Public charging

Convenient and affordable charging infrastructure is crucial in the switch to electric vehicles, and local authorities have a vital role to play in delivering excellent access across the country.
The UK Government’s ambition is to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040. Based on this ambition, Energy Saving Trust forecasts that by 2030 there could be 8-11 million hybrid or electric cars on the UK’s roads, and over 25 million hybrid or electric cars by 2040. For context, there were 31.2 million cars in the UK in 2017.

An increasing number of EV drivers require public chargepoints: approximately a third of households in the UK do not have a driveway or garage and cannot install a home chargepoint, and there are plenty of other drivers who want to ‘top-up’ their battery while away from home.

Local authorities can help meet this growing need from residents and local businesses in a range of ways. They can install grant-funded chargepoints, partner with chargepoint operators to gain additional investment, and update planning policies to ensure new developments include chargepoints.

FAQ's

How do I charge my electric vehicle?

To charge your electric vehicle you will need to plug into a charge point. This may be one you can access in a public location such as a service station, or more conveniently, one installed at home or work.

Depending on the location of the charging point, it can be as simple as just plugging the car in. An app, RFID (radio frequency identification) card or a contactless card may also be required.

We suggest you plug your car in whenever you park to stay topped up. We also recommend traveling with your own charging cable just in case one is not supplied.

How long will my EV take to charge?

Your electric vehicle can take anywhere between 30 minutes to over 12 hours to charge depending on the speed of the charging point you choose and the size of the car battery.

The typical electric car (60kWh battery) will take around 8 hours to fully charge using a 7kW charging point. However, many EV owners top up their cars rather than charging from empty to full; 35 minutes of charge can add around 100 miles range.

How much will it cost to charge my EV?

Charging your electric vehicle at home is the main option for many EV owners. In order to keep the cost of charging as low as possible it’s important to be on the best home energy tariff as the charging cost is included in your standard electricity bill.

Many local authority chargers offer a pay per session arrangement for on-street chargers. Look out for network subscription availability as this means they can be free to use.

If you are charging your car in a public location you can expect to pay around £6-7 for 30 minutes of charging (Pod Point rapid chargers cost 23p/kWh at Lidl and 24p/kWh at Tesco). These costs are subject to variation depending on the power of the charging point.

Tesla owners are billed at 24p per kWh (kilowatt-hour).

Which car brands are compatible?

Not all electric vehicle brands are compatible with every type of charging point.

Charging points vary from slow to fast to rapid, and only a few cars are compatible with rapid chargers, such as the Tesla Model S or Kia Soul (30 minutes will achieve an 80% charge for these models).

Tesla has its own proprietary network of chargers in public places, which is exclusive to its cars. Tesla models can be charged at home off any Type 2 charging unit.

We will provide advice on the options that are compatible with your vehicle.

Have more questions? Please get in touch.

Smartcharging options

We’re always happy to provide advice, arrange a site visit or supply a quote.

Please give us a call on 01524 748006 to discuss your needs or feel free to email us on info@ichargeev.co.uk