Charging an electric car is more straightforward than you’d think, and it’s getting easier and easier. It still takes a little planning compared to a traditional internal combustion engined machine, in particular on longer journeys, but as the charging network grows and the battery range of cars increases, you’re less and less likely to be caught short.
There are three main ways to charge your EV – at home, at work or using a public charging point. Finding any of these chargers is uncomplicated, with most EVs featuring sat-nav with sites plotted on, plus mobile phone apps such as ZapMap showing you where they are and who runs them.
Ultimately, where and when you charge depends on how and where you use the car. However, if an EV fits in with your lifestyle it’s likely that most of your charging will be done at home overnight, with only short top-ups at public charging points when you’re out and about.
How long does it take to charge an electric car ?
The length of time it takes to charge your car essentially comes down to three things – the size of the car’s battery, the amount of electrical current the car can handle and the speed of the charger. The size and power of the battery pack is expressed in kilowatt hours (kWh), and the larger the number the bigger the battery, and the longer it’ll take to fully replenish the cells.
Chargers deliver electricity in kilowatts (kW), with anything from 3kW to 150kW possible – the higher the number the quicker the charging rate. By contrast, the latest rapid charging devices, usually found at service stations, can add up to 80 percent of a full charge within half an hour.
Types of charger
There are essentially three types of charger – slow, fast and rapid. Slow and rapid chargers are usually used in homes or for on-street charging posts, while for a rapid charger you’ll need to visit either a service station or dedicated charging hub, such as the one in Milton Keynes. Some are tethered, meaning that like a petrol pump the cable is attached and you simply plug your car in, while others will require you to use your own cable, which you’ll need to carry around in the car. Here’s a guide to each:
① Slow charger
This is typically a home charger that uses a normal domestic three-pin plug. Charging at just 3kW this method is fine for plug-in electric hybrid vehicles, but with ever increasing battery sizes you can expect recharge times of up to 24 hours for some of the larger pure EV models. Some older street-side charging posts also deliver at this rate, but most have been upgraded to run at the 7kW used on fast chargers. Almost all now use a Type 2 connector thanks to EU regulations in 2014 calling for it to become the standardized charging plug for all European EVs.
② Fast chargers
Typically delivering electricity at between 7kW and 22kW, fast chargers are becoming more common in the UK, particularly at home. Known as wallboxes, these units usually charge at up to 22kW, slashing the time it takes to replenish the battery by more than a half. Mounted in your garage or on your drive, these units will need to be installed by an electrician.
Public fast chargers tend to be untethered posts (so you’ll need to remember your cable), and are usually placed at the roadside or in car parks of shopping centres or hotels. You’ll need to pay as you go for these units, either by signing up for an account with the charging provider or using normal contactless bank card technology.
③ Rapid charger
As the name suggests, these are the quickest and most powerful chargers. Usually operating at a rate of between 43kW and 150kW, these units can operate on Direct Current (DC) or Alternating Current (AC), and in some cases can restore 80 percent of even the largest battery’s charge in just 20 mins.
Usually found at motorway services or dedicated charging hubs, the rapid charger is perfect when planning a longer journey. 43kW AC units use a type 2 connector, while all DC chargers use a larger Combined Charging System (CCS) plug – although cars fitted with CCS can accept a Type 2 plug and can charge at a slower rate.
Most DC rapid chargers work at 50kW, but there are more and more that can charge at between 100 and 150kW, while Tesla has some 250kW units. Yet even this figure is bettered by charging company Ionity, which has started a roll out of 350kW chargers at a handful of sites across the UK. However, not all cars can handle this amount of charge, so check what rate your model is capable of accepting.
What is RFID card?
An RFID, or Radio-Frequency Identification gives you access to most public charging points. You’ll get a different card from each energy provider, which you’d need to swipe over a sensor on the charging post to unlock the connector and allow the electricity to flow. Your account will then be charged with the amount of energy you use to top-up your battery. However, many providers are phasing out RFID cards in favour of either a smartphone app or contactless bank card payment.
Post time: Oct-29-2021