Electric Vehicle Charging There is no doubt that electric technology is leading the way in motoring. As more and more motorists look to make the change to electric or hybrid power, one of the most common concerns is charging.

Here at Johnsons, we want to reassure you that charging an electric or hybrid car is just as easy as filling up at the pump, so we have provided a guide that answers all your questions on charging your vehicle at home, in public or even at work.

Charging types A study conducted in 2019 found that there are now more electric vehicle charging stations than petrol stations in the UK. The steady transition to electric/hybrid technology will increase further as more and more manufacturers focus on investing in new models using it. Broadly speaking, there are three types of charging which vary in charging speed, time, range and accessibility. Here is a round-up of those three options and the differences between them.

Slow chargers Slow chargers use power sources up to 3kW to charge. Depending on the size of your battery, achieving a full charge using this type of power source can take anywhere between 6-12 hours. Because of the time taken, slow chargers are primarily used for overnight charging at home.

Fast chargers Fast charge points produce power between 7kW and 22kW and are probably one of the most common types of charger currently available in the UK. Because of the increased voltage, fast charge points are able to achieve a full charge in most electric vehicles in around four hours. They are ideal for home use.

Rapid chargers The quickest type of electric vehicle charging currently available in the UK are rapid chargers. By far the fastest way to charge your electric vehicle, they use 43kW to 50kW of power to achieve an 80% charge in less than 30 minutes, which will give you a driving range of up to 200 miles depending on the model.

How to charge Of course, charging an electric vehicle is different from filling up a fuel tank but, if anything, it is easier. Simply connect the power source to your carport and when you return to your vehicle, you will have more charge than you left. Of course, you should always check the charge cables are in good working order and only ever use the correct attachment.

Charging at home The most convenient place to charge your vehicle is at home. If you have off-street parking then charging is a cinch. In theory, you can park your car on your drive and plug it in via a standard outlet as you would with any domestic appliance. A standard home powerpoint would effectively offer a slow charge. However, many people choose to install a dedicated home charging point which provides the opportunity to have a fast charge point. There are lots of Government grants and incentives available designed to encourage EV use, so it may not be as costly as you think to have one installed. Plus, it will negate the need to run the cable through a front door or open window.

Charging at work Similar to charging at home, the outlets available will determine your options. However, it is fair to say that many organisations and property managers have begun to explore the options for installation of electric charge points. Which means more and more workplaces will have dedicated electric charging stations for staff.

Charging in public There are currently over 28,000 charging points across the UK and that number is rising daily. Public charging means you can recharge on the go. Supermarkets, retail parks and gyms are just a few places that you will regularly see dedicated fast-charge stations available. These convenient and easy to use charge stations are designed to fit in with your daily routine and cause minimal disruption to your day. There is certainly to need to worry about battery charge on long-distance journeys either as high power rapid chargers (42-350kW) can now be found in motorway service stations up and down the country.

Total UK Connectors (Dec 19):
28,766

East Midlands: 1,682 (5.9%)

East of England: 1,777 (5.9%)

Greater London: 7,461 (26%)

North East: 1,067 (3.7%)

North West: 2,168 (7.5%)

Scotland: 3,762 (13.1%)

South East: 3,874 (13.5%)

South West: 2,276 (7.9%)

Wales: 939 (3.3%)

West Midlands: 1,654 (5.8%)

Yorkshire: 1,469 (5.1%)

Others: 637 (2%)

Contact Us If you have any more questions about electric vehicle charging or would like to explore or test drive any of the electric vehicles we have available, please contact Johnsons today.

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Head office

Reg Office: Johnsons Cars Limited Empire Court Redditch United Kingdom B97 4DA

Reg. Company Number: 3716766

VAT Reg. No. GB 927 5516 06

www.johnsonscars.co.uk

Financial Disclosure

Johnsons Cars Limited is an appointed representative of ITC Compliance Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (their registration number is 313486) and which is permitted to advise on and arrange general insurance contracts as an intermediary.

Johnsons Cars Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (our registration number is 688450. Permitted activities include acting as a credit broker not a lender.

As an FCA regulated credit broker we can introduce you to a selected group of lenders / brokers (see below) who may be able to help you finance your purchase. This group of lenders / brokers provides us with a range of products which may be suitable for your purchase. We will explain the key features of those products to you.

Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited, Evolution Funding Limited, Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Honda Finance Europe PLC, CA Auto Finance UK Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Limited, Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited, Hyundai Capital UK Limited, Stellantis Financial Services Uk Limited, Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC, FCE Bank Plc,

We are a credit broker and not a lender. We can introduce you to a limited number of lenders and their finance products, we act as their agent for this introduction. We are not an independent financial advisor; we will provide details of products available. We may advise you on the products, subject to your personal circumstances, though you are not obliged to take our advice or recommendation.

We do not charge you a fee for our services. we will typically receive commission from whichever lender we introduce you to (either a fixed fee or a fixed percentage of the amount you borrow).

Unless we consider it to be inappropriate given your personal circumstances, for certain vehicles e.g. New, our approach is to introduce you to the lender who are usually able to offer the best available package for you, taking into account interest rates, residual valuations (where applicable) and other contributions. If they are unable to make you an offer of finance, or the vehicle is not one that we would normally place with them we will introduce you to other lenders on our panel. The lender we introduce you to and available rates will depend upon a number of factors including: the vehicle, your personal circumstances and the likelihood of a lender to accept an application based on information provided.

Lenders typically pay a commission to us for introducing you to them, calculated by reference to the vehicle model or amount you borrow. Different lenders may pay different commissions for such introductions; some lenders may also provide preferential rates to us for the funding of our vehicle stock and also provide financial support for our training and marketing. But any such amounts they and other lenders pay us will not affect the amounts you pay under your finance agreement, all of which are set by the lender concerned. If you would like to know the amount of any remuneration we have received from the finance provider, please ask us.

All finance applications are subject to status, terms and conditions apply, UK residents only, 18’s or over, Guarantees may be required. View our full finance disclosure.

Total UK Connectors (Dec 19):28,766

Total UK Connectors (Dec 19):
28,766