Home EV charging: no driveway, no problem

One of the biggest draws for electric vehicle (EV) owners is the prospect of avoiding expensive gasoline and diesel fuelling. Charging at off-peak times from the comfort of one’s own home is presented as both cost effective and convenient. The trouble is that the private home-charging units on the market today are all designed for residences with off-road parking, specifically a driveway. Where does that leave the rest of the population?

In the UK, it is estimated that more than 40% of residents do not have access to off-street parking, apparently ruling them out of the home-charging segment. It’s a similar figure across Continental Europe. All these residents would have to rely entirely on public charging infrastructure, which is considerably more expensive. British Gas estimates that the cost of public charging can be more than twice that of home charging, while charging solution provide Green Mole estimates the price premium at more than five times that of home charging. In some cases, it becomes just as expensive to recharge an EV as it would be to fill up with gasoline. This is where cable channel charging solutions could fill a gap.