Hive EV Charging
Electrify your driveway with charger, installation and complete control from the Hive app.
Start your journey on the road to a greener future
What is Hive Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging?
Hive EV Charging includes a smart home charger with a British Gas backed warranty, and gives you complete control of your charging from the Hive app.
Trusted installation by British Gas
Our friends at British Gas have one of the largest networks of EV charger installers in the country. Their expert engineer will get everything set up safely for you and answer any questions.
Service and installation you can trust from British Gas
National coverage
British Gas has thousands of expert EV installers across the UK – all ready to fit your new charger.
Safety and service
All their engineers are expertly trained to make sure everything goes smoothly on the day.
Peace of mind
Your British Gas engineer will make sure your charger's working safely and as it should – so you can relax.
Take control. Save money.
Hive EV Charging cleverly syncs with your energy tariff via the easy-to-use Hive app. So just plug your car in and it'll automatically charge up when your electricity's at its cheapest. And if you switch to the new Electric Driver tariff from our friends at British Gas – you could save even more.
Take control with the Hive app
Charge when it's cheaper
Hive EV Charging automatically charges your car at off-peak times when electricity is cheaper. And it'll give you weekly and monthly breakdowns of your charging history.
If you do want to charge in peak times, we'll let you know how much it'll cost – so there'll be no nasty surprises on your energy bill.
Park, plug in and leave the rest to us
Hive EV Charging syncs to your energy tariff to charge when it's cheaper. It works with most UK energy tariffs, including specialist EV ones, and it's easy to update if you switch.
A greener way to charge
Charging in off-peak periods isn't just cheaper, it's greener too. That's because there's more chance your electricity is from renewable sources, so you can power your drive with cleaner energy.
Interested in a special EV tariff from British Gas?
The Electric Driver tariff gives you cheaper, off-peak electricity between 12am and 5am so you can charge your electric vehicle for less.
Smart. Simple. Effective.
The Hive app gives you accurate updates in real time – like when your car's plugged in and charging up. And as well as syncing with your energy tariff to charge when it's cheapest, it'll show you exactly how much you're spending in pounds and pence too.
Manage it all in the Hive app
Check your status
Know when your charger's unplugged, plugged in and charging. And get real time updates including your total kWH and charging speed.
Sync with your tariff
Automatically sync with your energy tariff to charge when it's cheapest and see how much you're spending.
See your charging history
See your daily, weekly and annual history, including how much it costs (based on your current tariff).
The Alfen Eve Single S-line charger
With Hive EV Charging, you'll get a 7.4kW Alfen Eve Single S-line charger with a British Gas backed warranty. On average, it'll take just under eight hours to fully charge your car from empty (depending on the size of its battery).
Alfen Eve Single S-line charger
A smart, compact home charger
The Alfen Eve Single S-line charger is small yet powerful. The compact design includes a charging status light, plug (tethered or socket) and cable storage.
Charging speed
Its 7kW capacity will fully charge an average battery from empty in under eight hours – but this will depend on the size of your car's battery.
The Hive App
The Hive app allows you to control our smart devices from wherever you are, so it's easy to get everything just right.
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We make life easier
One app for everything
Control your whole home, including Hive EV Charging, with our app.
Technology you can trust
With 1.9 million homes and counting, we’re one of the UK’s leading smart home providers.
Connects easily with everything
Hive devices are designed to work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri so it's simple to make your home smart.
Frequently asked questions
What is a standard installation?
Our standard installation includes a remote home check (if required) plus EV charger installation by a certified British Gas engineer:
7.4kW Alfen Eve Single S-line charger attached to an accessible external wall
10m of charger supply cabling (Tuffex) connected (with a maximum of 5m internal)
1 external wall breakthrough
Matt:e O:Pen and load management / curtailment device fitted internally
3-year warranty on the charger and installation
If our engineer finds anything that needs further investigation, or additional work, during your installation, they'll let you know what needs to happen next before they can continue.
We'll also submit the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) application on your behalf.
> Find out more about what happens on the day of your install
How will I know if I am having a ‘standard’ install?
British Gas will conduct a no obligation virtual survey of your home so we will know if it's suitable for a standard installation. If your home requires additional works before a charger can be installed, British Gas will provide you with a quote detailing what needs doing, along with the associated costs. If you choose not to go ahead, we can cancel your order and will refund your deposit.
I'm an installer. What should I know before completing the installation?
You must:
Be a suitable qualified electrician with relevant training, qualifications and / or certifications to complete the work
Complete the installation in accordance with:
Any applicable laws and / or regulations including, but not limited to, IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) and the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installations
Distribution Network Operator (DNO) requirements. DNO approval or acknowledgement must be obtained before or after the installation.
Provide the following to the user or property developer after the installation:
BS7671 Electrical Installation Certificate
DNO approval or acknowledgement
Is the charger controlled via Wi-Fi or a mobile network?
The Hive EV charger is connected via a GPRS mobile network - this means if your internet is down or Wi-Fi signal is poor, you’ll still be able to connect to your charger. If you live in an area with poor mobile signal, please flag this during the Virtual Home Check. We’ll then be able to advise if Hive EV charging is the right solution for you.
What is a Matt:e R or Matt:e T device?
The Matt:e device measures the voltage of your EV charge point to make sure it stays within a pre-set, safe operating limit. If the Matt:e device detects voltage outside of this range, it may result in a loss of effective earth. If this happens, the Matt:e device will disconnect the charger to ensure that customers are not at risk.
What is a Load Management Device?
A domestic property has a maximum load allowable by the Distribution Network Operator (normally 60, 80 or 100 amps). Where you can’t upgrade the allowable load of the home further, an electrical services upgrade or Load Management Device is needed.
Getting a Load Management Device allows you to install an EV Charger when you would otherwise be unable to under the normal allowable load.
What is a DNO and how can I tell who my DNO is?
DNO stands for Distribution Network Operator. These are the organisations who are licensed to distribute electricity in the UK. DNOs own and operate the system of cables, towers and substations that bring electricity from the national network to our homes and businesses.
You can find out who your local DNO is by typing in your postcode on the Energy Networks website.
What do the DNO need to know about my charger installation?
All electric vehicle charge point installers need consent from the Distribution Network Operator. As such, British Gas must report planned electrical work to gain permission to add more electrical load to the area.
Our team will calculate the increased load your EV charger will need in your home and therefore your local area. Depending on your home we may need to check in advance if that is okay with DNO, although in many cases we can do this after the installation. We’ll handle this for you, but for some customers, they may need to do an additional assessment or even upgrade work to make sure we can fit the EV charger. We’ll keep in contact with the DNO on your behalf during this time and help get this done as quickly as possible.
How long will it take for my charger to be installed?
Once we've completed your virtual home check, it usually takes 2-4 weeks for your EV charger to be installed. This is because we need to apply to your local Distribution Network Operator for permission to connect their network.
Standard installations usually take around 2.5 hours on installation day, but this can vary according to each home.
What happens on the day of my install?
We’ll agree a date with you for your installation and confirm this by email along with the time when the engineer will arrive. Installation can time vary, but please allow around half a day. The engineer will call ahead to let you know they’re on the way.
To make sure your install goes ahead smoothly, its best to carry out these checks before the engineer arrives:
If you don’t already have the Hive app, we would advise you download it prior to the installation day to your smart phone or device as the engineer will talk you through how we pair your new charger to the app.
Make sure someone over 18 is available to meet our engineer, answer any questions and stay with them throughout the appointment.
The engineer may need to switch off your electricity supply to install your charger. So, it's a good idea to switch off any appliances or electronic equipment that may be affected, including any household alarms, before we start your installation.
Make sure there's clear access to the area where you want the charger installed. For example, we'll need to access any locked gates or cupboards.
Please make sure young children and pets are kept safely out of the way.
The Engineer will also check any additional work that has has been completed by a third party as we'll need to check it before we install your charger. If our engineer finds anything that needs further investigation during your appointment, they'll let you know what needs to happen next before we continue with your installation.
What if I need to change the date of my installation?
If you need to reschedule, please call our EV team on 0333 202 1054* (you can find our latest opening hours here) and they'll help you arrange an alternative date.
Is there a warranty on the charge point?
Yes, we provide a British Gas backed warranty on the charger and installation. Full details can be found in the Warranty section of our Hive EV Charging Installation Terms & Conditions.
> View Hive EV Charging Installation Terms & Conditions (PDF 139KB)
