We were delighted when Richard Seppings, MD of Anglia Car Charging agreed to answer some of our questions about electric cars and chargers.
We are often asked questions from customers looking to purchase and finance their first electric car and we want to make sure the information we give is current and informative.
So, we invited Richard for a Q&A session. Ahead of us sharing the full video interview, here are just some of the questions and answers we’ll be covering:
We know there are different types of electric vehicles, including hybrids, plug in hybrids, battery electric etc but are there different types of charging points?
Yes – there are different strength chargers.
- Slow (13amp plug),
- Fast (up to 7.2kW giving approximately 25 miles of distance for every hour of charge). These are the most common home and workplace charging units. Generally connected to existing power supply.
- Rapid – these are DC (Direct Current). These are generally seen beside the road, at service stations etc. A 100kW charger can put over 350 miles into the tank for every hour of charging.
Do all electric cars have the same style plug?
There are two plug types. Type 2 is the most common and becoming the industry standard for fast charging.
How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle?
It depends on both the charger and the car. At home I can charge my car overnight putting 25 miles of distance into the battery per hour.
How much does it cost to charge an electric car and can you charge it straight from the mains?
- I pay 16p/kWh for electricity. The battery size is 64kWh. =£10.24 to charge from empty.
- But there are some amazing deals on cheap night time electricity. Google “EV Tariffs” to find them.
- This can reduce charging cost by 60% or more.
Can you overcharge an electric car?
No. When full the charger switches off.
A big concern for many that live in rural areas is range anxiety, what is your view on this? Have batteries improved over the last few years?
Batteries have got bigger, better and cheaper. Its rare to find a new car which has a range of less than 150 miles. Driving an EV requires a change of habit. I charge my car up every night. So I start every morning with a full tank of fuel. Range anxiety is not an issue at all. There is also an ever expanding network of publicly accessible rapid chargers, so on those days when I travel long distances I can always top up. I use www.zap-map.com to find chargers.
Are electric car chargers eligible for government grants?
Yes, both for home chargers and in the workplace there are grants available. £350 per socket.
Credo are considering installing an electric car charging point, what’s your advice for any business looking to do this?
Do it! It will help your staff make the switch to a more environmentally friendly form of transport. In the next 10 years car chargers are going to become an essential part of every car park. Now is a great time to get involved. There’s grant funding available. (which will not be around forever).
But you need to ask the right questions – we have a nice document explaining the options, possibilities and challenges.
What are the advantages of installing an electric charger at your workplace?
- Help you staff switch to EVs
- Dramatically reduce your fuel costs
- No BIK on electricity taken by staff for car charging.
- Favourable tax benefits in installing the systems now.
Thank you Richard for sharing your knowledge, we learned a great deal and can’t wait to be able to share the full video!
If you are considering purchasing an electric car personally or for your business, you can trust Credo to give you the correct information you need to make an informed choice, including electric chargers!
Call us today on 01603 381955 or e-mail [email protected]
