Over the last few years, pure electric cars have slowly gained a foothold in the minds of car buyers. Battery technology is improving all the while and EV’s are gradually increasing their range. In the meantime petrol/electric hybrids have proved to be immensely popular as buyers seek to reduce vehicle emissions and save money.
As is well known, the spread of public charging points has been piecemeal and it is doubtful over time that there will ever really be enough, should the use of electric cars proliferate. That said, the reality is that for most of our journeys on a daily basis, pure EV range is probably more than enough and even a hybrid with an electric-only range of around twenty-five miles or so will still manage a trip into the local town without troubling the petrol engine. Thus, almost all of the time, home charging will suffice.
Charging Now
Drivers opting for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with a limited electric range and a smaller battery will find an overnight charge is achievable via a normal plug socket utilising the supplied charging cable that comes with the car. The snag is that these domestic items only draw a maximum current of just 3kW. For pure EV owners, charging can thus take a very long time, plus the fact that car makers don’t recommend using three-pin cables long-term, as they can cause damage to the socket due to the high amperage drawn over a sustained period of time. So, if buyers are really set on driving the electric road then they are going to need a fast charger.
Charging For The Future
To make the charging process faster and more convenient many electric car owners are seeing the value of installing a wall-mounted charging unit, or wall box, in or on their garage or on the wall of the house. It’s really the sensible solution. These dedicated boxes increase the charging rate and therefore speed the whole process up by providing power at a much higher rate than regular three-pin sockets. Manufacturers can supply them or wall boxes can be purchased as after-market items. They are easily installed by a qualified electrician and these useful items are getting better all the time. 
Independent manufacturers are beginning to offer a much better range and have come up with a selection of home and business charging systems that take the refuelling of electric cars to a whole new level. With charging up to ten times faster and making full use of cheaper off-peak electricity, these sophisticated products offer far greater control and security. Operated directly at the wall or via a WiFi-enabled app, which also provides for remote monitoring and updates, the chargers for home or workplace meet the needs of our fast-moving lives. With a range of intelligent solutions like facial recognition and gesture technology, EV buyers can have the very latest in flexible, adjustable EV charging up to 32 Amps. They can be tethered to a dedicated cable or the owner can provide their own. Some will even accept both Type 1 and Type 2 cables which covers most vehicles available today.
A Price To Pay?
Inevitably in these early days there is a catch. The latest crop of home electric car chargers are not cheap to say the least. The savings made by fuelling with electricity will help to balance the purchase price and remember there is only a need to buy these once and users are still helping to reduce exhaust emissions. Older, basic wall boxes are a lot less expensive but are of course slower. It all comes down to an owner’s needs.
The good news is that top quality hybrid vehicles are now becoming available as used cars and on any given day eCars247 customers may well find some in our listings. Remember too that many fossil-fuel cars are now cleaner and more economical than ever before so continue to make a great alternative. Try looking for your next car using our search facility which allows users to make choices based on preferences. If you have never purchased a car online before then check our what our satisfied customers have to say.