How to Charge an Electric Car

The EV Charging ecosystem

Charging an electric car works differently from refuelling a petrol or diesel vehicle.

Instead of waiting until the battery is empty and then filling up, EV drivers tend to plug in whenever their car is parked. When they return, the battery has gained range while they were away.

A useful way to think about charging is considering, where do I park most often?

For most drivers, the main charging locations are:

1. Home
2. Work
3. Public destinations (shops, leisure locations, car parks)

Occasionally you may need to travel further than your remaining battery range allows. In those situations, you can charge en route using rapid chargers.

Charging an Electric Car at home

If you have off-street parking, you can install a dedicated home charger and charge your vehicle overnight. Home charging is usually the most convenient and cost-effective way to run an electric car.

A dedicated home charger offers several advantages:

• Faster charging speeds, typically adding 10–30 miles of range per hour
• Built-in safety features designed specifically for EV charging
• Smart features such as energy monitoring, scheduled charging and software updates (if connected via Wi-Fi)
• Simple operation, just plug in and charge

Many home chargers come with a tethered cable permanently attached, meaning you simply plug the cable into your car.

Others feature a universal Type 2 socket, which allows you to plug in a separate charging cable.

These cables are often supplied with the vehicle, but if yours didn’t include one (or you want a spare), they can usually be purchased when ordering your home charger.

Although it is technically possible to charge from a standard 3-pin domestic socket, this is much slower and lacks the safety features of a dedicated EV charger. For regular charging, a proper home charger is strongly recommended.

Tip: Even if your home charger has a tethered cable, you’ll still need a separate Type 2 cable for most public charging stations. The exception is rapid chargers, which always have cables attached.

Charging an Electric Car at Work

Charging at work is highly convenient because your vehicle is often parked for several hours during the day.

Many businesses now install EV chargers for employees and visitors as:

• An employee benefit
• Part of their sustainability goals
• A way to support electric company vehicles

Workplace chargers typically offer similar charging speeds to home chargers and usually feature universal Type 2 sockets, meaning you’ll need to bring your own cable.

Depending on how the charging system is set up, charging may start by:

• Simply plugging in
• Using an RFID card
• Starting the session through a mobile app

In some cases, businesses install rapid chargers (around 50kW). These are more expensive and are usually reserved for fleet vehicles that need to charge quickly between trips, rather than employee vehicles.

Company car drivers choosing an electric vehicle can also benefit from lower Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) tax rates, making EVs a popular option for company fleets.

Tip: If your workplace doesn’t yet offer EV charging, consider speaking with colleagues and raising the idea with your HR team. Employee interest is often a key factor in businesses deciding to install charging points.

Charging at Public Destinations

Many EV drivers charge their vehicles while visiting public locations such as supermarkets, retail parks, gyms, cinemas, and town-centre car parks. This is often called destination charging.

In many cases, drivers don’t need to fully recharge the battery. Regular top-ups throughout the day help ensure the vehicle always has plenty of range available.

Typical destination chargers provide around 7kW of charging power, which can add roughly 20-30 miles of range per hour for fully electric vehicles.

Other things to know:

• Some businesses provide charging free of charge to attract customers.
• You will usually need to bring your own charging cable.
• Charging sessions may start via a smartphone app, contactless payment, or simply plugging in.
• Some older chargers require an RFID access card, though many networks are moving away from these to allow easier access for drivers.

You can use apps like Zap-Map to locate nearby public charging points.

Tip: If you’re planning to use a specific charger, it’s worth checking how the network operates before arriving. Most networks aim to make charging simple, but knowing whether you need an app or account in advance can save time.

Charging on Long Journeys or in Emergencies

When travelling longer distances, you may occasionally need to charge before reaching your destination.

In these situations you can use rapid chargers, typically located at:

• Motorway service stations
• Major roads
• Large supermarkets and travel hubs

Rapid chargers typically deliver 43kW to 350kW of power, allowing EVs to recharge much faster than standard chargers.

Key things to know about rapid charging:

• Rapid chargers are usually paid services
• Cables are always attached, so you don’t need to bring your own
• Vehicles connect using one of three rapid charging connector types, depending on the car

Modern rapid chargers usually support multiple connector standards, allowing a wide range of EVs to charge.

Rapid chargers are also useful if you unexpectedly run low on battery during everyday driving.

Tip: Rapid charging is usually the only time EV drivers actively wait for their car to charge, which is why charging speed matters more in these situations. For everyday charging, which usually happens while your car is parked anyway, charging speed is less critical, as long as you have regular access to charging points.