Don’t have a driveway or garage to park and charge your electric car? No problem! There are various charging options available for electric car owners who live in urban areas or don’t have access to off-street parking.
Why Not Having a Driveway Doesn’t Have to Limit Your EV Ownership
As Britain moves towards a greener future, more and more of us are considering electric cars. But what do you do if you live in a city and don’t have off-street parking like over a third of UK car owners who don’t have access to off-street parking? Fear not, for there are plenty of ways to keep your EV charged up and ready to go, no matter where you live, and this guide will help you understand them all.
Public Charging Stations
First up, let’s talk about public charging stations. You can find them all over the place these days, from shopping centres to car parks, and you can usually find them using one of the charging networks like Pod Point or Polar Plus.
One of the most common electric car charging options in cities is public charging stations. These are typically located in public areas such as car parks, shopping centres, and public streets. Just don’t expect them to be the fastest way to charge your car. They can provide a reliable option for city dwellers who need to charge their electric cars while running errands or enjoying a night out.
On-Site Charging Stations
If you’re lucky enough to live in a fancy apartment complex or a swanky new development, you might have access to on-site charging stations. If not, you could always lobby the management to get some installed. There may even be government grants or incentives available to help with the cost. Alternatively, you could invest in a portable charger like a Zappi or a Wallbox Pulsar Plus. They’re small enough to carry around, and you can plug them into a standard wall socket. They might not be the quickest way to charge your car, but they’re certainly convenient.
Installing an external charger
But what if you live on a street without a driveway, or in a terraced house with no garage? Fear not, my friends, for there are still options available to you. One possibility is to install a charger on the pavement outside your house. You’ll need to get permission from the council, of course, but it’s worth investigating.
If you’re still one of those who actually go to work, then you might want to take advantage of the charging points available at your workplace. It’s as simple as plugging in your electric car and letting it charge overnight! But what if your workplace doesn’t have a charging point installed? The government has got you covered with its Workplace Charging Scheme. Your employer can apply for a grant to cover some of the costs of installing an electric car charging point for their business. It’s a win-win situation, really! You get to charge your car hassle-free, and your employer gets to join the green revolution. Everybody wins!
Another solution that’s as simple as popping to the shops for your weekly groceries! Many supermarkets these days have electric car charging points installed in their car parks. Granted, they may not always offer the fastest charging speeds, but it’s a great way to recharge your electric vehicle without going out of your way. No need to plan a separate trip to the charging station, just pull up at your local supermarket, do your weekly shopping and let your car charge while you shop. It’s a no-brainer really!
Electrified roads
Electrified roads are fitted with electric cables or conductive charging infrastructure that can recharge compatible electric vehicles while they’re driving. With virtually unlimited range, long-distance journeys become a breeze. Plus, smaller and more affordable EV batteries mean that they’re better for the environment, too.
electrified roads are still in early development, and there are some challenges that need to be addressed. Installing the charging infrastructure on roads will be expensive, and standardization of technology and infrastructure is essential to ensure compatibility with different EVs. However, electrified roads have the potential to make sustainable transportation more practical for everyone.
Wireless Charging
The latest and greatest EV tech to take the UK by storm is wireless charging. That’s right, just like the convenience of charging your smartphone on a pad, wireless EV charging allows drivers to recharge their electric vehicles simply by driving over an underground charging station. No more plugging in, no more tangled wires – just pure, unadulterated convenience.
Wireless EV charging harnesses the power of inductive charging, which uses magnetic coils in the charging pad and the car to transfer electricity wirelessly. It’s so cutting-edge that even Nottinghamshire is in on the action, running a trial with nine electric taxis using wireless charging. With all the benefits that come with wireless charging, we can expect this tech to become more common across the UK in the coming years.
