The UK has one of the world’s most widespread electric car charging networks, so you’re rarely far from a convenient place to plug in. But paying for it hasn’t always been easy.
Early adopters will have less-than-favourable memories of juggling multiple memberships, glove boxes full of RFID cards and the multitude of smartphone apps and memberships needed to get around the country.
However, it’s become a lot simpler recently. The Government has clamped down on easy access to public chargers to help drivers switch, and there’s a growing choice of membership schemes that enable them to pay for multiple networks under a single account.
Read on to find out about the different methods, and how to cut the hassle (and cost) of keeping your EV topped up.
Contactless Payments
Paying for public charging is often as simple as tapping your smartphone or bank card to buy a mid-journey coffee, with no need to sign up for membership beforehand.
Contactless payments became mandatory in November 2024, as part of the Government’s Public Charge Point Regulations. Those rules apply to any newly installed charger at 8kW or faster, and all DC rapid chargers capable of 50kW or more, even if they were already live before that date.
In practice, it means you’re rarely far from a charger that you can access either with a tap of your credit or debit card, or by using Apple Pay or Google Pay on your smartphone. There are almost 30,000 rapid chargers across the UK which accept contactless payments if the nearest slower ones haven’t been upgraded yet.
And, if you’re driving for business, most networks will let you request a receipt online by entering a few details about the charging session.
However, there is a downside. Contactless might be convenient, but it’s often the priciest way to pay for charging.
Charging Network Apps
Most charging networks still offer their own apps, which will enable you to enter your bank details then control and pay using your smartphone.
They’re usually free to download and include maps showing where chargers are located, how fast they are and whether they’re available and online. You’ll also get access to some of the legacy chargers that don’t have contactless payments.
Using apps can be a little fiddlier than tapping a contactless card, as you need to locate the charger and activate it from your phone. However, you’ll get live data about the charging session, the ability to track how much you’ve been spending and options to quickly download receipts for expenses claims if you need them.
Some networks also offer with discounted rates if they register on an app. Ionity, for example, charges 79p/kWh for app users compared 83p/kWh for contactless payments, and it’s one of several operators (alongside Be.EV, BP Pulse, Fastned, Gridserve and Tesla) offering even lower rates in exchange for a monthly membership fee.
Subscriptions can break even quickly if you’re regularly using the same networks. A Kia EV3 with the longer-range battery would more than cover Gridserve’s £7.99 monthly membership in a single 10-70% rapid charging session. The downside is you’ll still be paying full whack if you plug in elsewhere.
