UTILITIES & SERVICES 73
THE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU PICK AN EV CHARGING SOLUTION
In June 2023, Part S made installing EV chargers compulsory in all new builds and major renovation projects, raising key challenges for housebuilder specifiers when selecting solutions, as Charlotte Stowe of Zaptec explains.
T
here are a variety of key considerations for housebuilders confronting the challenge of installing AC charging points for EVs in their new builds and renovations, to meet the requirements of Part S of the Building Regulations. Here are some pointers for specifiers when perusing the market.
RELIABILITY RECORD
It’s common for people to head over to review sites when assessing a product’s reputation, and while this is great to see a broad view of opinions from end users to electricians, the nature of a review is that it’s written by an individual, from their perspective. If builders are looking for a non-biased record of a technical product’s uptime,
reliability, and quantity sold, you can ask a manufacturer to share their reliability report with you, alongside the percentage of faulty units returned.
This way you don’t have to sift through online opinions, and it gives you a window into potential issues you may encounter if supplying their products.
WARRANTY VS GUARANTEE pecifiers should check whether the charge point manufacturer offers a warranty or guarantee, and what exactly it covers, as there are differences in consumer law and legally binding rights. While a warranty is an assurance issued to the customer, which you pay an additional fee to obtain, a guarantee is a promise from the manufacturer that a
product is good quality and will perform as intended at no additional cost. It’s legally binding and adds to your rights under consumer law.
If a manufacturer offers a guarantee, it will be in writing, and will outline what it covers; you can ask to see this before purchasing.
INSTALLATION SUPPORT
What level of support can they offer, and can they recommend experienced installers? Most credible EV charge point manufacturers make it a mandatory requirement that anyone installing their chargers must be accredited to work with their specific product. f you would prefer to use your existing electricians, ask if the manufacturer offers training, if it’s in
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