# What Size Cable for a 22kW EV Charger? By EV Charge Cables · Published 17 October 2026 **The short version** A 22kW charger is three-phase, so its supply cable is a multi-core SWA sized by your electrician to BS 7671, but most UK homes are single-phase and only need a 7kW install. - 22kW needs a three-phase supply most UK homes do not have - The supply cable is a multi-core SWA, size set by your installer - The car also needs a three-phase onboard charger to reach 22kW A 22kW EV charger runs on a three-phase supply at roughly 32A per phase, and the supply cable feeding it is almost always a multi-core steel-wire armoured (SWA) run sized by your installer to BS 7671. The honest answer is that most UK homes have a single-phase supply and cannot use 22kW at home without a costly three-phase upgrade through the local network operator, so many people asking this question actually only need a [7kW install](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-size-cable-for-a-7kw-ev-charger). There is no single definitive size: the cable is chosen by a qualified electrician based on your supply, the run and the car. Before anything else, it helps to be clear about which "cable" you mean, because the word covers two completely different things on an EV setup. ### Supply cable or charging lead: which one do you mean? The word "cable" trips a lot of people up, so here is the distinction in plain terms. - **The supply (install) cable:** the fixed wiring an electrician runs from your consumer unit or fuse box out to the wallbox. It is measured in mm² (cross-sectional area) and sized and fitted by a qualified installer to BS 7671. For 22kW this is typically a multi-core SWA cable. - **The charging lead:** the Type 2 cable between the car and the charge point, measured in LENGTH (metres) and current (amps). This is the part we make. We make EV charging cables (the lead), not the installation wiring. For the supply cable and the install itself, use a qualified EV installer. If you have landed here because you want a lead, our [length guide](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-length-ev-charging-cable-do-i-need) and the [charging cables by car](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/collections/ev-charging-cables) are the right place to start. The rest of this guide is about the fixed supply wiring for a 22kW charger. ### Can you even have a 22kW charger at home? For most UK homes, the honest answer is no, not without significant work. A 22kW charger needs a three-phase supply, and the typical UK home has a single-phase supply. Getting three-phase brought in means an upgrade arranged through your Distribution Network Operator (DNO), which is uncommon for domestic properties and can be expensive and slow. So the first thing a good installer will check is what supply you actually have. If it is single-phase, 22kW is off the table at home and a 7kW wallbox is almost certainly what you want. You can read more on the difference in our guide to [single-phase versus three-phase EV charging](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/single-phase-vs-three-phase-ev-charging). #### Does the car need anything special for 22kW? Yes. Even with a three-phase supply and a 22kW charger, the car has to have a three-phase onboard charger to accept 22kW on AC. Many electric cars top out at 7.4kW or 11kW on AC regardless of what the wallbox can deliver, so they would never pull the full 22kW. A faster charger or a heavier lead never makes a car charge quicker than its own onboard limit. Our guides on [7kW versus 22kW](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/7kw-vs-22kw) and [whether you need a 22kW cable](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/do-i-need-a-22kw-cable) go into this in more detail. ### What supply cable does a 22kW charger use? A 22kW circuit is a three-phase circuit, so the supply cable is a multi-core type, commonly a 5-core SWA (three phases, neutral and earth). The exact conductor size in mm² is not something we or anyone else can give you for your specific job, because it depends on several factors that only your installer can assess on site. The size is determined by a qualified electrician to BS 7671, taking into account the run length, the installation method, grouping with other cables, ambient temperature and voltage drop. A longer run often means going up a conductor size to keep voltage drop within the regulations. Treat any single number you see online as a starting point for a conversation with your installer, not a specification for your home. #### SWA or twin-and-earth? For outdoor, buried or exposed runs, steel-wire armoured (SWA) cable is the usual choice because the armour gives mechanical protection. Twin-and-earth (T&E) is only suitable for protected indoor runs, and in any case a 22kW three-phase circuit needs a multi-core cable rather than standard single-phase T&E. Any buried cable must be laid at an adequate depth with warning tape and suitable mechanical protection per the regulations. Your installer will confirm the depth and protection; it is not something to guess at. ### How does 22kW compare with a 7kW home install? The table below sets out the practical differences. It is a general reference, not a sizing instruction: your electrician confirms the actual cable and protection for your property to BS 7671. | Factor | 7kW home charger | 22kW charger | | --- | --- | --- | | Supply type | Single-phase 230V (typical UK home) | Three-phase (uncommon at UK homes) | | Current | Around 32A on one phase | Around 32A per phase | | Supply cable | Often 6mm² for ordinary runs, 10mm² for longer runs, installer confirms | Multi-core SWA, e.g. 5-core, size per installer design | | Supply upgrade needed? | Usually not | Often yes: three-phase via the DNO, costly and slower | | Car must support it? | Almost all AC cars accept 7kW | Only cars with a three-phase onboard charger reach 22kW | | Who sizes the cable? | Qualified electrician to BS 7671 | Qualified electrician to BS 7671 | ### What about voltage drop and long runs? Voltage drop matters on any EV circuit, and more so on longer runs. If the charge point sits a long way from the consumer unit, the installer may specify a larger conductor to keep voltage drop within the BS 7671 limits. This is one of the main reasons two homes with the same charger can end up with different cable sizes. It is a design calculation for your installer, so avoid fixing on a size before the site has been assessed. ### Who can install a 22kW charger, and what approvals are needed? Installing or altering an EV charge point circuit in England and Wales is notifiable work under Part P. It must be carried out by a registered competent person, for example an installer registered with NICEIC, NAPIT or Stroma, or otherwise notified to building control. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own equivalent arrangements. DIY is only legal if the work fully complies and is notified and inspected, and it is strongly discouraged for EV circuits given the loads and safety risks involved. Your installer also notifies the DNO for an EV charge point. Some supplies and higher outputs need prior DNO approval before the work can go ahead, which can add time to the project. For a three-phase 22kW job this step is especially likely to matter. Our guide on what to expect from an [EV home charger installation](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/ev-charger-installation-guide) walks through the process. #### What if the supply cannot take the extra load? If the main fuse or supply cannot comfortably take the extra demand, the installer does not always have to upgrade the supply. They may fit a CT-clamp load manager so the charger automatically backs off when the house is drawing heavily. This is a common, cost-effective alternative to supply upgrade work, and it is worth asking your installer about. ### So what should most people actually do? If you searched for a 22kW cable size, start by confirming your supply. Single-phase homes, which is most of them, should plan around a 7kW install and a suitable supply cable sized by the electrician. Only pursue 22kW if you genuinely have, or can justify, a three-phase supply and a car that can use it. For the fixed wiring, get a qualified EV installer to assess your property and size the cable to BS 7671. For the charging lead, which is the part sized by length, see our [length guide](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-length-ev-charging-cable-do-i-need) or browse all our [EV charging guides](https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides). Support may exist for some households through EV chargepoint grants, so check gov.uk for the current schemes and eligibility. ### Frequently asked questions #### What size cable for a 22kW EV charger? A 22kW charger is a three-phase circuit, so it uses a multi-core cable such as a 5-core SWA. There is no single definitive size: the conductor is sized by a qualified electrician to BS 7671 based on your supply, the run length, installation method, grouping, temperature and voltage drop. #### Can I have a 22kW charger at home? Usually not without a three-phase supply, which most UK homes do not have. Bringing in three-phase means an upgrade through your DNO that is uncommon for homes and can be costly and slow. Most homes are better suited to a 7kW charger. #### Do I need a special 22kW charging cable? A 22kW charging lead only helps if you have a three-phase supply and a car with a three-phase onboard charger. On a standard single-phase home with a 7kW charger, a 22kW lead does not make the car charge any faster than its onboard limit. #### Will my car actually charge at 22kW? Only if it has a three-phase onboard charger. Many electric cars accept 7.4kW or 11kW on AC, so they would never draw the full 22kW even on a 22kW charger. Check your car's AC charging specification before planning for 22kW. #### Is SWA or twin-and-earth right for a 22kW supply? For outdoor, buried or exposed runs, steel-wire armoured cable is the usual choice because the armour gives mechanical protection, and a three-phase circuit needs a multi-core cable. Twin-and-earth suits protected indoor runs only. Your installer confirms the cable and protection to BS 7671. #### Does a 22kW charger need DNO approval? Your installer notifies the DNO for an EV charge point, and some supplies and higher outputs need prior approval before work starts, which can add time. A three-phase 22kW installation is especially likely to involve this step, so factor it into your timeline. --- Canonical version: https://www.evchargecable.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-size-cable-for-a-22kw-ev-charger EV Charge Cables, EV charging cables matched to your car: https://www.evchargecable.co.uk. 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