In the UK, there are a growing number of public EV charging points, with some offering national coverage and others only found in specific regions. The major UK wide networks include BP Chargemaster [Polar], Pod Point and Charge Your Car.

When it comes to public charging for longer journeys, rapid charging is recommended. This can provide up to 80% of charge in as little as 20 minutes, making it the quickest means of EV charging in the UK. Public EV charging stations are mostly installed and found at motorway service stations or close to major roads. The most common rapid chargers used are 50 kW DC.

An increasing number of businesses are installing EV charging units for employees and visitors with electric vehicles.

Workplace charging stations help make electric vehicles viable for business users with longer commutes and must be installed in the company’s car park or off-street parking. While EV charging stations are similar to home based units, power ratings tend to be higher with more 7 kW and 22 kW units installed. Business units are often double socket, allowing them to charge two vehicles at the same time. When combined with home charging, workplace charging can double the daily electric range of a vehicle, making use for longer distances viable.