll assess the existing supply and electrical setup to determine what’s required for the proposed charger
- Cable route — how the charger can be connected neatly and appropriately from your electrical supply to the charging location
- Your car and charging needs — the EV you drive, how you use it and how you expect to charge at home
- Solar and battery storage — if you already have solar or battery storage, we’ll consider how your EV charging can work alongside the wider home energy system
What does a home EV charger
installation involve?
Tell us about your property and vehicle
We look at your vehicle, where you park, your electrical supply and how you want to charge at home. If you have solar or battery storage, we’ll consider that too.
Recommendation & quote
We'll recommend an appropriate charger as part of the quotation.
Installation
The Solec team installs the charger, completes the required electrical work and carries out the appropriate testing and certification.
Setup & handover
We’ll help get the charger connected and configured, show you how to use its smart features and explain how your charging setup works.
Your home EV charging
questions, answered
Are there grants available for home EV chargers?
Yes, for some households. Eligible renters and people who own and live in flats may currently qualify for government support towards the cost of buying and installing an eligible EV chargepoint, subject to the scheme’s eligibility requirements. Other EV charging grants may also be available for eligible households, landlords and properties. Solec can advise whether your proposed installation may qualify, but eligibility is determined by the relevant government scheme.
Do I need solar panels to have an EV charger?
No. A home EV charger can use electricity from your normal grid supply. If you do have solar panels and a compatible smart charger, available surplus solar electricity can potentially be used to help charge your car.
Can I charge my EV using my solar panels?
Yes, with a compatible solar system and smart charger. How much of your EV charging can come from solar depends on factors including the size of your solar system, available surplus generation, when your car is at home and how much electricity the rest of your property is using.
Will my electrical supply need upgrading?
Not necessarily. We’ll assess your existing electrical supply and proposed charger before installation. If additional electrical work is required, we’ll explain what’s needed and include it clearly in your proposal. Because Solec also carries out electrical work, associated upgrades can be considered as part of the same project.
Can solar, battery and EV charging work together?
Yes. Your solar panels, battery storage and EV charger don’t have to be treated as separate parts of your home. With the right setup, they can work together as one coordinated energy system. You don’t need to install everything at once — we can take future plans into account when recommending your charging setup.
What happens after my EV charger is installed?
Once your charger is installed, tested and set up, we’ll show you how to use it and help you get started with its smart charging features. If your charger includes app-based control or monitoring, we’ll help you get connected so you can manage your charging and understand the key settings. If you need help afterwards, Solec remains available for support, fault finding and associated electrical work.
Talk to us about home EV charging
Tell us a little about your car, property and how you want to charge at home. We’ll get in touch to discuss the most appropriate setup. No pressure and no obligation.
Prefer to talk?Call Lee on 07468 527613