What are the problems with electric car chargers? 

One of the main barriers to public charging is that wheelchair users can’t always access them, for example kerb heights are sometimes a problem, charging bays aren’t always wide enough for wheelchair access, also cables can be too heavy to lift and surfaces often get slippery because there’s no cover. Also it’s tricky to find information on how accessible public chargers are – and makes it hard for drivers with disabilities to plan journeys.  

Not surprisingly, this is putting off some drivers with disabilities from swapping to electric cars.  

What’s changing? 

The government has worked with Motability and the British Standards Institution to improve things. Firstly, they’ve developed consistent accessibility standards so that public chargers can be labelled as either fully, partially or not accessible, just like they did with tube stations in London. Also they are now working with charge point manufacturers to boost standards for those that aren’t accessible or only partially accessible. 

The new standard for accessible electric car charging (PAS 1899:2022) can be found here. 

Before you go

• Plan where you’ll stop on the way and if you’ll need to charge. Depending on where you’re going you may be able to get there without stopping. But if you’re driving a few hundred miles for a staycation in the UK, you’ll probably want to stretch your legs and get a bite to eat. This is usually a good chance to get a charge at one of over 45,000 public charge points across the UK (last updated August 2023). A charge point app or map will show you the charge points along your route and at your destination and you can usually filter by plug type, charger speed and charging network.
• Check you have your cables in the car and if the place where you’re staying doesn’t have a home charge point, you’ll need to find somewhere to charge when you’re out and about. 
• Does your accommodation have charge points or is there one close by? Lots of tourist attractions and hotels now have charge points so check them out before you hit the road. 
• Don’t forget the essentials you need in your car for any road trip.
• Do you have breakdown cover? If so, check what you’re covered for as some companies take you to your nearest charge point for free, while some ask you to pay.

Electric car apps can help

• Download what3words onto your phone. If you break down this will help recovery companies find you and you can also use it to spot charge points.  
• Charge points are owned by lots of different companies and there are a number of different ways to pay, but most now accept contactless payment but by downloading an app you can also plan your stops and navigate to a charge point if needed whilst driving. Also more public charging points are being added to the UK network all the time so check your charge point app before your journey so you can get what you need before you hit the road. 

While you’re away in your electric car

• You can check the live status of lots of charge points using your charge point app and you can often report if they’re not working.  
• If you need a rapid charge you’ll find them at motorway services, or at many other places along the UK road network. You can usually pay using contactless, and it’s best to check your charge point app to find your nearest one.  

Using the sun

If you have solar panels (or you’re thinking about getting them) then you have a cheap and greener way to charge. Some home charge points can work out how much extra power you’ve got coming from the panels.

And after you’ve used what you need at home, they transfer the power to your car. Clever and environmentally friendly, too.
Go on an EV-friendly energy tariff

If you have an electric car, it can be cheaper, and greener, to charge it overnight. As most people are asleep, there’s less demand for electricity. 

And being on an EV (electric vehicle) friendly tariff is often the best value when it comes to charging your car at home. Check with your energy supplier to see if you’re getting the best deal.

Time for midnight

If you wait until midnight to charge, it’s better for the environment, and often cheaper for you too.

If it’s a windy night, you might even be paid to charge your car, because there’s an excess of renewable energy on the system (generated by wind turbines). It’s worth checking if you can take advantage of this with your energy supplier.

What about second-hand electric cars?

Even the oldest, second hand, bargain bucket electric cars do around 60-80 miles on a full charge.  
 
And with the average UK commute of 23 miles a day, you can juice it up overnight and get to and from work.   
 
If you do need to top up during the day you can stop off at a rapid charger, which you’ll find at places like motorway services, park and rides and petrol stations. You can zap it in the time it takes you to stretch your legs and get a bite to eat. 

How fast you drive affects electric car range

Driving quickly doesn’t mean driving fewer miles. So, while driving along the motorway in the fast lane might get you there quicker, you’ll also need to visit a charge point sooner. 
 
If you have an older electric car that has a shorter range on a full charge, then you’ll go further by flicking the speed limiter to 60mph on the motorway. You can creep up to 70mph in newer electric cars because they can do 200 or so miles. 

How you brake too

Use your brakes properly and you’ll save money and travel further.  

When you brake, electric cars cleverly recycle power back into the battery, this is called regenerative braking. As soon as you ease your foot off the accelerator, you’ll feel the car slow much quicker than a petrol or diesel.  

You don’t need to stamp on the footbrake because the car helps you slow down. So, let it roll to almost a stop at traffic lights. There’s no need for aggressive braking, you’ll be rewarded with more range and your brake pads will last longer.

Also the weather affects electric car range

Electric cars usually do fewer miles in cold weather and like all cars you’re more likely to have a breakdown in winter. But it’s not a big problem – just ask the Norwegians, who own the most electric cars (per person) in the world.  
 
Here are a couple of top winter tips:  

1. Set your car to finish charging just before you head out so the battery’s nice and warm, you’ll get more miles that way. 
2. Defrost and heat your car while it’s plugged in – something you can do from the warmth of your bed using a smartphone app. No more scurrying around for something to use as an ice scraper and starting your day as an ice block.  

How do I charge an electric car at home?

You probably park at home or work most of the time. And the easiest option if you have a driveway or garage is to have a wall mounted charge point (wall box) fitted. Quite a lot of wall boxes have a cable attached so you can drive up, plug it in and you’re done. Most are about shoebox size but can be as tiny as a small saucepan and you’ll need a qualified person to install it. 

If you’re looking for an energy-efficient home charge point for your electric car, why not check out Indra’s smart home charger?
 
Don’t worry if you don’t have your own driveway, you can ask the council to install an on-street charge point (they can get a government grant for this). There are also more community charge points popping up, and you might even have one at work. Also think about where you park up during the week as you could get a decent charge while you do a bit of shopping.  
 
When you buy a new electric car, they usually come with the cable you need (public charging cable). But it’s worth checking as some manufacturers are more generous than others.  

How do I charge out and about or at work?

You’ll find two different types of charge points out and about and at work: Standard charger and Rapid chargers.

Standard chargers

You’ll mostly find standard charge points, there are over 44,000 across the UK (January 2024). These are great if you want to charge while you pop into town or go to work as you’ll need to give your car a few hours to charge from empty. You might see them called destination charge points.

Rapid chargers

If your car can handle rapid charging, using this speedy method takes minutes rather than hours.  Don’t leave your car plugged in a rapid charger for too long (above 80%), it doesn’t do your battery any favours and annoys other drivers who want to use the charger.