What is EV Charging

An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point, charge point, electronic charging station (ECS), and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), is a machine that supplies electric energy for the recharging of plug-in electric vehicles—including electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

How long does it take to charge an electric car?

How long it takes to charge an electric car is one of the most frequently asked questions. Whilst filling up with gasoline takes a few minutes, the time it takes to charge an EV from low to full is much longer. However, it can be more convenient. Typically electric cars are charged when the car’s not in use, like overnight at home, in the same way you would a mobile phone, or during the day whilst you’re working.

How much you charge, or need to charge, will also change – with gasoline, the majority of people drive their cars until the fuel gauge shows low on fuel and we fill the tank up to full again. This behaviour stems from the inconvenience of having to go to a petrol station. With electric cars and the convenience of charging at home, you may find you ‘top up’ the battery each day as it’s used rather than waiting for it to get low – again similar to a mobile phone.

Another factor that may impact the number of times you need to charge your electric car or van is temperature. Lithium-ion batteries perform better in warm weather, so you might notice a slight drop in the range your EV can travel in the colder winter months.

In summary, how long it takes to charge an electric car depends on:

• Your car’s battery size
• How many miles you do between charges
• Your charging behaviour, i.e. topping up often vs charging from low to full less often
• The power rating of the charger you’re using – you can read more below on different types of chargers and their kWh ratings

EV battery technology is improving all the time, A team from Penn State University has just announced the creation of a battery that can charge up to 250 miles in just 10 minutes.
What power rating should I use for my home socket?

When it comes to home charging, 3-7 kW chargers are the most popular and are widely recommended for the UK market. Many UK households have a single-phase (AC) electricity supply and can support the additional 7 kW load. Some households, with three-phase (AC) supply can support a more powerful fast charger up to 22 kW. However, this is far more common in countries like Germany with a more robust electricity network.

Always check with the installer that your fuse board has enough spare capacity to support the additional load of a home charging station. If there is not enough spare capacity, then you may have to pay to upgrade your distribution board.

Rapid chargers offer you a much quicker charge, perfect for longer journeys, when a quicker charge is needed, but it’s not advisable to only use rapid charging because this can increase the degradation of your battery over time.

Electric car charging points grant

The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS), contributes up to 75 per cent towards the cost of buying and installing an electric charger, up to a maximum of £350, if you have a home with off-street parking suitable for an electric car charger and an eligible electric vehicle.

Similarly the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS), contributes up to 75 per cent to a maximum of £350 for each socket, for up to 40 charge points across all of the sites they operate.