Electric Car Charging at Home With No Driveway: Can It Be Done?

Electric cars have seen an explosion in popularity in the last couple of years. Back in 2015, plug-in electric vehicles (including electric cars and plug-in hybrids) accounted for just 1.1% of new registrations. Fast forward to 2022 and that figure has skyrocketed to 22.2%. (Source)

So with nearly a quarter of all new cars sold coming with a plug, what can you do if you live in a flat? We run through all your options when it comes to electric car charging at home with no driveways. Charging at home is one of the more affordable options so it’s worth seeing if you can make it work for you.

Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to get an EV due to living situations but you don’t have to turn your back on electric driving. So if live in an apartment, flat, terraced house or home with no driveway, read on to find how to make EV ownership suit your life.

If you live in a house without a dedicated driveway, you do have options when it comes to charging an EV. Semi-detached and terraced houses are most likely to fall into this category.

Charging your electric car with no driveway is a bit easier for a semi-detached house, as your parking will tend to be less busy when compared to a terraced street. So as long as you can find a parking spot outside your house, you should be able to charge your vehicle relatively easily. Cul-de-sacs and other private roads open up your charging options.

Terraced streets pose a bit more of an issue as they tend to be busier, especially when it comes to parking. One main consideration would be finding a parking spot directly outside your house for easy access to the charging cable. Another thing to think about is running a cable from your house and across a public footway to charge your car.

So if you live in a semi-detached or terraced house with no off-street parking, your main option is to run a cable out of your house, across the pavement and to your car.

But there are some major considerations when it comes to running cabling across a public footpath. Whilst running a cable a short distance to your car isn’t illegal, it does pose a potential risk for pedestrians walking past.

If you’ve laid a cable across the path and someone trips, you may be liable. So with this in mind, you should only ever keep the cable on the path whilst your vehicle is actually charging.

We highly recommend getting a cable protector to put over your wire if you are running it over the pavement. This will increase its visibility whilst making the public footpath much safer and more accessible for wheelchair users and prams. For more information on this, please contact your local authority.

If your charging cable can’t reach your car from the closest plug socket in your house, you shouldn’t use an extension cable. Most extension leads aren’t safe to use outside and they also pose an increased risk of damage, especially if you daisy-chain them.

Electric vehicle ownership is a bit more tricky when it comes to flats and apartments, but not impossible. The ideal situation here is either purpose-built flats with dedicated parking and electric charging points built-in, or a house converted into apartments with a driveway. These types of properties are unfortunately the minority but there are other ways you can charge your car if you live in a flat.

You may find an on-street charging point close to your residence, and more often than not town centres should have at least a few electric charging points dotted around. So if you live close by you can drive over, plug in and then walk back.

Another option is to use nearby charge points in car parks, retail centres, supermarkets and petrol stations. Some places, like car parks, supermarkets and retail centres, will even offer free charging. When you’re shopping, plug your car in. This minimises downtime as you’re already out and don’t have to sit around waiting.

The most convenient option would be to charge at work and then top your car up when you’re out and about. But again, not all places of work will have these so it’s worth checking. Your employer can apply for the Workplace Charging Scheme which gives a discount of up to £350 per charging point, for up to 40 chargers.

The OZEV (Office or Zero Emission Vehicles) grant has been recently expanded to include both renters and leaseholders.

This means that if you live in a rental flat or apartment, you can apply for the OZEV grant which helps with the cost of a wall box installation. Although you will need permission from your landlord, building management company and/or freehold owner.

There are some other considerations to take into account when it comes to charging an electric car without a driveway.

Most modern electric cars come with handy features including charge point locators. Some are built into the infotainment system, whilst others are operated via smartphone apps.

This allows you to plan your journeys with necessary charging stops plotted in, ideal if you don’t have constant access to a charger at home or work. This also means there won’t be any last-minute scrambling to find the nearest charging location.

If you can’t work out a feasible plan for regularly charging your car, consider choosing a hybrid instead.

The infrastructure for electric vehicle ownership is strong but still developing. There are new electric car charging solutions popping up all the time, so it’s worth keeping an eye out to see if any are a viable option for you.

This includes using other people’s wall boxes and mobile charging services. Think of these more as handy ways to get topped up rather than the main way to charge.

Renting wall boxes

There’s an emerging service that has found a viable workaround for people who don’t have a wall box. Apps like Co Charger find nearby neighbours who have a wall box that they’re happy to rent out to other drivers.

Co Charger pairs up hosts with ‘chargees’, handling communication, booking and even payment. This is a great choice if you don’t have a driveway or nearby charging point.

Mobile electric car charging

Another way you can supplement your electric charge is with a charger that comes to you! Charge Fairy is another upcoming service that makes electric vehicle ownership easier.

You sign up to the app which monitors and predicts your charge level. This information is then used to track your charge with the Charge Fairy van visiting your car when it's not in use to top it back up. This makes charging even more convenient as it’s done at home whilst you sleep.

You should now understand your options when it comes to electric car charging at home with no driveway. For more information on going electric, or to experience any of our hybrid and electric cars, get in touch and we can arrange a test drive at your local Pentagon Group dealership.