You will usually find Fast chargers at public charging stations in shopping centres, motorways, workplaces, etc charging at a rate of 43kW or even higher and are the fastest Rapid Chargers way to charge your car up to 80% in as little as 20 minutes . For home use the choice is between Slow and Fast Chargers. 

Slow charging units are usually “untethered” which means you’ll need a cable to connect your car to the charge point. Your new EV should come with a cable, which can be plugged in and these have a charging rate of 3kW . It will typically take around 10-14 hours or longer if your car has a large battery, especially if you’re charging it from empty.

Fast chargers for home installation and typically operate at 7kW and can charge your car in under 5 hours, depending on the model.  They can be either “untethered” or “tethered” which means it needs cables. All electric cars should come with they cables and connectors they need for a charging station. The current standard in the UK and across Europe for new EV’s a Type 2 charger with a Type 2 CCS inlet capable of rapid charging.

Home Installation

While it’s possible to slow charge your vehicle for short periods in an emergency using a standard 3-pin socket, it’s a better idea to get yourself a dedicated EV charging unit installed by an accredited installer. That’s because EVs need to be plugged in for quite a while, and need a higher current going through it which potentially can cause serious overheating and a fire risk, an approved EV charging unit can handle the heavy use more efficiently and safely.

As well as being safer, home charging is generally more convenient and cheaper that at public stations. A wall-mounted charging point can be installed either inside the garage on an outside wall close to the driveway and will you to charge your vehicle overnight taking advantage of cheaper night-time energy rates and ensuring your EV is ready to go in the morning. This is called “Smart Charging”.