Outlined here are some of the charger types available. It is important to note that it is the vehicle and not the chargepoint that determines charging time.
This section is intended to be used as a beginner’s guide to charging electric vehicles. Outlined here are some of the charger types available along with some jargon-busting.
For local authorities, the key message here is that networks need to be reliable and accessible. LA-owned chargepoints need to be regularly maintained and any privately owned and operated ones should be monitored as much as possible to ensure they are working and available for use.
To learn more about different types of power and connectors visit the Energy Saving Trust chargepoint guide for businesses.
Generally home chargers are used in workplace locations, and usually between 3kW and 7kW which equates to around 15-30 miles of charge per hour. Home chargers can be tethered (i.e. cable attached to the unit), although if you change your vehicle in the future you may need to replace the chargepoint if the connector on the vehicle is different.
Can be 3kW, 7kW and increasingly 22kW, the latter charging at up to 80 miles of charge per hour for those vehicles that can accept that much power. These can be located on private property, for example at workplaces, or on public land for example at shopping centres or council car parks. Most will require either an app, smart card or RFID tag to access them.
Generally found at motorway service areas, but increasingly being installed at urban rapid charging hubs and some supermarkets, 50kW chargers offer 70-80 miles of charge in 30 minutes. Rapid chargers offering between 120kW and 350kW of power are increasingly being installed, and more electric vehicles vehicles can charge at these rates. All rapid chargepoints are tethered so have the cables connected to the chargepoint. The driver just needs to pick the correct cable, and follow the instructions on the unit to start a charge.
This method is suited to ‘emergency’ or short-term charging. In order to charge an EV using this method the charging cable will be required to deliver close to the maximum amount of KWh a 3-pin plug can handle for anything up to 11 hours for a full charge, so there is a risk that with excessive use they can melt and potentially cause a fire hazard. A 3-pin plug will give between 8-10 miles of charge per hour plugged in.
Key Point: There are a number of charging options. For those without access to off-street parking then public and workplace charging will be vital. More information about chargepoint infrastructure is available here |
Key Point: Charging is one of the major concerns and barriers to consumers and businesses, although it really doesn’t need to be. Make sure you fully understand the options out there, and try to keep up-to-date with the latest developments. |
This grant is available to anyone who rents a residential property or owns a flat in the UK. The grant offers £350 towards or 75% off the cost to buy and install a chargepoint socket. You can apply for this grant if your home has a private off-street parking space and you own an eligible vehicle.
The EV Chargepoint Grant is also available to landlords and property management companies. The grant can be used to install chargepoints for flats and houses, apartment blocks and commercial properties. Landlords are eligible to receive the grant for up to 200 residential properties or 100 commercial properties per financial year. Parking spaces must be off-street and owned by the landlord and accessible to the tenant to be eligible for the grant.
Landlords are also eligible to receive the EV Infrastructure Grant. This grant provides financial support for wider building and installation work that is required to install multiple chargepoints. The infrastructure grant offers £30,000 or 75% off the cost of EV-related building and installation work. The grant must be used on properties which contain multiple homes (e.g. an apartment block) and should improve a minimum of five parking spaces. Landlords can apply for up to 30 infrastructure grants each financial year, provided that they are used for different properties.
Small to medium businesses with no more than 249 employees are also eligible to apply for the EV Infrastructure Grant. The grant offers 75% off EV infrastructure work and chargepoint installation up to a total of £15,000 per grant. Eligible businesses can apply for up to five grants to support a minimum of five car parking spaces at different businesssites.
Full details of the EV Chargepoint and Infrastructure Grants is available here: Grant schemes for electric vehicle charging infrastructure – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Workplace Charging Scheme is available to eligible businesses, charities and public sector organisations who wish to improve charging facilities at the workplace. The grant offers 75% (up to £350 per socket) of costs towards the purchase and installation of chargepoints to enable employees to charge while at work. Applicants are eligible to claim for a maximum of 40 sockets across all workplace sites. Full details are available here: Workplace Charging Scheme – GOV-UK Find a grant (find-government-grants.service.gov.uk)
The On-Street Residential Chargepoint scheme (ORCS) supports local authorities with the provision of EV chargepoints in residential areas with limited off-street parking provision. The grant ensures that residents without off-street parking can access charging facilities near to their homes. The grant offers up to 60% of the capital costs of procuring and installing chargepoints, up to a maximum of £7,500 per chargepoint. There is no limit on the number of chargepoints that can be applied for. Local authorities should apply directly to the scheme which is administered by a support body including Energy Saving Trust, PA Consulting and Cenex. Full details are available here: On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme guidance for local authorities – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund is available to local authorities and builds on the work of ORCS to accelerate the delivery of chargepoint infrastructure for residents without off-street parking. Capability funding is available to Tier 1 local authorities to ensure they have the staff and capacity to plan and deliver chargepoint infrastructure. Local authorities should visit Energy Saving Trust’s website to complete a funding application. Full details are available here: Apply for Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) funding – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Key Point: There are lots of grant schemes available to support charging of vehicles, and it is important that an authority can signpost businesses and potential owners to the various schemes that are out there. |
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Our advice on how to deliver a consumer engagement campaign
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