EV charging is simply plugging your electric car into a power source to fill up the battery instead of visiting petrol stations – you plug in at home overnight like charging your phone, or use public charge points around towns and motorways for longer trips. I’ve been fitting home chargers for the past 6 years and it’s dead simple once you get your head round the basics – most people charge at home 90% of the time and only use public chargers for holidays or longer journeys.
How Electric Car Charging Actually Works
What happens when you plug an electric car in?
Right, it’s much simpler than people think. You plug your car in when you get home from work, same as plugging in your phone. Car draws electricity from your house supply (or public charge point) to fill the battery. Wake up next morning and it’s fully charged, ready to go.
No different from any other electrical device really. Car has a big battery instead of petrol tank, electricity instead of fuel. Instead of queuing at petrol stations, you charge while doing other things – sleeping, working, shopping.
Most electric cars take 6-18 hours to charge fully at home depending on battery size and your charger type. Sounds long but doesn’t matter because you’re not standing there waiting. Like putting washing machine on overnight.
Family in Chorley I fitted a charger for last month – plug their Nissan Leaf in every evening around 6pm, unplugged and ready by 7am. Never think about it now, just routine.
What different types of charging are there?
Three main types really – slow, fast, and rapid charging. Each has different uses depending on where you are and how much time you’ve got.
Home charging (slow/fast) – 3kW to 22kW typically. Overnight charging while you sleep. Cheapest electricity rates, most convenient. Covers 90% of your charging needs.
Public destination charging – shops, gyms, car parks. Usually 7kW-22kW. Top up while doing other things. Often free or cheap to encourage customers.
Rapid charging – motorway services, main roads. 50kW-350kW. Charges to 80% in 20-45 minutes. Most expensive but saves time on long trips.
Had customer with Tesla Model 3 – charges at home most nights, uses rapid chargers maybe once monthly for longer journeys. Home charging costs about 8p per mile, rapid charging more like 25p per mile.
How much does charging actually cost?
Home charging’s dead cheap if you’re on the right tariff. Octopus Go gives you 7.5p per unit overnight – that’s about 2-3p per mile for most electric cars. Compare that to petrol at 15-20p per mile.
Public charging varies massively. Some supermarkets offer free charging to customers. Council car parks might charge 15-20p per unit. Motorway rapid chargers can hit 60p+ per unit during peak times.
Customer in Preston calculated his Kia e-Niro costs £4 to charge fully at home (250+ mile range). Same charge at motorway services costs £15-20. That’s why most people charge at home whenever possible.
Where You Can Actually Charge Electric Cars
Home charging – the main option for most people
Home charging covers most people’s needs. Average UK driver does 25-30 miles daily, most electric cars do 150-300 miles per charge. Charge every few days, or nightly if you prefer routine.
Home chargers are compact boxes fixed to house wall or garage. Usually 7kW for single-phase electricity, up to 22kW for three-phase. Much faster and safer than using normal house sockets.
Installation takes 2-3 hours typically. Need decent electrical supply and suitable location – garage wall, outside house wall, driveway area. Most houses fine but older properties sometimes need electrical upgrades.
Government grant (OZEV) covers £350 towards installation costs. Total cost usually £800-£1,200 fitted depending on complexity and cable run lengths.
Public charging network – filling the gaps
There’s tens of thousands of public charge points across UK now. Zapmap app shows you everything – location, availability, pricing, connector types.
Destination chargers at supermarkets, gyms, hotels. Usually 7kW-22kW. Charge while shopping or exercising. Many free or cheap to attract customers.
On-street charging in residential areas without driveways. Lamppost chargers, bollard units, dedicated bays. Growing rapidly in cities but still patchy coverage.
Rapid chargers on main roads and motorways. 50kW-350kW charging. 20-45 minute stops for 80% charge. Essential for longer journeys.
Network’s expanding rapidly but still inconsistent. Some areas well covered, others have big gaps. Planning longer trips needs checking Zapmap for route coverage.
What about charging at work?
Workplace charging becoming more common. Some employers offer free charging as employee benefit. Others charge cost price or small markup.
Usually 7kW-22kW destination chargers in car parks. Perfect for topping up during working day, especially if you can’t charge at home.
Manufacturing firm I fitted chargers for offers free charging to staff. Massive employee perk, helps with recruitment. Costs them maybe £50 monthly per car but worth it for staff retention.
Different Charging Speeds and What They Mean
Slow charging (3kW) – the basic option
3kW charging adds about 10-15 miles range per hour. Mainly for overnight home charging or long-stay destination charging.
Uses normal house sockets but proper EV charging cable. Slower than dedicated home charger but works for low-mileage users or occasional charging.
Not ideal for daily use because it’s slow and can stress house wiring. Better to get proper 7kW home charger if you’re charging regularly.
Fast charging (7kW-22kW) – the sweet spot
7kW charging adds 25-30 miles range per hour. Perfect for home charging and most public destination charging. Most popular option.
22kW charging needs three-phase electricity supply. Adds 60-80 miles range per hour. Great for workplace or destination charging but most houses only have single-phase.
Customer with BMW i3 has 7kW home charger. Charges from 20% to full in about 4-5 hours. Plenty for overnight charging between daily use.
Rapid charging (50kW+) – the long journey solution
50kW rapid charging adds 100+ miles in 30-45 minutes. Good for motorway stops and longer journeys. Most electric cars handle 50kW charging.
100kW+ ultra-rapid charging adds 200+ miles in 20-30 minutes. Newer cars with bigger batteries benefit most. Tesla Superchargers, Ionity network mainly.
350kW ultra-rapid chargers exist but few cars can use full speed yet. Future-proofing for next generation electric cars with massive batteries.
Practical Charging Tips and Best Practices
How do you actually start charging?
Most simple thing in the world once you’ve done it few times. Walk before you run – practice at local charge points before attempting longer journeys.
Home charging: Plug cable into car, switch on charger (if needed), car starts charging automatically. Unplug when finished. Some chargers have apps for scheduling cheap rate charging.
Public charging: Open Zapmap app, find nearby charger, check it’s working and available. Plug in, authenticate (app/contactless/RFID card), charging starts. End session through app when finished.
Different networks use different payment methods. Some need their own apps, others take contactless payments. Zap-Pay through Zapmap works with multiple networks – saves carrying loads of RFID cards.
What’s the best charging routine?
Think about your typical journeys and develop routine that works. Most people charge at home every few days, top up at public chargers when convenient.
Best practice for battery health:
- Charge to 80% for daily use, 100% only for longer trips
- Don’t let battery drop below 20% regularly
- Rapid charge only when needed – frequent rapid charging affects battery longevity
- Charge overnight when electricity’s cheapest
Customer with Hyundai Kona developed good routine – charges at home Sunday and Wednesday nights to 80%, occasional rapid charging on longer trips. Battery health still excellent after three years.
How do you plan longer journeys?
Longer journeys need bit more planning than petrol cars but not complicated. Check route on Zapmap, identify charging stops, allow extra time for charging breaks.
Most electric cars now do 200-300 miles per charge. For 400+ mile journeys, plan one charging stop. 600+ mile journeys might need two stops.
Charge to 80% at rapid chargers – charging speeds drop significantly after 80%, so quicker to stop at 80% and find another charger if needed.
Build in contingency – chargers sometimes broken, queues at busy times. Have backup options identified. Never know when there might be diversions or delays.
Electric Car Charging Costs and Tariffs
What are the cheapest ways to charge?
Home charging on cheap overnight tariffs is always cheapest option. Octopus Go, Economy 7, other time-of-use tariffs offer cheap overnight electricity.
Solar panels make home charging even cheaper during summer – essentially free charging from your own roof generation. Solar and EV charging combination works brilliantly for many customers.
Free public charging still exists – some supermarkets, hotels, attractions offer free charging to customers. Worth checking Zapmap for free charging locations near you.
How much do different charging options actually cost?
Home charging costs (typical):
- Standard rate (day/night): 25p-30p per kWh
- Economy 7 night rate: 12p-15p per kWh
- Octopus Go overnight: 7.5p per kWh
- Solar charging: essentially free after payback
Public charging costs:
- Destination charging: free to 25p per kWh
- Fast public charging: 35p-45p per kWh
- Rapid charging: 45p-65p per kWh
- Tesla Supercharging: 40p-55p per kWh
Real-world example: Volkswagen ID.3 costs about £3-4 for full charge at home (Economy 7 rates), £12-15 at rapid chargers. That’s 250+ mile range either way.
What about smart charging and time-of-use tariffs?
Smart charging automatically charges your car during cheapest electricity periods. Many home chargers have built-in smart features, or use apps to schedule charging.
Time-of-use tariffs charge different rates throughout day. Cheap overnight (often 7p-12p per kWh), expensive peak hours (35p-50p per kWh).
Customer switched to Octopus Go – charges BMW i4 overnight at 7.5p per kWh instead of 30p standard rate. Saves £40+ monthly on charging costs. Smart charger handles timing automatically.
Future of Electric Vehicle Charging
What’s coming next in EV charging?
Charging speeds increasing rapidly. 350kW chargers arriving, future cars will charge even faster. Eventually 10-minute charging for 200+ miles range.
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology lets electric cars feed power back to house or grid during peak demand. Turn your car into giant battery storing cheap electricity.
Wireless charging being tested – drive over charging pad, car charges automatically. Still early development but could eliminate charging cables eventually.
How’s the charging network growing?
Public charging network expanding rapidly. Government targets 300,000 public charge points by 2030. New charging hubs opening regularly.
On-street charging crucial for people without driveways. Lamppost chargers, bollards, residential charging bays. Slow rollout but gathering pace.
Destination charging at shops, offices, leisure facilities becoming standard. Many businesses see charging as customer service and marketing opportunity.
What does this mean for potential EV buyers?
Charging infrastructure improving rapidly but still main concern for potential EV buyers. Range anxiety decreasing as cars improve and charging expands.
Most people’s charging needs already covered by current infrastructure. Home charging handles daily use, public network covers longer trips.
Early adopters dealt with limited charging options. New buyers benefit from much better infrastructure and faster, more reliable cars.
Thinking about getting an electric car? Check charging options for your area and consider getting a home charger installed before you buy the car.