Electric Car Charging Installation

With our greater awareness of climate change, the benefit of electric cars has never been more apparent, reducing air pollution and saving money! Here at Classic, we strive to minimise our impact on the environment and continually seek ways to care for our world and yours. 

With over 780k fully electric cars now on the road, an increase of 40% since 2021, and a fifth of new cars sold* now being fully electric, it is certainly worth considering installing an electric car charging point as more guests will be searching for this facility. 

Here we have put together some useful information on how to set up an electric car charging point and giving advice on government grants which may be available to you.

Installation

Home charging points are installed by specialists outside the property and are wall mounted in a place which suits you- whether that’s a garage or exterior wall. They are weatherproof, durable and usually have a warranty.

Government grants available

For small accommodation businesses, the government offers up to 75% off the total costs of purchase and installation of EV charge points capped at a maximum of.

• £350 per socket

• 40 sockets across all sites per applicant.

Further details and application forms can be found here.

Where to start?

There are many companies offering installation of EV charging points and this does come down to personal choice. Here’s a few ideas of where to look.

PodPoint also provide installations for different car types and recommend charging points to suit you and your property. Click here for more information. 

VoltShare are a leading UK EV solutions provider who offer a specifically tailored service to the hospitality sector – they operate UK wide (including Wales and Scotland). The package they offer gives owners full Pay As You Go control, with no monthly fees or billing. The pricing is based on energy usage and the per KWH charge is set by the owner guided by Voltshare who have details on the UK average cost. This means the electricity cost is covered, with a small amount added to contribute towards the infrastructure costs – there is a specific exemption in law to allow this. The pricing is dynamic so if the tariff costs increase, the owner can update the charging costs accordingly. Owners can also access payment information and usage history.  

Voltshare will carry out a site survey, advise on the best type of charger, provide the preferred option and arrange for a registered installer to fit it. Alternatively, they can survey and supply for an owner to then appoint their local registered fitter to complete the installation. They are registered with the government so owners can apply for a grant to claim up to 75% of the total cost of supply and fit, up to a maximum of £350 per charge point (the fitter used must also be registered). Grant eligibility and application process details here: Workplace Charging Scheme: guidance for charities and small accommodation businesses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 As long as there is a good WiFi connection, the system can operate with minimal intervention via the Voltshare app. The owner logs in to register, list the location and set their electricity price. When the guest arrives, they scan the QR code on the front of the charger to access the payment app, pre-authorise their payment details and the charging costs will be debited automatically. The app accommodates both iOS and Android platforms. The location of the charger can be hidden from the public access Zapmap etc so that members of the public don’t try to use it.  

There are no monthly or annual charges, Voltshare take a small percentage of the charge cost (15%) and provide 24/7 support for both the owner of the charger and the user.  

VoltShare supports in-app or app-less charging, allowing users to initiate charging sessions directly through their phone browser. This eliminates the need for a dedicated mobile app, particularly convenient for one-time users.

Drivers can seamlessly start charging by scanning the QR code on the charger, review charging details and payment options on the website, and initiating the session with Apple Pay, Google Pay, debit, or credit cards.

How-to use VoltShare chargers can be found here.

Voltshare offer a discount to Classic Cottages owners and further information can be found regarding this on the Classic Cottages Owner Portal.

Classic Cottages properties with an electric vehicle charging point - our portfolio

As an owner with a EV charging point you will join our collection of cottages called “Holiday cottages with EV charging points”. Guests are able to filter searches specifically to find cottage with this facility and you will receive additional promotion as part of the collection.

Want to find out more?

We appreciate there are a few things to think about before you go ahead and look to install a charging point. To find out the ins and outs and top tips within the industry Which? have put together a great guide on "Electric car charging at home" that gives some really useful advice.  

* Reference: BBC Business - Electric vehicle article