Our EV charging guide will take you through the basics of how to charge your car. Charging can seem like a headache when considering an electric vehicle. In this guide, we'll explain the different ways to charge an electric vehicle.
The Basics
When you own an electric vehicle, the idea of going to the garage to refuel becomes a thing of the past. Instead, EV drivers wake up every morning "full of gas" and hardly ever need to refuel on the go (except for those occasional extra-long trips.)
"As an EV driver, you no longer need to stand in line at the gas station, saving time and money."
You can charge your car anywhere there is power and a standard household plug outlet (for example when visiting friends). There are also many places where you can charge your electric car. These are called charging points. They range from standard to large fast charging units in city centers, parking lots, freeway service stations, hotels and an ever-expanding range of transport-friendly locations across the country.
"Cars in the UK spend 96 percent of their time parked. That means 162 hours a week to charge your car!"
Types of Charging
The 3 types of electric vehicle charging you need to know about.RAPID Chargers - typically 50-150Kw, capable of quickly charging your car after a short charge on a long journey.
FAST Chargers - 3-7Kw, usually in public parking lots or at home, where your car can be parked for hours to charge at a slower rate.
3-Pin Charging Cable - Portable slow speed 2.3kW charging cable that plugs into any regular 13amp outlet and can be used anywhere.
The type of charger you use will be affected by where you are, what chargers are available, and how much time you have. However, you will need to use a fast charger on long trips to extend the range of your electric vehicle.
3-Pin / EVSE / Granny Charging
This refers to charging using a portable charging cable that plugs into a standard 13-amp household outlet.
This will charge your EV at a slower rate (typically 10 amps/2.3 kW), which equates to a range of about 10 miles in one hour of charging time.
Charging with a 3-pin charging cable is the perfect way to charge on the go, for example when you're on vacation or visiting friends and family.
Fast charging at home
Fast charging is the next step to charging at home with a 3-pin plug. If you have a dedicated home charging point installed, Quick Charge is the charging you can do.
Quick Charge simply allows you to charge your car battery faster. When your budget allows, we recommend that you install a dedicated EV fast charger in your home, as this provides a very elegant way to charge your car, it allows for faster charging when you need it, and it provides greater charging capacity for homes that intend to become electric.
Most home fast chargers offer 32amps / 7kW of charging power and a range of about 25-30 miles on a one hour charge for most electric vehicles.
Public Fast Chargers
There is a large network of public fast chargers. These typically charge at the same rate as your home charging point (7kW) and provide 25-30 miles on a one-hour charge. However, there are slower 3kW fast chargers that take twice as long to provide this level of charge. Public fast chargers are often located in places where you may park for long periods of time, such as park-and-rides or municipal parking lots.
They all have a type 2 socket (which is a universal charge point socket) and if you wish, you can provide your EV with a cable suitable for the charge point end connection and then have a type or type 2 end suitable for your car. You will need to have your own cable to use these charging points. These types of charging points are useful for free charging (as most of them tend to be free to use) and may be useful to you if you can't charge your car at home, however, they are not suitable for long trips as they take time to charge your car and if a space is occupied it can be occupied for hours, or even all day.
