>The idea of one requiring electricity was foreign to me, but it seems
as 
>if in the UK it is common for the shower to have it's own integrated 
>water heater.  Are they all that way over there?

With the number of very old houses in the UK, which people attempt to
update to reasonably modern fittings, these devices are a popular way of
providing a local hot water source rather than attempting to run an
extra water pipe (which may fall foul of Historic Places building
requirements, if the property has listed status) which can involve a lot
of work.

Also used a lot where an ordinary house has set up as a bed and
breakfast place, and the original domestic water heating will not be up
to the task of supplying multiple on-suite units with hot water. They
make for an easy add-on to the existing system.

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