FAQs

Do you always have to charge at home – or can you charge when out and about?

Yes, you can charge how and where you wish, the EVs should be used with absolutely no consideration for the Esprit Technology. The vast majority of home charging points throughout the UK are compatible with the Nissan LEAF. Public charging points generally have a 'Type 2' socket - which means that a different cable is required. EA Technology is aiming to provide this cable to trial participants as part of the package.

How close does the car need to be to the power charging point?

Charger cable length is around 5 metres. The charging point needs to be as close to the car as possible to avoid trailing leads.

Who will install it?

Your charging point and control equipment will be installed by Zero Carbon Futures’ contractors who are suitably qualified and experienced to carry out this kind of electrical installation work.
 

Will I need to change/inform my energy supplier?

There will be no need for you to change your energy supplier, although you may wish to inform them about the installation of your charging point. Some energy suppliers offer a preferential rate for EV charging.

Will I need to pay for it to be installed/removed?

You will not need to pay for the installation, or removal of your charging point, and you can even choose to keep the charging point at the end of the project.

Will I need to pay to charge my car when I’m not at home? (If so, how much?)

If you want to use the public charging infrastructure to charge your vehicle then you may need to pay a fee for this. There are various schemes in operation around the UK, some are free to use but require a subscription fee, others require you to pay per charge.
 

Will the monitor track other energy usage in my house?

The control equipment will only be connected to your charging point and will only monitor the supply to the charging unit.

Will there be any disruption to my electricity supply while it is being installed?

There will be an interruption to your electricity supply during the installation process of the control equipment and the charging point, while the engineer connects the equipment to your supply. This will be kept to a minimum and should last no longer than 10-20 minutes.

Any minimum standards on domestic wiring?

A property survey will be carried out in all cases. The wiring will be checked as part of the survey. There are different options regarding the installation but we can’t rewire someone’s house! About 70-80% of houses usually meet the required standards. If your property is not suitable to host the charging equipment, this will be discussed with you at your survey appointment.

How can I find information on local charging points?

The are a number of sources of information about the location of charging points, such as:

 

www.chargeyourcar.org.uk - For points in England and Scotland

www.sourcelondon.net - For points in East England and London

www.fleetdrive-electric.com/electric-car-van-chargepoint-map.html

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