New to EV Charging? Your Essential Guide

Your Essential Guide

At EVcharges we believe in making things simple for our customers, whether business users or domestic customers, so we’ve put together an Essential Guide to help you with the key facts.

Here are a few key facts to remember about electric vehicle charging.

The first thing to understand is that the external unit supplying power to your vehicle is the charging point but is not the charger. The charging point provides the power for the on-board battery charger, which is built into the vehicle itself.

Please remember that the charge time of your chosen vehicle will depend the specification of your in-car charger, and the power supply you are using.

In your search for the electric vehicle, be sure to consider your typical journeys, your charging needs as when and where you will charge. Many, but not all, electric vehicles are capable of receiving a rapid charge, so it’s important to check the specification of your vehicle before you buy or lease it, to check that it meets your needs and driving pattern.

Your choice of electric vehicle will be influenced by many factors, not least of all how far you will be able to travel on a full battery, and the time needed for charging to full capacity.  Home based charging is generally slower, because of the strength of domestic power supplies. This is not normally an issue because most drivers charge their vehicles overnight. 

At EVcharges we strongly recommend that you install a dedicated in-home charging point which has integrated safety features. (Yes, there are simple leads available which plug into a 13 amp wall socket, but these will only provide a slow charge. Also, they are designed for occasional rather than daily use, for example when you are staying at someone else’s house, who does not have a fitted charging point.) Public charge points, for example those fitted at motorway service stations, public car parks and some of those fitted on business premises, can enable faster charging, because the power supply available to them is higher.  Faster charging is important when you are on the move because you will probably want to charge quickly and continue your journey.