How To Charge An Electric Vehicle

Last Updated: 31st October 2024

Charging An Electric Vehicle With A Public Charging Station

- First things first, locate your charging port. This can either be found on the rear, front, or the grill.

- Each charge point is a little bit different, but they all do the same thing and you can pay by card. On the charging point we used, you select your payment method, start charge, and use your card to pay the reserve payment.

- Select what charger you need, press start and insert the charging cable into your EV.

- When you want to take your EV off charge, simply press stop and you will see a summary of your charge information.

There will be charger instructions displayed on public charging stations, we recommend reading this before beginning your charge.

Public charge stations are great for quick top-ups but bear in mind if there is more than one vehicle connected to one charge point, it will share the power between them taking longer to charge your vehicle.

Public Charging Stations Without A Cable

Some charging stations require you to use your own cable but it just works in the same way. You plug one end in the charging station and the other in your EV then pay by either tapping your card or downloading the app if applicable.

Electric Vehicle Charging Apps

Make your EV journey even smoother with apps like Zapmap or Pod Point find charging stations, plan your journey, and pay all in one place. Most EV brands have their own apps that are useful to download.

Top Tips When Charging Your Electric Vehicle

- Aim for around 80% when charging instead of maxing out. Lithium ion batteries perform best when charged between 20% and 80%.

- On hot days find shaded parking to prevent batteries from overheating.

- For longer journeys use apps to find charging stations along the way.

- If you ever run out of charge, no worries, many EVs have a reserve power battery giving you an extra five miles to get to your closest charging station.