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Guide to EV Charging
Section 1 – Where can you charge your EV?
If you need to charge up your EV whilst you are out and about, it should be pretty easy to find a charging point. Currently, there are 42,000 electric vehicle charging points in the UK at around 15,500 locations. These charging points can be found in supermarket car parks, service stations and shopping centres. There are also many EV charging points that will charge up your car for free.
If you don’t want to drive to an EV charging point, if possible, you can charge up your car at home. To do this you must have a home charging point, which you can have installed. Having a home charger also gives you the flexibility of charging whenever you want, without leaving the house.
If you are looking to have a charging point installed at your home address, check with the UK Government’s current grant schemes, to see if you are eligible for a grant, at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-grants-for-low-emission-vehicles.
Contents
Section 1 – Where can you charge your EV?
Section 2 – How long does it take to charge?
Section 3 – What types of EV charging cables are there?
Section 2 – How long does it take to charge?
Depending on where you charge your EV depends on how long it will take for the car to fully charge. If you are charging at home, it will more than likely take your EV between 8-10 hours to fully charge. We recommend carrying out this type of charge, a slow charge, overnight, so it is fully charged by the morning. You can also save money if you have a tariff with your energy provider that makes your energy usage cheaper at night.
EV charging points in car parks, such as those in hotels are a little quicker, and will take between 3 to 4 hours to fully charge your car. These fast chargers are a great idea if you are planning to go shopping.
The quickest EV charging points are usually found at service stations at the side of motorways. These charging points, known as rapid chargers, will fully charge your car in as little as 30 minutes to an hour. This is enough time to have a break on a long journey, to get something to eat, stretch your legs and nip to the bathroom.
Section 3 – What types of EV charging cables are there?
In the UK, there are currently different types of cables that can be used to charge your electric vehicle. See the details below to make sure you are using the correct cable for your electric vehicle:
Three Pin Plug (UK)
These cables will fit into the standard domestic electricity outlet. These cables work at a slow rate, that will charge at a rate of 5 miles every half an hour. Therefore, it will take between 8-10 hours to fully charge your vehicle.
Type 1 Plug
These cables are used during a slow or a fast charge, they will be used to charge your car at a much quicker rate, at a rate of 12 miles every half an hour. These cables are less common in the UK, but they will charge your car much quicker than the three pin plug charger.
Type 2 Plug
These cables are used during a rapid charge and will usually be used at service stations alongside motorways. These cables allow the car to charge at a rate of 75 miles every half an hour, making it much quicker than the other two cable types.
When charging your vehicle make sure you are using the correct cable, for both the charging rate, wattage and your type of car.
If charging at home you will need to supply your own cable, whether bought separately or one that comes with the car. When you are charging in a public place, or a car park, the chances are that the cables will be provided at the charging point.