For a growing number of households in Redhill and across Surrey, one electric car is no longer enough. Perhaps one driver commutes from Redhill station while another travels from Earlswood, Merstham, Nutfield or Horley. Perhaps one vehicle is a full EV and the other is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
That creates a practical question: should you install two home chargepoints, or can two cars share one?
The right answer depends on daily mileage, vehicle battery sizes, when each car is at home and how much electrical capacity your property has. This guide explains the options in plain English before you arrange an EV charger installation Redhill survey.
One charger or two: what works in real life?
A typical 7kW home charger can add approximately 25–30 miles of range per hour, depending on the vehicle and charging conditions.
An overnight charging window of eight to ten hours could therefore provide roughly 50–60kWh of practical charging per charger, although the usable result varies with charging losses, the vehicle’s battery-management system and whether the car reduces its rate near full charge.
For many two-car households, that is enough to replenish both vehicles if charging is scheduled sequentially. However, the best solution depends on the following:
- How many miles each car covers on a normal day
- Whether either vehicle is a PHEV with a smaller battery
- Whether both cars return home with low batteries at the same time
- How long both vehicles remain parked overnight
- Whether both cars need to leave early
- Whether you want the convenience of plugging in without moving cables
A household with one short-distance commuter and one PHEV may manage perfectly well with one charger. Two full EVs covering long distances may benefit from two chargepoints, particularly if both need to be ready every morning.
Option 1: One 7kW charger with scheduling
The simplest approach is to install one 7kW chargepoint and charge the cars one after the other.
For example, car A could charge from 11pm until 3am, with car B charging from 3am until 7am. Some smart chargers and vehicle apps allow charging priorities and schedules to be set automatically. In other cases, the cars may need to be plugged in or swapped manually.
This option suits you if:
- Both vehicles have moderate daily mileage
- One car is a PHEV
- You have a long overnight parking window
- You are comfortable using schedules
- Both cars rarely need a full battery at the same time
The main limitation is convenience. If one vehicle arrives home nearly empty and the other needs an urgent top-up before an early start, one charger may not provide enough flexibility.
Option 2: Two 7kW chargers with dynamic load management
Two separate 7kW chargepoints could theoretically demand around 14kW, or approximately 64 amps, at the same time. That is a substantial load for a typical single-phase domestic supply, especially when the house is also using an electric shower, oven, immersion heater, heat pump or other high-load equipment.
This does not necessarily mean two chargers are unsuitable. It means they must be designed correctly.
Dynamic load management monitors the property’s overall electrical demand and adjusts charging power automatically. If the house is using little electricity, both vehicles may charge at a higher rate. If the oven and shower are operating at the same time, the chargers can reduce their output to keep the total demand within a safe limit.
The system may:
- Share power evenly between both cars
- Prioritise the vehicle leaving earliest
- Give one car full power while the other waits
- Reduce both chargers to a lower rate during periods of high household demand
- Increase charging again when other appliances switch off
This approach lets both cars remain connected without assuming that the property can safely provide two unrestricted 7kW supplies simultaneously.
A dual-socket unit can provide a similar arrangement, although its total available output may be shared between both vehicles rather than providing 7kW to each car.
Option 3: One 7kW charger plus an occasional top-up point
Some households do not need two full chargepoints. A practical compromise may be:
- One permanent 7kW EV charger for the main vehicle
- A suitable 3-pin or commando connection for occasional charging of the second vehicle
This can work where the second car is used less frequently, has a smaller battery or only needs occasional top-ups. It should not be treated as a replacement for a properly designed EV charging circuit if regular charging is required.
Any socket used outdoors must be suitable for its location and installed safely. Trailing ordinary extension leads across a driveway are not an appropriate long-term solution.
Option 4: A 22kW three-phase arrangement
A 22kW setup can be considered where the property has a suitable three-phase supply, compatible vehicles and an installation that supports the required output.
It is not normally available simply because a homeowner wants faster charging. Most domestic properties in Redhill and the surrounding Surrey area have single-phase supplies, so a survey is needed to establish whether a three-phase solution is technically and economically realistic.
For many two-car households, load-managed 7kW charging is more practical than pursuing a higher-capacity supply.
What needs checking before two chargers are installed?
Two chargepoints are not just a matter of fixing two boxes to a wall. Your electrician should assess the complete installation, including:
Consumer unit capacity
There must be suitable spare ways for the charging circuits, with the correct protective devices. Each charger will generally require its own dedicated circuit and RCBO arrangement, subject to the equipment and design.
If the existing consumer unit has no suitable capacity, the installation may need additional electrical work before the chargers can be connected.
Cable routes
There are several possible layouts:
- Two separate cable runs from the consumer unit
- A suitable sub-main to a garage or outbuilding consumer unit
- A shared route with correctly designed distribution and protection
- A shared pedestal or post installation at the end of a driveway
The cable length, route, access, building construction and whether walls or paving need to be opened will all affect the design.
Voltage drop
Long cable runs can affect voltage drop and may require a different cable size or route. This is particularly relevant for long driveways, garages set away from the house or chargepoints mounted at the far end of a property.
Earthing and supply conditions
The installer must assess the earthing arrangement, including PME conditions where applicable. Depending on the design and the selected equipment, additional earthing measures may be required for one or more chargepoints.
Surge protection and DNO requirements
The installation may also require suitable surge protection and notification to the local Distribution Network Operator (DNO), particularly where additional electrical load is being connected. Your installer should confirm the process rather than assuming that two chargers can be added without notification.
The Energy Networks Association guidance on EV connections explains why load management is used to connect multiple chargepoints without exceeding a site’s available capacity.
Where should two chargers be mounted?
The best position depends on how the cars are parked and where the electrical supply enters the property.
Common arrangements include:
- Two chargers side by side on a front wall
- Chargers mounted at opposite ends of a garage
- A shared pedestal between two parking spaces
- One charger on a garage and one on the house
- A single carefully positioned charger with enough reach for either vehicle
End-to-end parking can make a single wall-mounted charger less convenient if the cable cannot reach both charging ports. Two chargers may offer easier access, but they also take up more wall space and add equipment weight.
Tethered chargers are convenient because the cable is permanently attached. Untethered chargers provide a tidier appearance when not in use, but the household must store and handle a separate cable. With two cars, consider where each cable will be kept and whether both drivers will be happy using the same connector.
The important point is to avoid creating a trip hazard or placing cables across pedestrian routes.
Tariffs, limited off-peak windows and solar generation
A smart tariff may offer a limited off-peak charging period rather than cheap electricity throughout the entire night. Two cars may not both receive a full charge if they arrive home late and the low-cost window is short.
A load-managed system can prioritise one vehicle, but the household still needs to plan around departure times and daily mileage.
If you have solar panels, two cars can also compete for available solar generation. Solar diversion may need to decide whether to send surplus energy to one car, share it between both or wait until there is enough generation to charge at a useful rate. A professional consultation can help establish whether solar charging is realistic for your driving routine.
A realistic Redhill-area example
Consider a family in Earlswood with one full EV used for commuting and a PHEV used for school runs and local journeys.
The EV covers a longer daily distance and needs priority before an early morning departure. The PHEV usually needs a smaller top-up and is parked at home for longer.
A single 7kW charger with scheduled charging may be sufficient. The EV can charge first overnight, with the PHEV charging later. Installing a second charger could still improve convenience, but it may not be necessary if the family is comfortable with a schedule.
By contrast, a household in Merstham with two full EVs, high daily mileage and a heat pump may benefit from two linked chargers with dynamic load management. The system could reduce EV charging when the heat pump and other household appliances are running, then increase charging when demand falls.
Businesses with two or three electric vans
The same principles apply to small businesses, workshops and commercial premises in Redhill.
A business with two or three electric vans may need charging after shifts, before early deliveries or during a limited workplace charging period. Installing multiple chargepoints without assessing the commercial supply can create avoidable capacity problems.
Dynamic load management can help distribute available power between vehicles. A commercial design may also consider:
- Shift patterns and vehicle departure times
- Number of parking bays
- Future fleet growth
- Available electrical capacity
- Cable routes across a yard or car park
- Whether charging is for staff, visitors or fleet vehicles
ADS Electrical also provides broader commercial electrical design and project management, including coordination with other trades where a workplace charging project forms part of a wider refurbishment.
What to check before you commit
Before choosing one or two chargers, ask your installer to confirm:
- The main fuse rating and existing supply arrangement
- The normal daily mileage of both vehicles
- Whether either car is a PHEV
- The available overnight charging window
- Whether both cars must be ready at the same time
- Spare ways and capacity in the consumer unit
- The proposed RCBO and protection arrangements
- Cable routes and likely cable lengths
- Voltage drop over the proposed route
- Earthing requirements
- Surge protection requirements
- Whether DNO notification is needed
- How load management will prioritise or share power
- Where cables will be stored safely
- Whether the chargers can be expanded or linked in future
Choosing an EV charger installer in Surrey
There is no universal answer to the one-charger-versus-two question. For some homes, one well-scheduled 7kW charger is more than enough. For others, two chargepoints with dynamic load management provide the convenience and flexibility needed for everyday life.
ADS Electrical is a NICEIC Approved Contractor serving Redhill, Earlswood, Meadvale, St John’s, South Park, Watercolour, Whitebushes, Linkfield, Merstham, Nutfield and Salfords.
We provide free quotes within 24 hours and free consultations, with project management from design through to installation. Our team can coordinate with other trades where required and provide reliable communication throughout the work. For advice from experienced electric car charger installers Surrey, contact ADS Electrical to discuss your property and charging routine.
We also provide 24-hour emergency call-outs for urgent electrical problems, alongside domestic, commercial and industrial electrical services.