The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 came into force on 30 June 2022, requiring most private electric vehicle charge points sold in Great Britain to have smart functionality and pre-set off-peak charging hours1. The Regulations were made on 15 December 2021 under the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 and extend to England and Wales and Scotland2.
The requirements apply to the sale of private charge points and smart cables in Great Britain after 30 June 2022, and do not apply to charge points sold in Northern Ireland1. Public charge points, non-smart charging cables and rapid charge points of at least 50 kilowatts are out of scope, as are sales made before 30 June 2022, sales for export outside Great Britain, and second-hand sales between private individuals1. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Office for Product Safety and Standards, which produced guidance for sellers, set out the position on timing:
"The Regulations will come into force on 30 June 2022, except for the security requirements set out in Schedule 1 of the Regulations, which will come into force on 30 December 2022"
The main device requirements cover smart functionality, the ability to keep working if the owner switches electricity supplier, continued charging if the communications network is lost, a measuring system, default off-peak charging hours, a randomised delay and security1. Peak hours are defined as 8am to 11am and 4pm to 10pm on weekdays, and the pre-set default charging hours must fall outside them, though owners can accept, remove or change them1. Charge points must measure or calculate imported or exported electricity to within 10% of the actual figure, and must be capable of operating with a random delay of up to 1800 seconds2. Sellers must provide a statement of compliance and keep a record of sales for 10 years1.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Smart functionality | Send and receive information, respond by changing charging rate or time, provide demand side response, at least one user interface1 |
| Default off-peak charging | Pre-set hours outside 8am to 11am and 4pm to 10pm on weekdays, owner can override1 |
| Randomised delay | Capable of a delay of up to 1800 seconds2 |
| Measuring system | Accurate to within 10% of the actual figure, not systematically inaccurate2 |
| Security (Schedule 1) | Deferred to 30 December 20221 |
Manufacturers responded ahead of the date. EO Charging announced the EO Genius 2 and EO Mini Pro 3 on 28 June 2022, saying the products were compliant with the Regulations, with the Mini Pro 3 priced from £1,139 including VAT and installation3. Indra said its Smart PRO charger was compliant with the full scope of the Regulations, including Schedule 1, for units manufactured from 17 October 2022, more than two months ahead of the December deadline4.
Why it matters for households
For a household buying a home charge point, the rules mean the unit sold in Great Britain must be able to shift charging away from weekday peak hours by default, and must keep working if the owner changes electricity supplier or loses a network connection1. The default hours are a starting position rather than a fixed schedule: the owner can accept, remove or change them, and can override demand side response1. The measuring requirements give owners a record of electricity imported or exported over the preceding 12 months, which is the data needed to see what a home charge point is drawing and when2. Because the Regulations do not apply to public charge points, the smart charging duties described here sit with the private charge points installed at homes and workplaces, not with the public charging networks a driver may use on a journey1. The security requirements, which cover protection against tampering and cyber attack, did not apply to units sold before 30 December 20221.
What happens next
The security requirements in Schedule 1 came into force on 30 December 2022, and charge points sold before that date did not need to comply with them1. Indra stated that Schedule 1, described as the second phase, would take effect on 30 December 20224. EO Charging later stated that, due to the UK smart charging regulations, it could no longer sell or replace EO Genius 1 chargers, and that it ceased offering replacement units for that model and the EO Hub 1 from 1 October 20245.
Sources5 cited
- Complying with the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
- The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, legislation.gov.uk
- EO Charging | Commercial Fleet & Vehicle Charging, eocharging.com
- Indra leads the charge for smart charging compliance, indra.co.uk
- Embracing the Next Generation: End of Life for Genius 1 System and App Payment Services, eocharging.com