What types of charge costs could I face and how can I pay?
Public chargepoint costs vary across the country but, in short, you’ll pay the most for the speediest top-up. Whenever you use a public chargepoint, you’ll usually pay a standard connection fee plus the charge for the amount of electricity your battery then consumes (shown as the price per kWh).
There are more than 60 chargepoint networks across the UK, but payment has not always been simple. Even though some networks have offered discounts for signing up, many drivers have had to download different smartphone apps or order RFID cards to pay for charges with each one.
However, the payment process is starting to become smoother with more networks set to roll out contactless payment. And to make things even easier, you can now sign up for one card or app to use across lots of different networks. You’ve got a small selection of such services to choose from but one example is Octopus Electroverse which gives you access to more than 380,000 chargepoints across the UK and Europe.
All information is based on the most up-to-date research from Energy Saving Trust as of 31 January 2023 and the UK Government. This article does not constitute advice and is for general guidance only. Always undertake your own research before taking any action.
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