EV Charger Repair Costs

EV charger repair and maintenance

It is likely as with any other electronic or electrical device that at some point, you will experience a fault or problem that will prevent you from using the charger. Try and choose a company to install the charger which also offers after-sales service; EV chargers are still a relatively new product but a fledging industry for service and repair is starting to spring up around them, however, some companies still only offer installation only.

There are EV charger companies who will offer ongoing maintenance options as faults are not always apparent and because the unit is external to the home, they can be vulnerable to weathering and other issues. Because the unit experiences a high voltage throughput, it is not recommended that householders deal with any repair or maintenance issues themselves.

Annual safety test and maintenance of your EV charging station

Most installation companies are now getting wise to the fact that there is ongoing business to be had with EV charge points and will offer an annual maintenance programme post-installation.

What can you expect from an annual maintenance programme?

An annual maintenance contract offers peace of mind that if there is a problem with the EV charger, you can get it fixed quickly. Householders feel vulnerable with this new technology and want the ease of knowing that they can always use the car and not have any interference with their daily driving habits. A typically comprehensive package would offer the following:

A 24-hour response time for EV charging station failures

• A target of 7 working days for EV charger component replacement and repairs
• Unlimited or a set number of call outs each year
• An annual safety test and service
• Access to online support and troubleshooting

The legal position

Operators or EV charging points in the UK could be placed under a legal duty to repair faults with the infrastructure; this refers to the network of public charging points which is springing up across the UK. The government could have the power to introduce new regulations stipulating performance standards for the charging points and imposing a requirement for operators to fix faults.

There is a valid concern across the public network that a high level of faults could seriously impact on motorists’ ability to travel and work in their normal daily lives. There could also be safety issues if cars run out of charge in busy or rural locations. This is a fledgling industry with new technologies and so there are bound to be perhaps a higher level of faults at the start than further down the line. These new requirements could spill over into the private sector and apply to householders who have EV charge points installed outside their homes.

How much does it cost to install a dedicated home charger?

The total cost is currently £449 with the government’s OLEV grant. Once installed you only pay for the electricity you use to charge the vehicle and if you charge overnight then you can benefit from a cheaper rate. The typical overnight electricity rate in the UK on Economy 7 is 8p per kWh which equates to a rate of 2p per mile. If you can generate your own energy via solar panels or wind power then you could literally be charging your car for free.

Make sure that you choose a company who offers a reputable EV charger maintenance and repair service after the point of installation. It is much harder to source assistance later on if the company you chose to install the home charge point is installation only. There has been a definite lag in the after-sales support with this new technology but catch up is happening.

How often should you charge an electric car at home?

You can charge your EV at home as often as you need to but it will be cheaper to charge it overnight. Go for a complete charge overnight and then top up in the day as required. It can be a good habit to get into to plug the car in when you do get home then if you need to make any unexpected trips, you will not be caught out. Overnight charging will ensure that the car’s battery is full and you don’t need to unplug the car once the charging is complete as the charger will just stop automatically.

DIY repairs

Because the charge point is an electrical device, it is not recommended that any householder tries to undertake DIY EV charger repairs as this could prove very dangerous. It is always worth having a spare charging cable as these often wear or suffer issues due to frequent handling.

How to find the best charge point installation company

There are lots of new companies coming to the market so do your research thoroughly and ask around friends and colleagues for a recommendation. It can be hard to find a history or track record with what is still a new technology but it is worth taking the time to verify the installer and their after-sales package.