Three Phase EV Chargers for London Homes and Businesses

Three phase EV chargers can charge much faster than a standard home unit, but they only make sense in the right building and with the right car. Here is a plain guide to what three phase means, who it suits, and what to check before you pay for one.

Single phase and three phase

Most London homes have a single phase supply, which limits a home charger to about 7 kW. Many commercial buildings, some larger houses and some new developments have a three phase supply, which allows chargers of up to about 22 kW. You can usually tell by looking at the main fuse and meter: three phase supplies have three main fuses rather than one. If you are not sure, we can check for you.

Will your car charge faster?

Only if the car can take it. Many electric cars accept 11 kW on AC, some only 7 kW, and a smaller number take 22 kW. If your car is limited to 7 kW, a three phase charger will charge it no faster than a standard one. Check the car's AC charging limit before deciding. Our guide on how long it takes to charge an EV at home shows how to work out charging times.

Can you upgrade a home to three phase?

It is possible, but the upgrade is arranged with the local network operator, can take time and can be costly, as it may need new cables in the street. For most homes, a 7 kW charger overnight is more than enough, so a three phase upgrade is rarely worth it just for charging.

Where three phase makes sense

• Businesses with fleet vans or cars that need a quick top up during the day.
• Workplaces and car parks where several cars share the supply.
• Larger homes that already have three phase, with a car that accepts 11 kW or more.

Our post on workplace EV chargers for small London businesses covers the business side.

What we check first

We check the supply, the main fuse rating, the consumer unit and how much spare capacity the building has, then recommend the right charger size. Load management can share power between several chargers so the supply is not overloaded.

Energy North Ltd installs single phase and three phase chargers across North, East and West London with City & Guilds certified electricians. See our EV charger installation page to book a survey.