How new EV Smart Charge Point regulations have changed and what installers need to be aware of
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As more people begin to opt for cleaner and greener transport and switch from petrol and diesel to electric vehicles, the Government has had to take action and regulate minimum standards for home and workplace charging points so the National Grid can keep up.
The?Electric Vehicle (Smart Charge Points) Regulations?are now in force in the UK. All electric vehicle charging points sold and installed for private use after 30th June 2022 must adhere to these.
What do installers need to be aware of?
Installers must ensure that all charging points installed for private use are fully compliant with the new smart charging regulations. And?understand what is and isn’t covered and plan ahead for the additional requirements from 30th of December.
Every smart charger sold must be recorded by the seller and must include details of its make, model, software version, date of sale, etc.
Charging points must now have the following abilities to comply with the regulations:
Smart Functionality
Charging points must be able to send and receive information via a secure communications network. This will allow users to control the rate of electricity flowing through the charging point and change the time it will flow through.
Off-Peak Charging
Charging points will default to charge during off-peak hours, when other demands for energy are at their lowest. Charging through these hours will help lighten the load on the National Grid. By charging off-peak, drivers may benefit from less expensive off-peak energy rates.
Users/charge point owners do have the option to override the default settings if they wish.?
Randomised Delays
Charging points must feature a randomised delay function of up to 10 mins at the start of each charging session. This will prevent everyone’s charger coming alive the moment the off-peak period starts.
Security
The security aspect of the new regulations is not a mandatory requirement until 30 December 2022 but once in place, charging points must provide a degree of protection against physical damage and cyber attack.
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A ‘tamper-protection boundary’ must also be included to guard the internal components. The charger will automatically log and notify the registered owner if an unauthorised attempt is made to access it internally.
Further updates?
With updates to the regulations scheduled every 6 months or so, the reality is that some manufacturers may choose to look at other markets rather than commit the significant investment required to repeatedly update EV charging products specifically for the UK.
With significant fines for false advertising and non-compliance, the government are serious about securing the future of EV charging, and by placing a degree of compliance responsibility onto the seller, as they have done in other industries, they have created a system of multiple safety-nets to catch errors and offences.
However, without greater governance, there is the risk that some chargepoints that were not designed for the UK market and are, perhaps, not as compliant as they should be, may unwittingly be sold by resellers.
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2 年Very useful article - thanks for sharing.