How and Where Can I Charge My EV?

An electric vehicle won't operate unless its battery is fully charged, just as a conventionally powered vehicle won't run without petrol in the tank. But unlike regular drivers, who can only refuel at petrol stations, EV owners have a variety of alternatives for doing so. Here is a brief overview of what is offered:

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CHARGE AT HOME

If you have access to electrical service at home, this is the simplest way to keep an EV charged. Every EV is equipped with a simple charging device that enables "Level 1" charging, or plugging into a regular 230-volt wall outlet. Utilising house electricity to charge your EV to full charge might take up to eight hours which is why home charging is perfect for those overnight top-ups.

A dedicated 240-volt connection and a specialised "Level 2" charger installed by an electrician in your home are a preferable option. Although slightly more costly, the additional up-front expenditures will be justified by the significantly faster charging times. Using Level 2 charging, an EV's battery may be fully recharged in four hours or less, depending on the model.

If it’s the installation and usage cost that's hovering over your head, don’t worry! There are government incentives available to homeowners to help with the cost of home EV charging. Take a look at our schemes and grants resource or the government website for more information on the types of EV Charging grants available.

Charging at home is also the cheapest way to keep an EV running, and using a dedicated EV charge point can be cheaper than plugging into a standard plug. Electricity costs much less than petrol or diesel and electric cars require less maintenance than an internal combustion engine (ICE). You can check out our EV Fuel Savings Calculator to see how much you could save.

With the average UK electricity price sitting at around 17.2p per kWh (April 2022), assuming an electric car will travel 3.5 miles per kWh on average, to travel 100 miles would cost around £5 or 4.91p per mile. Compare this to a petrol vehicle which would cost around £20.10 (per 100 miles) or 20.1p per mile (April 2022). This is over 4 times more expensive than the cost to run an electric car per mile- and with rising fuel costs this is only going to increase.

Many EVs use a smartphone app to let owners schedule charging during certain hours when electricity is cheaper if the local electric company offers discounted off-peak rates.

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PUBLIC CHARGING

Although they are still not as common as petrol stations, public EV charging stations are being erected all throughout the UK at a rapid rate. There are now about 42,000 of them spread across more than 15,500 UK locations, many of which have several charging stations. They are more common in or close to places where there are plenty of EVs. Apartment complexes, public car parks, retail car parks, auto dealerships, and even some street parking frequently have them placed.

The majority of public charging stations do charge a fee that varies by operator and for access to some charging networks' units, you must be a member. For the sole use of Tesla EV owners, Tesla Motors has built up a sizable "Supercharger" network of charging stations at its outlets and other sites across the world, including right here in the UK! It's crucial that you map out your journey in accordance with the locations of public charging stations if you're taking an EV on any type of road trip. zap-map.com, a website and practical EV app, is one of the many websites and applications that EV owners may use to find charging stations everywhere in the UK.

The majority of public chargers are configured for Level 2 charging, making them ideal for "top-up" charging an EV's battery while out and about or dining (especially since some many public car parks have a time restriction). Finding a station that offers "Level 3" charging, often known as DC rapid charging, is a preferable option. This method can charge an EV's battery to 80% of its capacity in under 30 minutes, making it the fastest of all.

However, keep in mind that some Level 3 chargers have different connection port layouts than others and so you might need to utilise an adapter. Check out this Manta Power resource for more information on the types of EV chargers. Before you approach an unknown charging station, use websites or apps like the one we mentioned earlier to check in advance if your EV is compatible with the chargepoint.

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WORKPLACE CHARGING

For the convenience of their employees, several businesses have placed electric vehicle chargers on their property and in their car parks. Since a car can be connected during the length of an eight-hour workday, Level 2 chargers are the perfect option for charging EV’s at work. Workplace charging is on the rise, as are EV charging stations in general, in part because of the government incentives that are available to help pay for it.

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Hotel & Holiday Let EV Charge Points

As EV popularity grows, we are seeing many more hotels and holiday accommodation sites installing EV charging stations to offer out to both their guests and staff. Having EV charging stations on holiday accommodation sites will be vital going into the future as the roads become more green. So next time you’re at the sunny seaside like Cornwall, have a look out for how many EV charging stations there are and remember all the ways they benefit travellers, locals and business owners alike.

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