Installation guide
How long does EV charger installation take?
Most home EV charger installations are completed in a single visit. Here is what to expect and what can make it take longer.
The short answer
A standard home 7kW EV charger installation typically takes 2 to 4 hours from start to finish. Some straightforward jobs - where the consumer unit is close to the parking space and the cables are easy to run - are wrapped up in as little as 1.5 hours. More complex installs, such as those requiring fuse board upgrades or external trenching, can take a full day.
What a standard installation involves
Your installer will work through the following steps on the day:
- Surveying the fuse board and assessing the existing electrical supply
- Running cable from the consumer unit to your parking space
- Mounting the charger unit on the wall
- Connecting the charger to the electrical supply
- Testing and commissioning the unit
- Registering the installation with your DNO (Distribution Network Operator) if required
What makes installations take longer
Several factors can add time to what would otherwise be a routine job:
- Long cable runs - for example a garage at the far end of the property
- Routing cable through walls, under floors, or around obstacles
- A fuse board in poor condition that needs upgrading before the charger can be connected
- Three-phase supply installations, which involve additional wiring complexity
- Trenching for external cable runs across a driveway or garden
On the day: what to expect
Your installer will arrive, introduce themselves, and start by checking your fuse board and assessing the route for the cable run. Once they have confirmed everything is in order they will run the cable, mount the charger unit, make the electrical connections, and carry out testing before handing over. You do not need to stay home all day hovering over the installer, but someone does need to be present throughout - both to give access and to sign off the job on completion.
Does the charger brand affect installation time?
No. Whether you are having a Zappi, Ohme, Hypervolt, or any other popular brand fitted, the installation time is broadly the same. The time is determined by the complexity of your property and the cable run, not by which charger unit you have chosen.