Is charging a company car at home the best overall option?
For most day-to-day use, yes. It is typically the cheapest and most convenient option, especially now that reimbursements are tax-free.
Charging Electric Company Cars at Home: That’s How Billing Works!
Does the thought of billing your employer for charging your electric company car at home feel like a looming administrative headache? You aren’t alone. While plugging in at home is the most convenient way to start your day, you need a clear way to bill your employer for the electricity you provide. It’s easy to get lost in the regulations.
Read on to find out how billing works in the UK!
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Why Charge Your Electric Company Car at Home?
Charging your electric company car at home is simply the easiest and most convenient way to keep the vehicle ready to go.
For employees, the key advantages are:
For companies, the main benefits are:
Common hurdles in home charging billing
Because you’re charging on a regular home circuit, figuring out the cost isn’t always as simple as it sounds. It usually comes down to a few practical questions:
The key challenge is making sure the charging process is documented in a way that is clear, consistent, and accepted by the employer, without turning it into unnecessary admin.
How Does Billing for Home Charging Work?
Before getting into regulations, it helps to understand the basic idea. When you charge your electric company car at home, you are essentially paying for electricity on behalf of your employer. To be reimbursed, you typically need to provide:
In practice, the process usually looks like this:
Depending on the method, either business mileage is tracked, or charging sessions are recorded
Relevant data or records are collected over a defined period
This information is submitted to the employer, either automatically or manually
The employer reimburses the cost based on the agreed method
The key requirement is that the amount of electricity used for charging must be measurable and verifiable.
Reimbursement Models for Charging a Company Car at Home in the UK
You have two ways for company car home charging reimbursement: use a simple per-mile rate for easy admin but less accuracy, or claim actual electricity costs based on kWh and tariff. The latter is often fairer and more precise, but requires proper tracking and measurement of charging data.
1. HMRC advisory rate (per mile)
This is the “keep it simple” option. Employers can reimburse employees based on business mileage using HMRC advisory rates:
You can track mileage by recording dates, destinations, and odometer readings via apps (e.g., MileIQ, Driversnote) or a logbook. This reimbursement method is easy to manage and understand, and requires minimal admin. However, it doesn’t always reflect reality. Electricity prices don’t politely stick to averages, so depending on your tariff, you might end up slightly under- or over-compensated. So, while it is, indeed, convenient, it’s not perfect.
2. Actual electricity cost reimbursement
If accuracy matters more than simplicity, this is the way to go. Here, you’re reimbursed for exactly what you paid:
It’s fair, transparent, and aligns perfectly with real costs. Of course, it also requires proper tracking. Which means you’ll need a reliable way to measure your charging, as guesswork is no longer invited to the party.
Criteria | HMRC mileage method | Actual cost method |
|---|---|---|
How it works | Reimbursement per mile | Reimbursement based on kWh used × electricity price |
Accuracy | Low to medium (estimate) | High (based on real consumption) |
Admin effort | Very low | Medium |
Data required | Mileage records | Charging data (kWh) + electricity tariff |
Practical Examples: Billing With and Without PV
Reimbursement for home charging can vary slightly depending on whether you use electricity from the grid or generate it yourself. While the overall process remains the same, the energy source can influence how costs are handled in practice.
Scenario 1: Without a PV system
If you don’t have solar panels, everything behaves exactly how you’d expect. You charge your company car using electricity from the grid, and your reimbursement depends on the method your employer prefers.
Scenario 2: With a PV system
If you have solar panels, things become less straightforward. Since self-generated electricity doesn’t have a fixed price per kWh, calculating exact charging costs can be more complex. In practice, many employers use the HMRC mileage method in this situation. Instead of assigning a value to the electricity used, reimbursement is based on business miles driven.
The source of the electricity — whether grid or solar — is not relevant. This approach keeps the process simple and avoids the need to define a specific price for self-generated electricity. Alternatively, some employers may still use a cost-based method by agreeing on a reference electricity rate.
Taxation: What’s Free and What’s Not?
If your employer reimburses you for electricity used to charge your company car at home, it’s tax-free. No income tax, no National Insurance since it’s treated as a business expense, not extra salary. For example, if you receive £80 per month for home charging, that amount comes back to you in full.
There is one important requirement, though. You need to be able to prove that the electricity was used for the company car. For this, the wallbox should be able to differentiate exactly how much electricity is used just for charging your car, separate from the rest of your household energy use. This can be easily achieved with RFID management.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Choose the Right Wallbox
To choose the right wallbox for billing company car charging at home, confirm your employer’s proof requirements, decide on manual or automated reimbursement, choose installation type, and consider smart features like PV charging and flexible tariffs.
Must-haves for actual electricity cost reimbursement:
Optional but highly useful for both reimbursement methods:
Charging data export
Companies also need a simple way to track, assign, and report charging sessions, and this is where software makes the real difference.
With connected charging solutions like the go-e Charger, every charging session can be automatically recorded and linked to a specific user, for example, via RFID. This ensures that only business-related charging is counted and avoids mix-ups with private use.
Through the go-e app, you can easily access your charging data, monitor consumption, and export charging logs. For example, you can download a CSV report of your charging sessions and submit it for reimbursement. Even more features are available via the go-e Portal. Employers can manage multiple chargers across different locations by remotely assigning RFID chips to devices and grouping them into categories for easier control.
Furthermore, with go-e, companies can fully automate billing via OCPP/API integrations. For even greater convenience, billing can be managed through integration partners like Monta or EVesto.
What Are the Best Wallboxes For Company Car Billing in the UK?
Top wallboxes for company car billing and reimbursement include the go-e Charger CORE for advanced connectivity and open interfaces for automated billing, the VCHRGD Seven Pro for simplicity and reliability, and the Zaptec Go for simple CSV export for charging session data.
1. go-e Charger CORE
Interfaces like OCPP, Cloud and Local API, Modbus TCP, and MQTT allow integration with almost any backend, PV surplus, or load balancing system. Charging sessions can also be billed and reimbursed via compatible software, such as solutions from go-e integration partners.
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go-e Charger CORE
The intelligent charging solution with a modern look and a permanently attached cable. It is easy to install and convenient to use. Key smart features include PV surplus charging, flexible electricity tariffs and more. The wallbox is in accordance with ISO 15118 V2X ready and Plug&Charge ready. Charging power: from 1.4 kW to 11/22 kW, depending on the number of phases (1-phase, 3-phase).
2. VCHRGD Seven Pro
Its off-peak tariff integration enables charging at the cheapest times to reduce costs. A built-in RFID reader allows company car drivers to tap and authorise local charging, keeping corporate fleet energy consumption clearly separated from personal household electricity use.
3. Zaptec Go
A convenient option for company car drivers who need highly reliable connectivity without depending on home Wi-Fi signal strength. Charging logs can be monitored and exported using the Zaptec app or via OCPP cloud integrations.
go-e Charger CORE: Ideal for Charging Your Company Car at Home
The go-e Charger CORE is a flexible charging solution for many use cases. Its smart features make the wallbox ideal for company car charging at home and easy reimbursement.
Summary: Navigating Home Charging for Company Cars
Charging a company electric car at home is often simply the most convenient option — employees can charge overnight and avoid detours to public chargers, while employers benefit from lower charging costs and reduced need for expensive workplace charging infrastructure. While reimbursement may seem complicated at first, the process is generally straightforward once a clear billing method is defined.
Detailed energy tracking is mainly needed when reimbursement is based on actual electricity consumption in kWh. But even with simpler mileage-based models, choosing a smart wallbox is still worth it. Features such as PV surplus charging and flexible tariff optimisation can significantly reduce charging costs, make better use of self-generated electricity, and help make everyday charging more sustainable.
