The availability of public charging points is increasing rapidly within the UK. Public charging points are available in a variety of places, including motorways, council car parks, supermarkets, gyms, among other places.
The availability of public charging points is increasing rapidly within the UK. Public charging points are available in a variety of places, including motorways, council car parks, supermarkets, gyms, among other places.
Rapid chargers are the fastest way to charge an EV, often found at motorway services or in locations close to main roads. Rapid charging points supply high power direct or alternating current (DC or AC)
Rapid charging points typically recharge an electric vehicles battery from 20-80% in less than an hour and in some cases a lot faster. The charging speed will be limited by the vehicle’s capabilities, and the type of socket it has installed.
Typically, if your vehicle is capable of rapid charging, it will charge at between 50kw and 100kw per hour depending on the make and model, though some of the newest models are capable of charging at up to 350kw per hour from the latest rapid charge points.
Your vehicle will usually have one of the below sockets for rapid charging of the battery. This socket is sometimes separate from the socket you would use at home (Chademo for instance) or combined with the socket you would use at home (CCS). You will not need to purchase a charging cable for use with rapid charging stations, as they are always already attached to charging stations.
CHAdeMO, 50kw DC
CCS, 50-350kw DC
Type 2, 43kw AC
Tesla Type 2, 120kw DC
Fast charging points are not as fast at charging your vehicle as rapid charging points, but are still able to charge your vehicle quickly. Fast charging is typically from 7kw to 22kw AC. Most full electric vehicles are at least capable of charging at 7kw, and some can charge at 11kw or even 22kw AC. Plug in hybrids are often limited to charging at 3.6kw per hour though some newer PHEV’s also charge at 7kw.
Fast charging points are more common than rapid charging points and are found at all sorts of locations including supermarket car parks, government buildings, restaurants, hotels, workplaces and elsewhere. They are much less costly to install than rapid chargers, and because they work on regular alternating current (AC) they can be installed in most locations with a standard electricity supply.
To charge from a fast charging point you will likely need to purchase a Type 2 to Type 1 cable or a Type 2 to Type 2 cable, if you don’t already own one.
We supply these cables in different lengths and styles and for all types of EV and PHEV in our shop.
Your vehicle will have a Type 1 or a Type 2 socket for fast and slow charging