December/January 2022

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022 AFTERMARKET 39 www.aftermarketonline.net becoming a popular option for homeowners to lower their home energy costs and reduce their environmental impact. Estimates suggest that you could save around £270 a year on your energy bill when using a PV system. The average UK driver had a mileage of 7,090 miles in 2019. If your electric car costs 4p per mile, this means your annual electricity cost would be £283.60. This is close to the annual savings on your energy from a PV system. Of course, to charge your electric car at your existing property, you will need to install an electric vehicle charging port, the average cost of which is £450 after financial assistance from the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme. Even then, the long-term savings are worth the investment. With this in mind, how will our homes of the future be designed for the future of electric vehicles? Ready for the future It is expected that 80% of electric vehicle charging will take place at home. As such, the government has outlined proposals to change building regulations in England to require all new-build homes to be fitted with an electric car charging point. However, some housebuilders already offer the opportunity to install electric vehicle charging ports on your new home. St. Modwen Homes believes that electric vehicle charging points do not just offer convenience to homeowners, but helps their customers be more environmentally friendly. It’s never been easier to make your new home eco- friendly, and now we can help people choose more sustainable options in their life. Installing an electric vehicle charging point on your home can help you save money, reduce your environmental impact, and ensure that your home is prepared for the future. We offer a variety of eco-friendly home upgrades for customers, meaning that alongside electric vehicles, the future of our homes is truly sustainable. The use of PV panels, air-source heat pumps, and wastewater heat recovery units can further help us to lower our costs and boost sustainable lifestyles. The construction of new-build homes, whether they are houses in Eastwood or new- builds in Wantage, should recognise the needs of the future and adapt to meet them. Future roads belong to electric vehicles, but our homes will spearhead the route through the green transition, making their use viable for the next generation of homeowners. As we continue our sustainable journeys, the purpose of our homes and vehicles will change. From simple transport and accommodation, new cars and new homes are allowing us to lead sustainable lifestyles in ways which have previously been impossible. Future roads belong to electric vehicles, but our homes will spearhead the route through the green transition ” Breaking news: Charge-point legislation for EVs announced The government has confirmed that it will make EV charge- points a legal requirement for new-build homes, as well as new supermarkets and business premises and any building undergoing major refurbishment. Announcing the measure at the CBI Annual Conference in November, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We will require new homes and buildings to have EV charging points, with another 145,000 charging points to be installed thanks to these regulations.” He added: “We are investing in new projects to turn wind power into hydrogen and our net zero strategy is expected to trigger about £90 billion of private sector investment, driving the creation of high wage high skilled jobs as part of our mission to unite and level up across the country.” However, according to Matthew Lumsden, CEO of battery energy storage systems supplier Connected Energy, businesses need to proceed cautiously: “Many sites will discover that their electricity supply is not optimised for EV charging points. At this moment they need to be aware of the green solutions available to them. For example, there have been reports of businesses using diesel generators to supply EV charging points. This is clearly madness.” He added: “We must not allow a sticking plaster or piecemeal approach to be adopted. This is an opportunity to look at an entire business site and switch to a green solution, with photo voltaic (PV) energy generation and a battery energy storage system (BESS) behind the meter to support the EV charging point.”