Electric Vehicle Charging Help and advice
Choosing the right connection Type...
Think of an Apple iPhone charging cable and an Android charging cable. Both do the same job but have different shaped ends that plug into the device. It's similar with Type 1 and Type 2 charging leads.
The female end will always be Type 2 but the male end (which connects to the car) will be either Type 1 or Type 2.
So can you be sure you are choosing the right one?
Type 1 Vehicles – These vehicles will have 5 connection points plus one clip above.
Type 2 Vehicles – These vehicles will have 7 connection points
As a final check, you can have a look at our close-up images of the heads on each one of our product listings.
Electric Vehicle Charging Speeds...
This is a slightly more complicated process to explain but we will try and summarise it for you.
There are 3 main variables to consider when trying to calculate your charging speed.
1. The size of the vehicle battery - Hybrid cars with small batteries will accept a much lower charge than a fully electric car for example.
2. The power supply - single phase 7.4kW or 3 phase 22kW. Typically most domestic households in the UK only have single phase supply and most businesses have 3 phase supply
3. The cable speed - Ranging from 3kW to 22kW
As a rule, any combination of the above will charge your car however the maximum charging speed you receive will be dictated by the weakest of the 3 above variables. Here are a few scenarios to help summarise...
Scenario 1. Fully electric car, 3 phase supply, 3 phase cable = 22kW because all 3 variables are capable of receiving the maximum charge.
Scenario 2. Fully electric car, 1 phase supply, 3 phase cable = 7.4kW because of the 1 phase supply.
Some simple rules to help you make the right choice of cable...
- If your car cannot accept more than a 7.4kW supply you only need a single phase cable, buying a 3 phase cable will cost you more and unfortunately won't charge your car any faster.
- When charging at home, it is highly likely that your house has single phase supply therefore even with a fully electric car and a 3 phase cable you will only be able to charge at 7.4kW at home. The good news is that a 3 phase cable will still work on single phase supply so you only need to purchase one 3 phase cable to cover home and public charging.
Cable length - It is always better to have a slightly longer cable to avoid having the cable pulled tight and increasing the risk if a trip hazard. Ideally the cable should run flat along the floor and if crossing walkways cover with rubber trip mats.
This page is intended to offer some basic help and advice when choosing your charging equipment. If you are unsure about anything related to your charging set up please contact a qualified electrician or the car manufacturers for formal guidance.