Domestic Chargepoint Audit

Project

Project Brief

OLEV decided to procure specialists to undertake technical audits of OLEV’s existing domestic chargepoints as well as public chargepoints installed under the National Infrastructure Grant schemes (along with newer grant schemes such as WCS).  The primary aim of the audits was to confirm that the conditions of the grant scheme have been met:

  • the installation is safe, and was carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations and conditions of grant;
  • the installation offers value for money to the public purse

Objectives

Cenex agreed a three phase pilot scheme to develop the process, and also consider automation of the process based on the learning. Following the success of the pilot scheme, the processes agreed were developed and standardised and a further two phases were carried out, focusing on new installations.

Outputs and Deliverables

These audits have identified that the quality of domestic EV chargepoint installations is still extremely variable and there is significant scope for improvement. Common faults such as incorrect mounting heights and mixed brand MCBs are entirely avoidable and are a result of poor training and auditing of individual installers by chargepoint installation organisations.

Some regional variations were identified in the quality of the installations, with Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Milton Keynes seeing the highest number of satisfactory installs and Wiltshire seeing the most consistent issues in all areas of installation.

The improvements in customer engagement procedures between the pilot phase and the new installs has also had a significant impact, with full access rates increasing from 41% to 80% and no access rates reducing from 29% to 7%.

All these things indicate the value in carrying out independent audits of EV chargepoint installations in the UK.