Installing Two EV Chargers: A Guide for Households with Two Electric Cars

The number of UK households with two electric vehicles is growing rapidly as EV adoption extends beyond early adopters. A single 7kW home charger creates an obvious problem: one car charges overnight while the other waits, or the family negotiates a rota. Dual charger installation solves this permanently. This guide covers what is involved, what it costs, and how to do it properly.

Can My Consumer Unit Support Two EV Chargers?

Two 7kW EV chargers draw a combined maximum of 14kW — a significant load for a standard domestic supply. Most modern 100A single-phase properties can support two chargers, but not necessarily running simultaneously at full power. A 100A supply provides a maximum of 23kW — so two chargers plus household loads may approach the supply limit on a cold winter evening when heating is running.

The solution is a load management system, which monitors the total current drawn by the property and automatically reduces charger output to keep the total within the supply rating. Both Zappi and Ohme support load management, and dual Zappi or dual Ohme installations with load balancing are common and cost-effective. We specify the appropriate load management configuration for every dual charger installation during the survey stage.

Consumer Unit Requirements

Two EV charger circuits require two available ways in your consumer unit — one dedicated 32A MCB circuit per charger. If your consumer unit is already full, it will need upgrading before installation. A consumer unit upgrade typically costs £450-£750 and takes half a day. We assess your consumer unit during the free survey and include any necessary upgrade in the quote. If a consumer unit upgrade is likely, it is usually most cost-effective to do it as part of the EV charger installation rather than as a separate job.

Cable Routes for Two Chargers

Cable routing is typically the most variable cost element in a dual charger installation. Both chargers need a 6mm or 10mm cable run from the consumer unit to the installation point. If the chargers are in the same garage or driveway, a single shared conduit run is usually possible, reducing labour. If the two vehicles are parked in different positions — front drive and rear garage, for example — two separate cable routes are required and costs increase accordingly. We carry out a detailed cable route assessment at survey stage and confirm the most cost-effective routing before quoting.

Solar Integration with Two Chargers

Integrating two EV chargers with solar is achievable but requires careful configuration. The Zappi's CT clamp solar diversion system works well with two Zappi chargers on the same installation — the surplus solar is shared between the two chargers based on configured priority rules. If you only want one car to receive solar diversion priority (for example, the car driven to work each morning gets priority solar charging, while the partner's car charges from the grid overnight), this can be configured in the myenergi hub settings.

Typical Costs for Dual Charger Installation

A dual Zappi installation in a standard Yorkshire property with a full consumer unit, good cable access, and two chargers in the same garage typically costs £1,600-£2,200 including both chargers, load management hub, cables, fixings, and all electrical certification. A dual Ohme Home Pro installation is similar. If a consumer unit upgrade is required, add £450-£750. Properties with complex cable routes or restricted access may incur additional costs, which are fully disclosed in the written survey quote. We provide fixed-price quotes — no day-rate billing or post-installation surprises.