As the adoption of electric mobility is growing, drivers are discovering the freedom of being able to charge their electric vehicles (EVs) in a range of locations. While the the most popular charging location is at homepublic charging is also vital for many, with 31% of electric vehicle drivers regularly charge in public and commercial car parks.
While using a public charger is by no means rocket science, there are some things to consider, and the process can be quite different from charging at home. This article explains the basics of public charging and guides you through the 4 main steps to follow to charge your electric car at a public charging station.
What is public electric vehicle charging?
Before we dive into the specifics of using a public EV charger, it’s worth defining exactly what it is. Although there are many types of public EV chargers, a public charger generally refers to a charging station accessible and usable by the public. In other words, unlike a home charging station, a public charger does not belong to the EV driver.
As such, public charging stations encompass everything from fast chargers at a motorway service station to chargers in public car parks and shops. Now that we’ve defined what a public loader is, let’s see how to use it.
How to use public electric car charging stations
1. Get the charging cable
Once you arrive at a public charging station, the first step is to look for the charging cable. In many cases the cable will be built in and attached to the charger itself, however in some cases you may need to use your own cable to connect the car to the charger. Typically, this is supplied by your car manufacturer and is often stored in the trunk.
Sure, connectors and cables vary by region and charger typeso it’s worth checking out what’s in use where you live.
2. Connect the car to the charging station
Once you find the charging cable, the next step is to use it to connect your car to the charging station. If the cable is integrated with the charger, you just need to connect it to your car’s charging port. This is usually located in the same place where a fuel cap would be on a petrol car – on either side – although some models place the socket under the badge in the front.
Many cars have different connectors for regular and fast charging, so if the charging socket doesn’t look familiar to you, that might be the cause. Generally, most cars support fast charging, so if the plug fits into the socket, your vehicle must be compatible. If not, don’t force it, as it’s probably not the right cable for your car.
If you are using your own cable, you will need to connect it to the charging station as well as to your car. Usually this will be easily visible, although the socket may have a protective cover that you will need to lift.
3. Authenticate and start the session
Once the car and the charging station are connected, it’s time to start the charging session. To start charging, you will usually need to authenticate first so that the charging station can arrange payment to your account. This is often done using a key card, key fob or smartphone app, depending on the charger. On some stations, you may be able to start the charging session directly by tapping your debit or credit card.
As soon as the charger identifies you, charging will begin. This often results in LEDs on the charger and on some cars, which will either change color or start flashing in a given pattern (or both). While the vehicle is charging, you can monitor the process on the car’s dashboard, charging station, or charging app (if you’re using one).
4. End the charging session
When your electric vehicle has reached the desired charge level, it is time to end the charging session. This is usually done the same way you started it: by swiping your card or key fob on the charging station again or by stopping it via the app.
During charging, the charging cable is usually locked to the car to prevent theft and minimize the risk of electric shock. After charging is complete, you may need to unlock the cable from the car dashboard before you can remove it.
The last step is to unplug the cable and put it back on the charger (if it was built-in) or in your trunk (if you’re using your own). Your electric vehicle is now charged and ready to go!
How does EV charging work?
Although the steps above have described how to use a public charging station, you might be wondering how exactly EV charging works? And what factors determine the differences between charging stations?
Generally, all charging stations work according to the same principle: they recharge the battery of an EV by supplying it. However, they vary in the type of current and the amount of power they can deliver.
AC and DC charging
The main difference between charging stations is whether they provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). Without getting too technical, the difference between the two is that with alternating current, the current flow alternates a set number of times per second, while direct current flows at a fixed level.
Globally, our power grids run on alternating current; however, most electronic devices, including electric vehicle batteries, store DC electricity. As such, the conversion from AC to DC must take place somewhere in the charging process. The difference between charging stations is therefore where this conversion occurs.
With AC charging stations, alternating current is supplied to the car, where an integrated converter transforms it into direct current. With DC charging, on the other hand, the power is converted to DC by the charger, allowing it to bypass the often slower on-board converter and feed it directly into the car battery.
For this reason, the fastest EV chargers will almost always provide direct current – hence the often used name of DC fast chargers. In practice, the fastest DC charging stations can provide up to 350 kW of power, which can recharge an EV in about 15 minutes. DC fast chargers are also essential for long journeys with electric vehicles, allowing them to recharge their batteries quickly on the go.
Why charge my electric car at public charging stations?
If you’re new to electric vehicles, you might be wondering why you would choose to charge at public charging stations in the first place. After all, home charging is convenient and offers more than enough range for most daily commutes.
Unlike a gas-powered car, which you would only fill up when it’s low, electric vehicles can be charged just about anywhere there’s a power source. As such, it opens the door to opportunistic charging, or the ability to charge an EV because it’s convenient and accessible, rather than out of absolute necessity.
Imagine, for example, that you come home from work and stop at the supermarket to do your shopping for the week. If the supermarket has public electric vehicle charging stations, you can decide to plug in your car while you shop and recharge your battery.
For this reason, it is not surprising that today, 26% of electric vehicle drivers charge regularly in supermarkets, 22% in shopping centers and 31% in public or commercial places in general.
How to find public car charging stations
Unlike petrol stations, which are a familiar sight along the roads of our world and easily found almost anywhere, public charging stations can be much more discreet and can be found in a range of locations. .
The easiest way to find public charging stations is to install a charging station finder app on your smartphone. Whereas there are many different onesthey generally all share the same features to show you nearby chargers as well as important information such as charging speed, number of chargers and availability.
General map apps, such as Google and Apple Maps, can also show you public charging stations, however, they may not show all chargers in an area and generally miss most of the real-time information described above. above that a dedicated charging app can provide. .
How to pay at public charging stations
Payment is another important aspect of public electric vehicle charging. Unlike a gas station, which often has attendants and a cashier, charging your EV is always a self-service activity. As such, you must arrange payment yourself and will almost never be able to use cash.
Generally speaking, you can pay for electric vehicle charging in two main ways. The first is if you have an account with a charging station operator or mobility service provider. In this case, you will usually receive an RFID card or key fob that will allow you to identify yourself at public charging stations. In this case, the top-up fee is usually added to your account and billed later.
The other option offered by some public charging stations is to pay for the charging directly by contactless debit or credit card or via the charging app. This can provide more flexibility by allowing you to use charging stations from different networks. However, some carriers may charge higher rates when payment is made directly by card, and you won’t be able to track your spending as easily.
While public electric vehicle charging may be a new and unfamiliar experience, it offers incredible flexibility and can adapt to your life and habits. We hope this article has answered your questions about public charging and cleared your doubts.
If you want to learn more about electric vehicle charging or if you are considering buying your first electric vehicle, check out our detailed charging guide.