At Wallbox, we believe that keeping EV users up to speed on legislation changes in their country is vital to building trust and security in a green future.
Filling out a contact form with it is one of the many ways to feel closer to the future of technology.
We´re plugging you into what’s happening next by sharing updates on the progression of our latest products, as well as helping you to understanding new regulations and how they might impact you
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From 30th June 2022, all new private EV charge points (home and workplace) sold and installed in Great Britain must comply with new regulations. Wallbox is here to help you understand the main changes. Here is what you need to know:
Why home and workplace charging regulations now?
In the UK, the uptake of electric vehicles represents a key part of the Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Given that all new cars and vans must be fully zero-emission by 2035, you can imagine how fast the demand for fully electric and hybrid vehicles is increasing!
More EVs on the road means more demand on the electricity system. And the National Electricity Grid is prepared to meet this demand. But not if all EVs are charging at the same time! This is the main reason why the UK Government started working on changes to the regulations applicable to EV charging solutions at home and in the workplace.
However, it is important to clarify the new norm has no effect on public chargers, rapid chargers or chargers linked to demand side response schemes as those offered by energy providers.
How do these regulations support the UK’s energy grid?
Implementing a more flexible & smarter energy system will support managing the fast increase in electricity demand from the transition to electrical vehicles, as well as enable easier integration of more renewable electricity generation into the energy system.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is the regulator overseeing the implementation of these new rules which can be found here.
What do the regulations require?
1. Off-peak charging
New charge points will incorporate a pre-set default charging hours that are outside the peak hours (which are between 8am and 11am, and 4pm and 10pm on weekdays). This is a nice feature to help encourage all current and future EV owners to participate and support the new regulation.
This feature will not only allow the National Energy Grid to achieve a better supply balance, but will also allow drivers to benefit from less expensive energy rates, depending on their energy provider and plan.
As EV charging time varies according to each driver and their own lifestyle, the pre-implemented default settings can be overridden directly in the myWallbox app. You still have full control over your charging patterns and when you want to charge!
2. Randomised Delays
New chargers will also feature a randomised delay function. This will prevent all charging points from initiating charging at the same time. The random delay can be up to 10 minutes every time the EV starts or stops charging. So, you may experience that your charging session will not start at the exact scheduled time, and should take this into account when checking the charging status.
Owners can skip the randomised delay by manually overriding it each time the EV starts charging, and this can be done directly in the myWallbox app. Again, you’re in control! But let’s keep in mind that, whenever possible, enabling the new requirements is a step in the right direction!
3. Cybersecurity and anti-tampering protection
On December 30th 2022, phase 2 of the UK Smart Charge Points Regulations will come into effect. This part includes several enhanced security measures to ensure that owning and operating an EV charger is as safe as possible. It is required to provide appropriate protection to the electricity system, the charge point and the personal data of the owner and any other end-user of the charge point. We are pleased to see the UK’s commitment to safety, which has been a core value for Wallbox since our beginnings.
How has Wallbox adapted to the new Smart Charge Points Regulations
Implementing these requirements is an important step toward the sustainable use of electricity for EV charging! In preparing for this change, we looked carefully at each new requirement to consider how to best serve the market in Great Britain.
We worked directly with the Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), which is the regulator for these new Smart Charging Regulations.
If you are a certified Wallbox partner, you can download the Statement of Compliance necessary to sell any chargers in the partner portal here.
With this is in mind, please note the following:
- Pulsar Plus and Quasar are no longer compliant with the regulation so it is currently not available for sale.
- Copper SB: The production of Copper SB will end in the first half of 2024. Copper SB sales with an enforcement undertaking will be compliant with UK Smart Charging Regulations until 30th of June 2024. To assist you in planning ahead, we would recommend contacting your sales representative or our customer service team.
It’s also worth noting that Pulsar Max and Pulsar Pro are compliant with the new regulations and are available for sale. Find out more, here.
Our Continued Support for Partners and Users
The Wallbox team is here to support you. For those users that own a model no longer available in the UK, know that we will continue to service and support your charger.
If you are a seller and have questions or need support with your compliance measures, our team is here to help. Reach out to your sales representative or contact us at [email protected].
Our goal is to make this transition as seamless as possible and continue to provide every partner and user with powerful, simple solutions.
Want to know more about our EV charging solutions? Discover them here!
