As part of the Government's aim to reach net zero emissions by 2050, it has been announced that all cars and vans must be fully zero emission by 2035. This means that there will be a significant increase in the number of electric vehicles (EV), and in turn an increased demand on the electric system. These regulations have been placed to support the transition to electric vehicles in order to work towards a greener, smarter energy system. The regulations will come into place on 30th June 2022, except for the security requirements set out in Schedule 1 of regulations, which will come into place on 20th Dec 2022.
In this article, you will find information regarding the new charging regulations that will be mainly relevant to you as an EV driver or installer.
OFF-PEAK CHARGING
To encourage drivers to charge their vehicles in a environmentally-conscious manner, new charge points will be defaulted to charge during off-peak hours. By doing so, drivers may benefit from cheaper off-peak energy rates, while helping the national grid to balance their supply.
- Charge points must be configured such that -
- It incorporates pre-set default charging hours, of which are outside peak hours
- When first used, the charge point user can do the following:
- Accept pre-set default charging hours;
- Remove pre-set default charging hours; or
- Set different charging hours
- At any time after first use, the owner is able to:
- Change or remove default charging hours, if default charging hours are in effect
- Set default charging hours if none are in effect
- The owner of the relevant charging point can override default mode of charging during default charging hours
- The owner of the relevant charging point is able to override the provision of demand side response services
- These requirements do not apply where -
- The relevant charging point is sold with a DSR (demand side response) agreement;
- The relevant charge point is configured to comply with the requirements of the DSR agreement; and
- Details of the DSR agreement are included in the statement of compliance in accordance with the requirements stated in regulation 13 paragraph (2)(b)
- "contains statements that the relevant charge point complies with these Regulations and that the seller is responsible for ensuring that the relevant charge point complies with these Regulations"
What does mean for EV users?
For Electric Miles:
- When the user adds/registers the charger, they can:
- Accept the pre-set default charging hours;
- Remove the pre-set default charging hours;
- Change the default charging hours
- In Charger Settings/Preferences, the user can:
- Change the default charging hours if it is in effect;
- Remove the default charging hours if it is in effect;
- Set default charging hours if not set initially.
- For any Charge Point configuration done under DSR agreement can be overridden.
- Give the users who don’t initiate charging via the app the access to change the regulatory hours via hotspot (Offline)
- Users who don't initiate charging with the app have access to change regulatory hours via hotspot (offline)
For Installer Miles:
- Installers can configure the default settings in-consultation with the owner
- Installers have the ability to turn off default regulatory hours in the app
RANDOMISED DELAY
Charge points will have a feature that will delay the start of a charging session for up to 10 minutes. This helps to prevent surges in demand, relieving strain on the national Grid, as chargers activate at the start of the off-peak period. As this is a new functionality for charge points, do not worry if you notice your charge session does not start immediately. As per new regulations;
- A relevant charge point must be configured so that—
- it is capable of operating, at each relevant time, with a random delay of up to 1800 seconds;
- subject to paragraph (2), at each relevant time it operates with a random delay of up to 600 seconds, determined to the nearest second;
- the maximum duration of the random delay referred to in sub-paragraph (b) above can be increased or decreased remotely via a communications network; and
- at each relevant time, the owner of the charge point is able to override the random delay referred to in sub-paragraph (b) above.
- A relevant charge point must be configured so that the random delay referred to in paragraph (1)(b) above will not operate where—
- the owner, or an end-user of the relevant charge point who is not the owner, has overridden it;
- an equivalent random delay has already been applied to the operation of the relevant charge point in respect of the relevant time; or
- it is providing response DSR services in respect of the relevant time.
- In this regulation, “relevant time” means the point at which, but for the delay referred to in paragraph (1)(b)—
- electricity would start flowing through the relevant charge point for the purpose of charging a vehicle; or
- the rate of electricity flowing through the relevant charge point would be increased or decreased.
What does this mean for EV users?:
For Electric Miles:
- When the user has added a charger, they should be able to modify the random delay configuration
For Installer Miles:
- Installers can set the default random delay value
SMART FUNCTIONALITY
Smart functionality is the ability to send and receive information via a secure communications network. This allows users to control the charge point by sending signals to:
- Increase or decrease rate of electricity flowing through
- Change the time at which electricity flows through the charge point
Additionally, charge points must offer Electricity supplier interoperability. This means that smart functionality must continue even with a change of supplier. In the unfortunate event that the charge point loses connection to a communications network, it must still be capable of charging an electric vehicle.
What does this mean for Electric Miles users?:
The Electric Miles app already offers users this functionality! There is also the option to set the charger to 'Plug & charge' mode.