It’s been reported Grant Shapps (Transport Secretary) says all home and workplace electric car charge points being installed from May next year will have to be smart chargers, and here’s why?
Currently you can install what’s called a dumb charger (it doesn’t communicate any information), but you can’t claim the current grant of £350 towards the cost (only smart chargers qualify).
Smart chargers connect to the internet and can report usage information back to the National Grid, whist being able to be programmed to not function during peak electricity usage times.
It seems the Department of Transport, has lodged a draft statutory instrument with the World Trade Organisation mandating that all home or workplace charging points incorporate pre-set default charging hours, which are outside peak hours.
It’s been suggested the government could stop vehicles from charging between the peak times of 8am – 11am and 4pm – 10pm, although (we believe) this is unlikely as the National Grid has repeatedly said it will be able to cope with demand.
With circa 14 million electric vehicles likely to be on UK roads by 2030 Shapps is also worried electric vehicle owners may try to charge their vehicles at the same time, so there’s a theory the government will impose randomised delays of 30 minutes in certain areas to prevent spikes.
Our opinion. It’s unlikely to happen and we believe the National Grid will have enough other energy creating solutions in place to cope, even when mass-market adoption of electric vehicles happens.
An important thing to note. Public and rapid chargers on motorways and A-roads will be exempt, and users of home and workplace chargers will be able to override the pre-sets if they happen.
The final thing to add…
The £350 grant towards fitting a home charge point is ending next year, and if you’ve got a qualifying electric or hybrid vehicle or one order, best get your charge point fitted soon.
