UK: free home charging installation

I know there are only a couple of us from the UK who post, but just in case there are more who are lurking...

British Gas are offering free installation of a Polar (aka Chargemaster) home charging point. This is now UK-wide, replaces the scheme that ran up to April 2013 for London, and will run through to March 2015. You don't have to be a British Gas customer, though they are offering a new tariff with 12% off standard rate except between 4pm - 8pm.

Survey and installation is free, although it says that some extras may be chargeable if required after survey, such as an isolation switch and replacement consumer unit if needed. It also includes a tethered cable, so there is no need to get the EVSE out of the boot. Three year warranty, ownership passes to you on installation. You also need to be able to pick up an 02 mobile data signal, and allow details of your charging pattern to be passed back for statistical purposes. Access to Polar public charging points included to March 2014

I've applied, so I'll post here if it looks like they try to make back some money on the extras. Most of the cost is met by the government 75% grant, I would guess the rest is met from Polar and British Gas as part of their marketing.

More details Electric Vehicle Charging Offers - Save Energy - British Gas

 

Dinku, was that under the new scheme, or the one that ran up to April this year? Mind you, they look pretty similar, except for the extension UK wide.

 

My garage is full of junk, and anyway the plug in it is labelled as only being suitable for a 3 amp dcvice (don't know why). So at the moment I charge from an extension lead plugged in in my hallway and have to leave the front door open on a chain - not ideal... I was going to pay an electrician to put in a weatherproof external plug, but since this is being offered for free I'll take it. It seems the government is prepared to offer a grant so that they can get stats on how people are charging cars.

 

Update: so they rang me back the day after I had submitted the online form to confirm the answers I had given, then rang me again yesterday to book in the work. They survey and then do the fitting on the same day assuming it is OK, takes most of the day apparently. Booked in for 6 August, I'll let you know how it goes.

To pick up on a few previous points:

Charles H: I get a bit lost about the standards, but yes, in general (rather than this specific scheme) the newer points going in all seem to be Mennekes connectors rather than our standard 3 pin plugs, and indeed the scheme for motorway service stations has a growing emphasis on fast DC points. BTW, have any Source London users had the same problem I did yesterday, that the details on their map are not accurate? I parked in Temple Place only to find all the plugs were 7kw Mennekes, at least as far as I could see. I'm beginning to think I may have to bite the bullet and buy a lead.

Dinku: although I'll have the proper card soon, I actually managed to get the charger at Little Chef Royston West open using my Source London card. Not sure if that was just lucky (it took a few goes), something to do with the Source East/Source London linkup, or what. Having said that, I'm not sure it was worth having to eat there to get a charge - not even Heston services, let alone Heston Blumenthal...

Bonefish Blues: couldn't possibly comment on the emerging theme... but if the previous scheme you investigated was the one through Source London, I think this is the successor to it which is now nationwide.

 

Ah, I'd misunderstood Dinku. The actual installation is still by Chargemaster, I think, even when arranged through British Gas. That, I worked out, was why there were two conversations, they then had to go back to Chargemaster to book it. I didn't realise you could go to them direct, in fact still can't find a link to do that - where is it?

Still, I didn't think the process was at all bad, though it is obviously a bit slower than yours. I've now actually got to change the date so I'll be even more behind you, let me know how it goes!

 

Oh, I thought that was a "we'll tell you when we're ready" form! Tempting, but for a couple of weeks I'll put up with it...

 

Quick update plus a question.

Finally got mine done a few weeks back, but only after they came on the wrong day and I had to rebook. Work was actually done by British Gas, and no complaints once they got here on the right day. On the basis of what Dinku and BB say, I think I would advise going direct to Chargemaster just because of better organisation.

The question - assuming they are all like mine, you have an individual cylindrical key to turn the power on and off. But since the power appears to turn off (green light goes out) once the connector is taken out of the car, is there actually any need to turn it off? With keyless entry, I'm fumbling to find them sometimes.