Electric cars are growing in popularity in the UK due to their economic and environmental benefits. But one of the biggest questions prospective new owners have is how to charge an EV (Electric Vehicle).
How to charge an electric car
There are essentially two options for charging your electric car.
They can be charged at home through a wall socket or by using a public charging point.
Charging an electric car at home
Motorists can charge their EV at home using a standard wall socket or by having a fast-charging point installed.
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A wall socket an easy option and probably the most convenient, however, charging times can be lengthy using this method.
Alternatively, you can have a fast-charging point installed to get faster charge times.
It’s estimated that 80 per cent of EV charging takes place at home.
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The government will also cover some of the installation cost of a fast-charging point under their Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme.
The grant is available to all EV owners but the installation must be done by an approved contractor.
Once installed, you only pay for the electricity you use to charge the car.
In the UK, the typical electricity rate is approximately 14p per kWh, while on Economy 7 tariffs the typical overnight rate is 8p per kWh.
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Charging an electric car in public
Public charging points are located all over the UK.
Zap-Map is a dedicated app motorist can download to see where these are.
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Most of these charging stations will require you to have the providers swipecard or app to unlock the charging point.
A number of different operators own charging points so it’s worth doing your research beforehand to see which company best suits your public charging needs.
Once the charging point is unlocked, you’ll be able to connect the lead to your car.
Charging speeds can also vary.
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