Table of Contents:

• Which Cable & Charger Do I Need for my Electric Car?
• Electric Vehicle Facts
• What are the different types of Electric Car chargers?
• What are the different Electric Car Cable Types?
• What are the different charging speeds?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Which Cable & Charger Do I Need for my Electric Car?

Electric Vehicle Facts

• The first-ever electric car was built in the UK in 1884.
• There are 10 million electric cars in use worldwide. 
• The electric car market in the UK is growing rapidly. Statistics on car ownership in the UK reveal that 10.7% were plug-in vehicles - 6.6% pure-electric, and 4.1% plug-in hybrids are currently in use, that is 345,000 electric cars on UK roads with an additional 675,000 hybrid cars.
• Electric and hybrid cars are different. An electric car doesn’t have a fuel tank or combustion engine, it has an electric motor and a battery that can only run on electricity. A hybrid car has either a diesel or a petrol engine, in addition to a small electric motor and battery.
• Most Hybrid and Electric cars recycle braking kinetic energy and transform it into electricity, which is then used when driving the car in electric mode. Plug-ins can also be charged at charging stations
• Tesla is the most popular electric vehicle manufacturer.
• An electric car can utilise 80% of its battery power.
• Electric cars are 10 to 25% heavier than conventional cars.
• The UK has more electric charging stations than petrol stations.
• Electric cars do not need oil changes and maintenance can be very low.
• Hybrid cars produce 90% fewer pollutants than non-hybrid cars.
• Some electric cars can charge to 80% in 30 minutes
• 96% of consumers who own an electric car say they would buy or rent one again in the future.

What are the different types of Electric Car chargers?

Type 1

Single-phase connector enabling up to 7.4kW power rating. This type is an uncommon type in Europe and is mainly used in Asian countries.

Type 2

In Europe, this is the standard plug, which is a triple phase design. It is common to achieve charging levels up to 22kW in private areas.

CHAdeMO Plug

This quick charging system was developed in Japan, allowing for charging capacities up to 50 kW at the appropriate public charging stations. The following manufacturers offer electric cars which are compatible with the CHAdeMO plug: BD Otomotiv, Citroën, Honda, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Subaru, Tesla (with adaptor) and Toyota. These are typically attached directly to public charging stations themselves and are not available for individual purchase

Combination Plugs (Combined Charging System, or CCS)

The CCS plug is an enhanced version of the type 2 plug, with two additional power contacts for the purposes of quick charging, it supports AC and DC charging power levels (alternating and direct current charging power levels) of up to 170 kW. In practice, the value is usually around 50 kW.

Tesla Supercharger

For its supercharger, Tesla uses a modified version of the type 2 Mennekes plug. This allows for the Model S to recharge to 80% in just 30 minutes.

What does tethered and untethered mean?

Tethered chargers come with a fixed cable in a charger that cannot be removed. Untethered chargers have a Type 1 or Type 2 socket for direct use with your charging cable from the charger when your charging session is finished.

What are the different Electric Car Cable Types?

Mode 2

This type of charging cable is typically provided by the car manufacturer. It’s available in various versions and drivers can use it for charging their vehicle with a domestic socket. It has a box which communicates between the connector plug and vehicle plug, known as an ICCB In-Cable Control Box. Some types of EV charging cables are equipped with connectors for various CEE sockets, including NRGkick. These enable you to get a charge up to 22kw. 

Mode 3

This type of charging cable connects the electric vehicle and charging station. Generally, charge stations provide type 2 sockets, allowing you to use a Type 1 or Type 2 plug, but the standard in Europe is a Type 2.
To charge, you must have a mode 3 cable with Type 2-to-Type 2 (Renault ZOE, etc.) or mode 3 cable converting Type2-to-Type 1 (Nissan Leaf, etc).

Domestic Socket

Charging power levels of up to 3.7 kW (230 V, 16 A) can be reached with a domestic socket with the appropriate fusing. Your electric car will be charged via a mode 2 charging cable. We would only recommend a maximum charging power of 2.3 kW (230 V, 10 A) and only if the socket has not been checked beforehand.

What are the different charging speeds?

There are three categories for charge speed, slow, fast, and rapid. Look at the power rating to determine the types of EV charging cable power you can achieve. Slow (under 3kW) averages 6-12 hours, fast (7kW – 22kW) takes 3 to 4 hours, while rapid (50kW – 120kW) can give a full charge in roughly an hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much is it to charge an electric car at electric vehicle charging stations?

  Prices for this range from free to approximately £15. EcarNI currently offers free charging (2022). It is currently free to charge at all ecarNI Charge points in Northern Ireland.

• Do you have to pay Road Tax on electric cars?

  No, at the minute Electric Cars are exempt from road tax (2022)

• How much does it cost to install an electric car charger at home?

  It'll usually cost you between £800 and £1,100 to buy and install an electric car charging point on your property. If you use an installer from the company selling you a charging point, it'll cost you the same kind of price no matter where you are in the UK.

• Can I install an electric car charger at home myself?

  No you cannot unless you are a qualified electrician with experience of installing these.

• What is the average cost of fully charging an electric car at home?

  This is very dependent on the size of your car's battery. Currently full charging an electric car at home costs from around £5.

• Are all EVs compatible with all chargers?

  Most EVs and EV chargers in the UK are compatible. But for non-rapid charging you will usually have to supply your own cable, which comes with and is stored inside the vehicle.

• How long does it take to charge an electric car?

  How long it takes to charge an EV depends on the size of the battery and the type of charger - which is defined by the power in kW. The majority of EU manufacturers will give this information on their websites.

• Can I charge my electric car from a normal 3 pin plug?

  Yes, however using a 3 pin socket can take up-to and sometimes longer than 18 hours depending on the size of the vehicle, using a home charger is over 3 times faster than this.

• Can I drive and charge my electric car in the rain?

  Yes, and it is perfectly safe to put them through the car wash too.

• Does an electric vehicle use gears?

  The majority of electric cars are automatic.

• Do electric cars charge when driving?

  At the minute electric cars need to be manually plugged into a charging port and do not charge while driving. Regenerative braking will recharge the battery a little bit.

• What happens if you run out of charge in an electric car?

  The car will switch into fail safe mode, giving you enough time to pull over.

• How far can a typical electrical car travel on a single charge?

  The average distance is 193 miles, you usually get between 100 and 300 miles from a fully charged electric car depending on the model.

• Can an electric car be towed if it breaks down?

  The safest way to tow an electric car is using a flatbed truck. Flat towing and dolly towing are not an option.

• Do electric cars need oil?

  Most electric cars do not need oil because they don’t have an internal combustion engine with moving parts.

• How long do electric car batteries last?

  This will depend on the manufacturer, typically manufacturers will provide a warranty up-to 8 years or 100,000 miles of use.
  To prolong your car’s battery, ensure they are charged correctly and receive regular maintenance. In January 2022 a Tesla Model S reached an impressive 1500,000 Kilometres/ 932,256 miles.

• Are electric cars better for the environment?

  Electric cars are better for the environment than petrol or diesel cars as they help reduce air pollution considerably reduce your carbon footprint.

• What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 chargers?

  Type 1 plug is a 5-pin design and has a latch that keeps the plug-in place and prevents it from being dislodged from the charger socket, while the Type 2 models, with 7-pin design don't have these latches. Instead, the vehicles that utilise Type 2 plugs have a locking pin that locates and secures the plug-in place.