Where to charge an electric car: at home, in public or fast

Charging an electric car is not like filling up at a petrol station. Instead of going somewhere specially, you mostly charge wherever the car is parked anyway: at home, at work or in a shop car park.

At home

For most drivers, this is where most charging happens. Whether from a regular socket or a wallbox, the car charges overnight at the lowest cost. Details in our guide to the home charger.

Public AC chargers

You find them in shopping-centre car parks, supermarkets, hotels or on the street. They usually deliver 11 to 22 kW and use the Type 2 connector, the European standard. Many have no tethered cable, so it is worth keeping a Type 2 to Type 2 cable in the boot.

DC fast chargers

They are built for long trips and short stops. They start at 50 kW and reach 150–350 kW on motorways. They use the CCS2 connector, mandatory in the European Union for new fast chargers. Some older models, such as the Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, use the increasingly rare CHAdeMO connector.

Finding chargers

• The car’s navigation usually shows compatible chargers and, on many models, preconditions the battery on the way.
• Charging map apps show availability and other drivers’ reviews.
• On long trips, plan stops with a 10–20% buffer, especially in winter.

What to use and when

• Every day: at home or at work, slow and cheap.
• While shopping: public AC chargers.
• On a long trip: DC fast chargers, up to 70–80%.

A few common-sense rules for public chargers are in etiquette and safety at charging stations.