Charging at home
If you are looking to invest in an electric vehicle, there is a useful advice on the Energy Saving Trust website. They may also offer interest free loans for individuals and businesses to purchase new and second-hand electric vehicles and home chargers.
Depending on your mileage, you may only need to charge your electric car once or twice a week.
If you have a driveway
If you have a driveway or other safe place to park and plug in close to your house it is relatively easy to install a smart charging point. Although most electric vehicles come with a cable which you can plug into a normal 3-pin socket, a smart charging point will allow you the greatest control over your energy use, with access to an agile tariff and options to charge when grid energy is 'greenest'.
Council tenants should contact permissions@eastlothian.gov.uk if you are looking to install a charger on a council house. Private tenants should discuss with their landlord.
Homeowners should be aware that although Planning Permission is not normally required, it is recommended that you email environment@eastlothian.gov.uk for confirmation, particularly if you live in a Conservation Area or if you are installing a new driveway.
If you use an communal private car park
Communal car parks in modern housing estates are often managed by a property factor, and you could make a request that they install chargers, noting that the Energy Saving Trust may offer support towards the cost of buying and installing vehicle charging infrastructure on factored developments in Scotland.
Charging in public
If neither of those options is attractive to you, then you can use one of around 300 public chargers in East Lothian. We are happy to consider requests for new public chargers - just contact evcharging@eastlothian.gov.uk.
However, when it isn't viable for us to provide public infrastructure at or near your normal overnight parking place, you might need to find your own solution. We offer guidance on using cable protectors, and are trialling more innovative solutions.
Your responsibilities
It is always your responsibility to ensure that your actions do not cause a danger or a nuisance to the public. You must fully consider public safety and existing legislation when plugging cables from your home power supply into your vehicle parked on the public road, and you will be liable for any claims arising if you do not do this. You may wish to speak to your insurers to confirm that your policy covers this situation.
You must follow any parking restrictions and refrain from obstructing other road users. Whenever you are charging your vehicle, you must follow all safety guidance and recommendations from the manufacturer.
You must not put yourself or others at risk when trailing a cable across a footway or an area people may cross. The Highway Code is clear (Rule 239) that you should avoid creating a trip hazard, and should highlight the presence of cables.
You should consult a qualified electrician to ensure that the installation is safe and suitably protected e.g. in compliance with the Requirements for Electrical Installations, IET Wiring Regulations 18th Edition and The IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation, 4th Edition.
You must establish whether Planning Permission is required, and obtain this if necessary
Other options
If none of the above applies to your home, and it is not viable to charge from your own home, you may be able to come to a charger sharing arrangement with a friend or neighbour - even those using cable covers. A number of services exist to make this easier (in terms of cost reimbursement or booking), and the links below give some examples of these: