Did you know that more electric cars were registered in 2021 than in the previous 5 years combined? The new all-electric era is fast approaching! To help you make choices about your next purchase, Motorfinity provides a comprehensive guide on how to charge electric cars.
We are never very far away from an electricity supply, and you can simply plug your car into the mains but is it that simple?
If your car is parked on a driveway next to your house, then you can just plug it straight into your domestic mains electricity supply. This is a solution, but it is slow. It takes many hours to fully charge an empty battery depending on the battery size. It can take a minimum of 8-14 hours but, if you have a big car, it could take over 24 hours. The faster option is to have a home-charging point installed. Again, depending on battery size, a fast charger should typically take between 4 and 12 hours to fully charge.
With the rising costs of petrol and diesel, you can make significant savings by running an electric vehicle. Obviously, the cost will depend on the car. Those with small batteries/small ranges will be much cheaper than those with big batteries where the range is much greater.
We do recommend that you make sure that you are on an Economy 7 tariff, charge your car overnight and get the very best value for money. For the average driver, annual additional electricity costs are on the increase but petrol and diesel costs can still be twice that of an equivalent electric car.
A parking space will suffice as you can run a cable out to it but ensure that all wires are covered so that it does not present a trip hazard!
As before, you have the option of using your mains supply or having a home fast-charging point installed.
Local authorities are now putting in street charging points. These are generally located on lamp posts and lit with a blue light and a plug point for your vehicle.
In this world of apps, there is lots of information for you to access about the nearest charging points. Many electric cars already have an app installed to direct you to the nearest charger.
There are now over 30,000 charging stations in the UK – already more public charging places than petrol stations! You can expect this number to rapidly increase as the government have invested a further £1.3 billion in electric vehicle infrastructure.
This is pretty straightforward. There are several operators and sometimes you need to be a member to use them. Some charge a flat fee for using them while others offer a pay-as-you-go service.
You use a swipecard or your mobile phone to unlock the charging point in order to connect your charging cable from the car to the point.
Tesla and a few other manufacturers offer access to ‘superchargers’. In the time it takes for a toilet break, and maybe a cup of coffee, you might get an 80% charge in just 30 minutes! There is usually a fee to use a supercharger.
To help you buy and get set up with your electric vehicle, you can access discounted Pod Point deals through Motorfinity.
We provide exclusive electric car leasing offers for frontline workers including NHS staff, police, emergency service workers, teachers and more.
Want to know more? Check out our latest special offers, or call our friendly expert team on 01636 558 885.