Public Charging FAQs

It’s true that if you are taking delivery of your first ever EV, there are a few things to consider. While charging an EV might seem like a complicated business, in reality, it’s actually very simple, even when you are out and about on the road.

Tusker has compiled a handy guide to the most frequently asked questions around public charging, which will help to clear confusion, bust jargon and allow you to take to the road with confidence.

Is it easy to charge an EV without a home charger?

 It’s really straightforward to charge an EV, even if you don’t have access to a home charger. The UK’s public charging network already has more charging points available than there are fuel stations, and it is expanding every day, so there is no shortage of places to charge your car.

Handily, many of these public charging points are often found in supermarkets, shopping centres and even gym carparks, so it’s possible to charge your car while you get on with other activities.

The roll out of lamppost and curb chargers in many towns and cities across the UK is gathering pace, too, with some Councils simply requiring an application to put charging into residential streets for those without driveways to charge with ease.

What is the quickest way to charge my EV?

 If you are out and about and want to charge your EV away from home, you will find that most public charging is available at 22kWh power, which is also known as fast charging. These are often found in places like supermarkets, car parks and at petrol stations. They can deliver a full charge to a car in 1-2 hours.

Some public chargers also have the option of 50kWh ‘rapid’ charging, which can fill your battery up to 80% quite quickly (in as little as 40 minutes) and deliver a full charge in around an hour, although many will slow down at 80% charge, to keep your battery in good health. These chargers are perfect for topping up on long journeys, which is why they are often found at motorway service stations or near busy roads.

As EV adoption grows, more and more ultra-rapid chargers are springing up at EV hubs or at service stations on some of the major motorways which offer 100kWh or even 150kWh chargers, filling a battery from empty in less than 20 minutes. The rate of charge will depend on the maximum amount of kWh your car can charge at, but they are the fastest option to get back on the road.

How do I find somewhere to charge an EV in public?

 There easiest way of finding a public charging point for an EV is with a charging app such as Tusker’s free-to-use partner app, Zap-Map.

With Zap Map, you can search for chargers by postcode, a map, or using your current location.  If you are planning a longer journey, Zap Map can help you to plan your route via chargers and even tailor routes to maximise your cars range, filtering by fast, rapid or ultra-rapid charging speeds.

How do I pay for public charging?

 There are several different ways to pay for charging your vehicle when you are out and about, but the main types of payment that you will likely encounter when using a public charger are:

Contactless debit or credit card

Many of the larger UK charging networks now accept payment for charging via a contactless credit or debit card, as this makes life easy for drivers. In fact, its now officially legislated that all new chargers being installed in the UK have to accept this payment type, with older chargers being updated to accept contactless payments within the next two years. Tap and charge, its really that simple.

Charging network apps

Some public charging networks will require you to download a network app in order to access pay-as-you-go charging. These are free to download, but some will require you to create an account to use their charging points. The advantage to using an app in this way is that it’s easy to keep track of your charging spend, and some offer network members cheaper rates for electricity, so signing up can be beneficial.

RFID Card

These network cards use a radio chip, rather than a magnetic strip to allow the charging unit to identify the user. These cards need to be set up by the user, and added to a registered account, but once this is done, they allow you easy access to charging networks, and the ability to view your usage online.

Zap-Pay

Zap Pay is a clever form of payment that was launched by Tusker’s partner, Zap-Map. It allows users to charge with a broad range of the UK’s most popular networks, without the need for multiple accounts of payments. Zap-Pay uses a single credit or debit card, registered to a user’s Zap-Pay account, and cuts out the need for multiple apps, accounts and invoices to be managed.

Because Zap-Pay can be set up within the Zap-Map app, users can plan trips, search for charging points and pay for usage in the same app.

What type of charging cable do I need for my EV?

 Many EVs are supplied from new with a charging cable ready for use in the vehicle, but some are not, so it’s worth checking this out in advance. If your vehicle is a used EV, or is not supplied new with a cable, then the car’s dealer, or the team at Tusker will be able to tell you which charger type is right for your vehicle.

There are 5 main types of charging cable types available in the UK. Tesla, which has its own unique cable, Type 1, Type 2, CHAdeMO and CCS combo cables which are found on all other EVs.

Once you know which type of connector is needed from the list above, the main things to consider when buying a cable are the cables capacity, and cable length.

If your EV is capable of accepting fast or rapid charging, then you will need to ensure that the cable is able to supply this amount of power, otherwise you will be restricted to a slower charge rate. Capacity should always be clearly marked, allowing you to buy a cable that is right for your car.

When it comes to length, as a general rule, a standard 4m cable will usually be long enough for most charging needs when in public. However, it can be useful to consider buying a longer cable if you want the flexibility to park further away from a charging point, in which case a 7m cable might be useful.