Everything You Need To Know About EV Chargers
Electric mobility continues to grow in popularity, it is estimated that all new cars and vans sold in the UK will be fully electric by 2035. In this blog, we answer the most frequently asked questions about EV chargers:
Are EV chargers cheaper to use than petrol?
Where can you use EV chargers?
How long does it take to charge an EV?
How do EV chargers work?
Charging an electric car may seem complicated compared to using petrol, but that's not true! So how do EV chargers work? It's simple: electric currents are pulled from the grid it's wired to, delivering electricity through the vehicle - just like your phone or laptop!
Are EV chargers cheaper to use than petrol?
The cost of using an EV charger is a lot cheaper than filling up a petrol car. The running costs for an electric car average at £33.50 per week, which is 21% cheaper than the running costs of the petrol-fuelled car, at £42.40 per week.
Electric vehicles are cheaper to run however, they cost more money to start. A bonus of electric vehicles is that they require less maintenance than petrol cars, saving you money in the long run! To see a full price comparison, see below:
| Expenditure type | Electric car | Petrol car | Difference | Comparison |
| Up-front purchase cost | £27,921 | £22,976 | +£4,945 | 22% more expensive |
| Fuel | £343 | £824 | -£481 | 58% cheaper |
| Tax & Maintenance | £227 | £443 | -£216 | 49% cheaper |
| Insurance | £1,172 | £938 | +£234 | 25% cheaper |
| Total Annual running cost | £1,742 | £2,205 | -£463 | 21% more expensive |
| Total lifetime cost | £52,133 | £53,625 | -£1,492 | 3% cheaper |
| Annualised cost | £3,751 | £3,858 | -£107 | 3% cheaper |
| Annual CO2 emissions | 0kg | 1,867kg | -1,867kg | 100% lower |
Where can you use EV chargers?
In public:
According to EDF energy, there are more than 42,000 charge point connectors across the UK in over 15,500 locations - that's more public places to charge than petrol stations! You can find EV charge points in car parks, supermarkets, cinemas, or even just on the side of the road.
To fully charge your car using a public EV charger costs around £5, depending on location. We can say for certain that using an EV charger far undercuts fuel costs for a petrol car!
To find the closest public EV chargers to you, click here.
At home:
Home EV chargers typically deliver around 7kW of power and are safer to use than domestic sockets. Another way of charging an EV at home is via your domestic sockets, however, this is recommended only to be done occasionally as they are not designed to support the time periods required by EV charging. Home chargers also deliver three times more power than domestic sockets making them the better method to use.
Whilst Home EV chargers can be a bit pricey, to fully charge an electric car at home costs around £5, which will save you money in the long run!
When you shop through Give as you Live Online you will generate a FREE donation for your favourite charity! Here are some of the UK’s top suppliers which will generate a powered-up donation when you buy a home EV charger:
Get a fast and reliable 7kW EV smart home charger fully installed from £949 by Pod Point. You will also raise up to £20 for your chosen charity when you shop through Give as you Live Online!
Shop a wide range of domestic and commercial EV chargers from Screwfix via Give as you Live Online and raise up to 0.5% for your favourite charity!
Halfords have joined forces with installation experts BOXT to provide top of the range EV chargers with professional installation included as standard. You can raise up to £21.00 for charity when you go through Give as you Live Online!
At work:
Many workplaces provide charging stations for electric cars, making them more accessible to employees. If your workplace doesn't have an EV charger your employer can apply for the Government's Workplace Charging Scheme. The scheme contributes towards the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charge points to the value of £300 per socket.
How long does it take to charge an EV?
When it comes to EV charging, most people think of it in terms of charging levels: Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast Charge. The higher the level, the higher the power output and the faster your car charges.
The time it takes to charge an electric car can vary from 30 minutes to over 12 hours. Generally, charging times depend on your car's battery type and charging capacity, as well as the charging station's power output. A typical electric car can take under 8 hours to charge from empty to full with a Level 2 charger. Many EV drivers top up the charge instead of waiting for their battery to empty fully.
We hope that we have answered some of your questions about EV chargers. Will you be making the switch to electric anytime soon? Don't forget, when you buy an electric car or EV charger through Give as you Live Online, you won't just benefit our planet, but also your favourite charity!
What is Give as you Live Online?
Give as you Live Online is a FREE online fundraising platform that has raised over £31 million for UK charities just through online shopping. There are over 6,000 stores listed and over 200,000 charities available to support. Sign up, click through Give as you Live Online and raise free donations whenever you shop!
Offers, donation rates and participating stores are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. Please visit the Give as you Live Online website for the most up to date information.
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