How to Charge Your Electric Car in Public: 2026 Guide
All images in this article have been sourced from Shutterstock
To charge an electric car in public, find a compatible charger, connect the cable, start the session with an app, card or contactless payment, and stop at around 80% on a rapid charger. In September 2026, pay-as-you-go prices averaged 54p/kWh on standard chargers and 79p/kWh on rapid and ultra-rapid chargers.
Electric cars are now a familiar sight on UK roads, but for many drivers, public charging still raises questions. Around 40% of UK households have no off-street parking, so charging without a driveway is an everyday reality for many. This guide covers costs, charger types, etiquette and safety, and how The Charge Scheme can lower your bill.
How Much Does Public Charging Cost in The UK?
Public charging costs depend mainly on charger speed. Zapmap puts the average at about £16 to add 100 miles on a standard charger and about £24 on a rapid or ultra-rapid one, though many drivers pay less through subscriptions and deals.
| Where you charge | Average price per kWh | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Public, standard (3 to 49kW), pay as you go | 54p | Zapmap, September 2026 |
| Public, rapid and ultra-rapid (50kW+), pay as you go | 79p | Zapmap, September 2026 |
| Home, Ofgem price cap (1 October to 31 December 2026) | 26.32p | Ofgem |
| Home, off-peak EV tariffs (overnight) | 6.66p to 8.0p | EDF GoElectric and Intelligent Octopus Go |
Public figures are national averages and many drivers pay less through deals. Home rates depend on supplier, postcode and meter. The Ofgem rate excludes VAT, which is removed from electricity bills from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. Prices checked October 2026.
At the Ofgem cap, a 60kWh charge at home costs about £15.79, against about £32.40 at Zapmap’s standard public average and about £47.40 at its rapid average (our calculation, before charging losses).
How Does The Charge Scheme Change Public Charging Costs?
The Charge Scheme is a salary sacrifice programme that allows you to pay for electric vehicle charging using your gross salary, before tax and National Insurance are applied. Employees typically save 20 to 50%, depending on their tax band.
The scheme is designed to work across many UK public charging networks and covers:
Public charging
Workplace charging
Home charging (where applicable)
You use one card and one app, with all charging costs consolidated into a single pre-tax monthly deduction. There’s no need for multiple subscriptions or juggling different payment methods. You can access it through your employer when they offer The Electric Car Scheme: your employer signs up, you opt in, you receive your card and app access, and charging costs are deducted pre-tax each month. Your scheme terms set out what happens to your charging access if your employment changes, so check them before you opt in.
What Are The Different Types of Public EV Charger?
Before choosing where to charge, it helps to understand the different charger types and how much range each adds.
| Charger type | Power | Typical range added |
|---|---|---|
| Slow | Up to 7kW | 10 to 25 miles per hour |
| Fast | 7 to 22kW | Up to about 75 miles per hour |
| Rapid | 50 to 149kW | About 100 miles in 30 minutes |
| Ultra-rapid | 150kW+ | About 200 miles in 30 minutes |
Range added depends on your car and the charger. Power bands follow Zapmap for rapid and ultra-rapid chargers.
Your car needs to be compatible to take advantage of rapid and ultra-rapid speeds. Ultra-rapid chargers were the fastest-growing band in Q3 2026, with 15,335 in service (up 39.1%), while the rapid band showed no overall growth.
How Do You Find A Public Charger?
Most drivers find a charger through an app or the car’s navigation, which usually show real-time availability, speed, pricing and reviews. With 124,738 chargers at 48,298 locations, check connector type, price and speed before you set off.
The Charge Scheme app brings everything together by helping you:
Locate compatible public chargers
Track charging sessions and monitor spending and tax savings
Combine EV Salary Sacrifice With Workplace And Public Charging
Workplace chargers suit daytime top-ups, and employees can pay for them through The Charge Scheme with the same pre-tax savings. Many drivers use workplace charging for weekday driving and public rapid charging for longer journeys, with one monthly deduction. Employers can read about the workplace charging scheme.
Combining a salary sacrifice car with The Charge Scheme gives typical savings of 20 to 50% on the car and on charging, predictable monthly costs and no requirement for home charging (estimates, not guarantees).
This combined approach is especially well-suited to drivers without driveways, flat and apartment residents, urban drivers who mix on-street, workplace and destination charging, and long-distance commuters who rely on rapid chargers.
If you have home charging, treat public chargers as a backup. On-street chargers rose 13.4% to 41,374, and Local EV Infrastructure contracts cover around 3,000 chargers in West Northamptonshire and 1,300 across Devon and Torbay (Zapmap).
What Is Public EV Charging Etiquette?
Public EV charging etiquette is the set of shared habits that keeps chargers free for the next driver. With over 2.2 million battery-electric cars on UK roads, a little consideration goes a long way.
Charging Etiquette
When publicly charging your EV, it’s important to consider other drivers. Here are some best practices to follow:
Do:
Move your car once charging is complete
Share your charging experiences on apps like Zapmap to help others
Leave the charging area tidy and return cables and connectors neatly
Only park in EV charging bays when charging your car
Don’t:
Block access to chargers when not charging
Unplug other cars (even if they’re finished charging)
Leave cables lying around
Take up rapid chargers for longer than needed
Should I Charge To 100% At A Public Charger
In most cases, no. Cars generally charge to 80% quickly and then slow down to protect the battery. Auto Express found charging above 80% is rarely a good use of time. Move on at around 80% if you have enough range.
What Is “ICEing”, And Can I Park In An EV Bay Without Charging?
“ICEing” is when a petrol or diesel car parks in an EV bay, so if you’re not charging, choose a standard space. Councils enforce EV-only bays through a Traffic Regulation Order. Private operators set their own rules. Report ICEing to the operator or through Zapmap rather than confronting the driver.
How Long Can I Stay Plugged In, And How Do Idle Fees Work?
Stay plugged in only while you’re charging and move promptly afterwards. Operators set their own rates, and Tesla’s UK Superchargers, for example, charge a congestion fee of up to 50p a minute once a five-minute grace period ends, so check the table and your app before you plug in.
| Operator | Fee stated on operator page | Grace period and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Supercharger (UK) | Congestion fee of up to 50p per minute, varies by location | Five minutes; applies when the site is busy |
| bp pulse | £10 once after 90 minutes, £20 after 150 minutes | 50kW, 150kW and 300kW chargers; flat fee, not per minute |
| Shell Recharge (ubitricity 7 to 22kW) | 5p per minute | Starts 60 minutes after charging completes, 8am to 8pm only |
| InstaVolt | No idle fee stated | No maximum stay; site parking rules may apply |
| Osprey | No overstay or idle fees stated | Some sites have their own parking rules |
Fees are taken from each operator page and may have changed. IONITY, Gridserve and MFG EV Power are not listed because their fees could not be confirmed.
Peak Times, Slow-Charging Cars And Unplugging
At busy times, avoid occupying rapid or ultra-rapid bays for short top-ups, and charge at your destination where you can. If your car can’t take DC charging or charges slowly, a slower charger is a better match. Never unplug another driver’s car: most modern EVs lock the connector while charging. Report overstays to the operator’s app or helpline.
How Do You Charge Safely And Get The Most From Each Session?
Driver interacting with an EV’s touchscreen display showing charging status at 60%, with the charging interface featuring a progress bar and vehicle diagram. View from over the driver’s shoulder in modern car interior.
Keep these safety tips in mind:
Check cables for damage before using
Don’t force connectors. They should click in smoothly
Keep the charging port cover closed when not in use
Handle cables carefully in wet weather
Rain doesn’t affect EV charging, as the hardware is designed for wet weather. Park close to the charge point, display a warning sign if you can and return cables neatly, in line with Rule 239 of the Highway Code.
How To Maximise Your Charging Experience
Use rapid chargers for quick top-ups, slower chargers for longer stays, and plan stops around natural breaks
Charge to 80% at rapid chargers, as it’s usually quicker than going to 100%
Frequent rapid charging can put more stress on the battery over time, so check your manufacturer’s guidance
Keep your battery between 20% and 80% for everyday use and charge to 100% only for long journeys. Common mistakes include not checking a charger is compatible, forgetting to end the session and having no backup location.
Common Problems And How To Solve Them
Even with modern infrastructure, occasional issues can crop up.
The Slow Charge
You’ve found a rapid charger, but your car seems to be charging at a snail’s pace. Cold batteries charge more slowly: a US study of more than 200,000 DC fast-charging sessions found they took about nine minutes longer at around -18°C. Some chargers may share power between two cars, and most EVs slow down above 80% to protect the battery.
When Your Car Won’t Release The Cable
You’re charged up and ready to go, but your car has other ideas and won’t release the charging cable. Make sure you’ve properly ended the session in the app, check that your car is unlocked, and try locking and unlocking it again, which can reset the mechanism.
The Human Element, And Being Prepared
Sometimes the problem isn’t technical but human. You might arrive at a charger to find a fully charged car still occupying the space. If you do, check whether the network can notify the other driver, as many apps now can, or use a nearby charger.
Keep multiple charging apps on your phone and a backup location in mind for longer journeys. For any issues with The Charge Scheme, try app payment or restart the session if your card fails, log out and back in if the app does, and use the network helpline for charger faults.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Can I Save Each Year With The Charge Scheme?
Most drivers save between £400 and £900 per year by paying for charging through salary sacrifice. The exact saving depends on how much you drive, how often you use public chargers, and your tax band.
Can I Use The Charge Scheme At Any Public Charger?
The Charge Scheme is designed to work across many UK public charging networks, so you aren’t tied to a single provider. Coverage can vary by network and by charger, so check the supported networks before relying on a particular one.
How Do Public Charging Costs Compare To Home Charging In 2026?
Home charging is cheaper per kWh. Public pay-as-you-go prices averaged 54p/kWh on standard chargers and 79p/kWh on rapid chargers in September 2026, against an Ofgem cap of 26.32p/kWh for October to December 2026. The Charge Scheme narrows the gap, particularly for higher-rate taxpayers.
How Does Benefit-In-Kind Affect Electric Cars In 2026?
Benefit-in-kind for electric cars is 4% in 2026/27, then 5% in 2027/28, 7% in 2028/29 and 9% in 2029/30, against a petrol and diesel maximum of 37% in 2026/27. Electric cars remain significantly more tax-efficient than petrol or diesel alternatives, as our BiK guide explains.
Public charging works best when you match the charger to the time you have and stop at around 80% to keep the queue moving. Prices vary from 54p/kWh on standard chargers to 79p/kWh on rapid ones, so your choice of charger affects running costs. Paying through The Charge Scheme typically reduces those costs by 20 to 50%, and good etiquette keeps the network working for the next driver.
Explore our range of electric cars through The Electric Car Scheme, and see how much you could save with our online quote tool. Savings are estimates and vary with your tax band and mileage.
Are you an employer?
BOOK A DEMOAre you an employee?
SEE AVAILABLE CARSYou might also like…
Last updated: 21.10.2026
Information and prices provided are accurate at the time of release and may be subject to change. Our pricing is based on data collected from The Electric Car Scheme quote tool. All final pricing is inclusive of VAT. All prices above are based on the following lease terms; Using a flat payment profile, 10,000 miles pa, 36 months, and are inclusive of Maintenance and Breakdown Cover. The Electric Car Scheme’s terms and conditions apply. All deals are subject to credit approval and availability. All deals are subject to excess mileage and damage charges. Prices are calculated based on the following tax saving assumptions; England & Wales, 40% tax rate. The Electric Car Scheme Limited provides services for the administration of your salary sacrifice employee benefits. The Electric Car Scheme Holdings Limited is a member of the BVRLA (10608), is authorised and regulated by the FCA under FRN 968270, is an Appointed Representative of Marshall Management Services Ltd under FRN 667174, and is a credit broker and not a lender or insurance provider.
Copyright and Image Usage: All images used on this website are either licensed for commercial use or used with express permission from the copyright holders, in compliance with UK and EU copyright law. We are committed to respecting intellectual property rights and maintaining full compliance with applicable regulations. If you have any questions or concerns regarding image usage or copyright matters, please contact us at marketing@electriccarscheme.com and we will address them promptly.
