HOME EV chargers could be switched off at peak times as early as next year to avoid overloading the grid, according to a report in The Times newspaper.

New regulations will come into force at the end of May 2022, the paper said, meaning new chargers in the home and workplace will be pre-set to not function from 8am to 11am and 4pm to 10pm, while random 30-minute delays can be imposed if demand becomes too great.

The move will not apply to public chargers and rapid chargers on motorways and A-roads, while shift workers may be able to override the home shutdowns.

Despite government concerns about overloading supply, the  National Grid has said it is confident the network can support the extra demand for electricity as EVs become more popular and has predicted that even if everyone switched to EVs overnight, demand would only increase by around 10%.

There is also an understanding that smart charging and vehicle-to-grid technology will reduce the need for extra grid capacity.