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Electric Car Charging

Charging your electric car

Charging an electric car is not much different from filling the tank of a petrol or diesel vehicle but with one major advantage: you can also do it at home.

You can find public chargers at locations such as supermarkets, car parks and motorway service stations. Many employers also provide charging points at their premises. Additionally, you can have a charging point installed at home (depending on suitability), allowing for convenient overnight charging and whenever your electric car is not being used.

The easiest way to find a charger near you is to use an app, like that provided by Zap Map.

3 easy steps to charging your electric car

 

 

  1. Find your charging unit

    This could be a home wall box, a charging unit at your place or work, or a public charging unit. Then, find the charging port on your vehicle. Ensure you are using the correct port for the charging unit, this could be AC or DC.

  2. Connect the charging cable

    Usually home wall boxes and AC chargers don’t have a cable included so you can use the charging cable that comes with your vehicle. If you are using a DC charging station, the cable will be attached to the unit ready to plug into your vehicle. 

  3. Charge your car

    Most vehicles will display a light or signal to confirm they are charging so once you see this, you can lock your vehicle (if you are leaving it) and allow it to charge. Please refer to your vehicle guide for model specific charging times.

Volkswagen car charging

Home Charging

 

Having an electric car gives you the ability to charge your vehicle with ease and at a time that suits you from the comfort of your own home. You can use a domestic three-pin socket to charge it; however, it is recommended that you install a home wall box.

Our recommended wall box supplier Ohme, one of the UK's leading providers of electric vehicle charging, can help you choose the right charging unit for you and your vehicle.

Benefits of installing a home wall box

 

Installing a wall box within your home can significantly reduce charging time of your electric car. Take a look at some of the other benefits below:

Schedule a charge when it's cheapest

Charge your vehicle up to 10 times faster than a 3-pin plug

Potential to improve the value of your property

Charge your vehicle at a time that is convenient for you

Wide range of home charging products available

Potential of EV charging point grant for renters and flat owners

View Government grants

Want to know more about home charging and wall box installation?

Explore OHME

Charging points and charging times

When you drive an electric car, you have a range of options for charging its battery. Instead of being limited to a petrol station, you can charge at home, at work, or at a charging point – some of which are free. Where you charge and for how long will affect the amount of range added, and the cost.

At home

If you have a home charger installed you can fully charge your battery with maximum convenience. Some suppliers even offer tarrifs with lower electricity prices at night for you to take advantage of. 

Find out more about home charging

At work

More and more employers are installing charging points in company car parks. These will usually be slow chargers which take the whole working day (8-10 hours) to fully charge the battery.

At a public charging point

Public charging points can be often be found in places you would be driving to: supermarkets, shopping centres, public car parks and hotels, for example. Most of these chargers will be free to use, though they may limit how long you can connect or require you to be a customer. These chargers will usually be fast or rapid.

Find out more information about the different public networks, their charging methods and payment options by visiting Zap-Map.

Visit Zap-Map

Charging speeds

How long it takes to charge your electric car can vary depending on the size of the battery, the distance driven between charges, the type of charging plug used to connect, and the type of charger. 

There are four main charger types, essentially defined by their potential charging speeds:

Average Charging Speed*:

  • Slow (up to 3kW AC): 16-20 hours
  • Fast (7kW - 22kW AC): 2-6 hours
  • Rapid (50 - 100kW DC): 40-60 minutes

These charging capabilities will be displayed on the charge point unit.

*Charging speed is based on a 60kWh battery charging from 10% to 80% 

Electric car charger types

There are multiple different charging plugs. Which one you use will depend on your electric car and the power rating of the charging point:

  • Type 2 - Becoming the standard European solution. Adds approximately 75 miles range per 30 minutes of charging. All Volkswagen Group electric vehicles use type 2 charging plugs. 
  • Combined Charging System - The most versatile connector and likely to become the DC connector standard. Adds around 85-200 miles range per 30 minutes of charging.

Choose from one of the options below to find out more about electric cars

Take a look at these useful links to find the answers to all your electric car questions.

Is an electric car right for you?

Financing an electric car

Electric car running costs

Interested in a test drive? 

Our local retailers are there to answer any questions, give you expert advice on all our products and arrange a test drive. 

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