Contact us
Contact us

Electric Vehicle Charging & Infrastructure

Let’s talk about charging

When it comes to electric vehicles, charging is the most common concern. For many of us, the concept of switching from the traditional model of filling our cars with fuel is daunting. But actually, the EV charging model is incredibly convenient! Just think, instead of rushing to get petrol before or after work, your car can be charged overnight, during work, or even at the service station while on a road trip break. Of course, adjusting to a new model takes time, but the resources and infrastructure are in place to make the switch as seamless as possible.

The A to Z of charging

We want to help you understand EV charging. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the different types of charging, costs, and funding options, and how to locate a charging station nearby.

Find your nearest chargepoint

Did you know there are more than 59,590 charge points across the UK at over 32,322 charging locations? Use the ZAP MAP app to find the one nearest to you.

Install a home charger

We’ve teamed up with Pod Point to create a charging package that makes setting up your home charging quick, simple, and affordable.

FAQS

  1. General
  2. Charging

Electric Vehicle –A vehicle powered solely by electricity. The vehicle is charged by an external power source, e.g., a home wall box or public charge point. These vehicles are also referred to as BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) or E-REVs (Extended Range Electric Vehicles).

 

Plug-in Hybrid – These vehicles have a specified range that they can travel on using their electric charge, and then once the electric charge is used up, the journey continues on the hybrid fuel mode, petrol. You will need to use a home wall box or public charging points to charge up your vehicle to obtain the optimum benefit of these vehicles.

 

Hybrid - Mild hybrids are generally internal combustion engines equipped with an electric battery, allowing the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, yet they can restart quickly. Mild hybrids may employ regenerative braking and some level of power assistance to the internal combustion engine, but mild hybrids do not have an exclusive electric-only mode of propulsion. These vehicles are also referred to as MHEVs (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles). These do not need to be plugged in.

EVs are increasingly becoming a more viable option for many drivers across the UK, but of course every individual has to factor in their own personal needs and situation. We have created a tool to help answer some of the key questions to assess whether an EV might be the right choice for you. https://secure.kinto-uk.com/VehicleNavigator

Just like an ICE vehicle, the range of an EV varies between make and model.

However, according to the latest WLTP figure, some EVs can go up to 453 miles on a single charge, and this performance is improving all the time. All pure electric vehicles can comfortably drive around 100 miles before they need recharging, whether it’s from London to Portsmouth or London to Leicester.

Range is also influenced by a variety of factors, in the same way as with an ICE vehicle. These factors include driving conditions, weather, load, tyres, etc.

Again, this depends on the vehicle make and model, but most manufacturers offer an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty for EV batteries.

View More
View Less

Electric Vehicle –A vehicle powered solely by electricity. The vehicle is charged by an external power source, e.g., a home wall box or public charge point. These vehicles are also referred to as BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) or E-REVs (Extended Range Electric Vehicles).

 

Plug-in Hybrid – These vehicles have a specified range that they can travel on using their electric charge, and then once the electric charge is used up, the journey continues on the hybrid fuel mode, petrol. You will need to use a home wall box or public charging points to charge up your vehicle to obtain the optimum benefit of these vehicles.

 

Hybrid - Mild hybrids are generally internal combustion engines equipped with an electric battery, allowing the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, yet they can restart quickly. Mild hybrids may employ regenerative braking and some level of power assistance to the internal combustion engine, but mild hybrids do not have an exclusive electric-only mode of propulsion. These vehicles are also referred to as MHEVs (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles). These do not need to be plugged in.

EVs are increasingly becoming a more viable option for many drivers across the UK, but of course every individual has to factor in their own personal needs and situation. We have created a tool to help answer some of the key questions to assess whether an EV might be the right choice for you. https://secure.kinto-uk.com/VehicleNavigator

Just like an ICE vehicle, the range of an EV varies between make and model.

However, according to the latest WLTP figure, some EVs can go up to 453 miles on a single charge, and this performance is improving all the time. All pure electric vehicles can comfortably drive around 100 miles before they need recharging, whether it’s from London to Portsmouth or London to Leicester.

Range is also influenced by a variety of factors, in the same way as with an ICE vehicle. These factors include driving conditions, weather, load, tyres, etc.

Again, this depends on the vehicle make and model, but most manufacturers offer an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty for EV batteries.

View More
View Less

FAQS

  1. General
  2. Charging
  3. Drivability
  4. Grants & Tax
  5. Electric vans

Electric Vehicle –A vehicle powered solely by electricity. The vehicle is charged by an external power source, e.g., a home wall box or public charge point. These vehicles are also referred to as BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) or E-REVs (Extended Range Electric Vehicles).

 

Plug-in Hybrid – These vehicles have a specified range that they can travel on using their electric charge, and then once the electric charge is used up, the journey continues on the hybrid fuel mode, petrol. You will need to use a home wall box or public charging points to charge up your vehicle to obtain the optimum benefit of these vehicles.

 

Hybrid - Mild hybrids are generally internal combustion engines equipped with an electric battery, allowing the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, yet they can restart quickly. Mild hybrids may employ regenerative braking and some level of power assistance to the internal combustion engine, but mild hybrids do not have an exclusive electric-only mode of propulsion. These vehicles are also referred to as MHEVs (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles). These do not need to be plugged in.

EVs are increasingly becoming a more viable option for many drivers across the UK, but of course every individual has to factor in their own personal needs and situation. We have created a tool to help answer some of the key questions to assess whether an EV might be the right choice for you. https://secure.kinto-uk.com/VehicleNavigator

Just like an ICE vehicle, the range of an EV varies between make and model.

 

However, according to the latest WLTP figure, some EVs can go up to 453 miles on a single charge, and this performance is improving all the time. All pure electric vehicles can comfortably drive around 100 miles before they need recharging, whether it’s from London to Portsmouth or London to Leicester.

 

Range is also influenced by a variety of factors, in the same way as with an ICE vehicle. These factors include driving conditions, weather, load, tyres, etc.

Again, this depends on the vehicle make and model, but most manufacturers offer an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty for EV batteries.

It all depends on what type of charger you are using. There are three types of charging:

 

1. A 7kW home charging wall box, best for overnight charging, usually takes between 6 and 12 hours.

 

2. Fast chargers (7kw- 22kw), usually take around 3-4 hours to fully charge a vehicle.

 

3. A 50kW rapid charger can charge an EV to about 80% in 30 minutes.

We are partnered with Pod Point and can assist you with making installation arrangements.

 

We use an online portal to submit your request, after which Pod Point will contact the driver. to complete a home survey assessment. They will ensure the property is suitable for a charge point to be installed and work with the driver to complete any necessary paperwork in order to claim the government grant. Don’t worry about filling out the documents, as the dedicated installation advisor will happily give your driver a call and talk you through every step.

 

You will be kept fully informed and updated, and we can ensure that on the day of the installation you are given a full overview of your wall box and how it works.

It is advisable that you have a wall box installed at your property for convenience; however, it is not a mandatory requirement. While there are public charging points and points at each of the main sites, you would need to ensure you have suitable access to these.

You must have the permission of the landlord. If you live in a flat other than the ground floor, you must have a dedicated off-road parking space and permission to install a charging point there.

Yes. Here at KINTO, we can help you arrange for a charging point to be installed through our current partner, Pod Point; however you can always choose to make your own arrangements through your own provider if you so wish.

It is great that you were an early adopter of an electric vehicle and already have a wall box installed at your home. You will not need to change your current wall box, however if you have a tethered wall box you may want to check that the pins in the plug are of the current standard. Those that adopted the wall boxes 5-10 years ago may find that they need an adaptor for the tethered cable or wish to change the wall box altogether.

Whilst most EVs are capable of charging via 3 pin sockets, it is not advisable to rely on this method for regular use due to the strain that it places on the household electrical infrastructure and the car’s charging hardware. Some company policies require employees to have a suitable charging point at their home in order to drive an EV.

If you are eligible for the grant, Pod Point will apply for it and deduct the grant amount from the total cost of your home charge installation.

 

The remainder of the home charge installation cost can be invoiced directly to you or your employer by KINTO, depending on your employer’s car policy and preferred setup arrangements, which will then enable them to subsequently adjust any personal use contributions for payroll deductions if appropriate.

 

The KINTO Quotes team will advise you of the value of any adjustments so you are kept fully informed of your contribution amounts. The cost of any remedial work required must, however, be met in full by you upon completion.

 

Customers also have the option to organise the home charge installation themselves, directly with our Charge Point partner, Pod Point, and be invoiced directly by them upon completion of the installation.

There are a number of reasons why EVs are really fun to drive. Not only will you notice how much quieter they are when driving, but on the whole, they are also better to handle due to the fact that their heavy batteries are mounted in the chassis, creating a low centre of gravity! Electric vehicles also provide instant torque at zero revs, making them extremely fun to drive. And finally, the regenerative braking when easing off the accelerator, which feeds energy back into the battery, adds to their efficiency.

Put simply, yes. Unlike petrol and diesel vehicles, electric vehicles don’t have multi-speed gearboxes.

Although we all know not to mix electricity with water, when it comes to EVs there’s absolutely no extra risk of driving in the rain or a lightning storm - they are just as safe as a petrol or diesel car. EVs also undergo the same rigorous testing and meet the same safety standards required for petrol or diesel fuelled vehicles.

You can work out an estimated BIK figure using the Tax Fuel Calculator on the HRMC website. If you are a KINTO customer, it is also located on the top right of your driver extranet page. You will need to calculate BiK figures dependent on the specific vehicle as the figures will vary with CO2 and P11D differences.

This is a grant provided by the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) for electric car home chargers. The OZEV EV chargepoint grant provides up to £350 off the cost of purchasing and installing a home charging point. The grant is applicable for fully electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The government has approved a change to driving licence legislation designed to make it easier for people to use electric vans. The new rule came into force on 24 July 2018 after a consultation a year earlier and is designed to make it easier for manufacturers to sell alternative fuel vans in the UK and take the hassle out of applying for more complex licences. Essentially, it means van operators can drive a heavier-than-normal van with a conventional driving licence – providing it’s powered by something other than petrol or diesel.

 

Motorists with a Category B licence – the conventional type you get when you pass your car driving test – are already allowed to drive most normal vans that weigh no more than 3500kg; however, the new legislation allows Category B licence holders to drive alternative fuel vans that weigh up to 4250kg.

 

But there are some conditions. Category B licence holders are not automatically allowed to drive the vehicles in question. Before they can get behind the wheel of a heavier alternative fuel van, they must first complete a minimum of five hours’ training at the helm of such a vehicle with a registered instructor.

The Department for Transport (DfT), which is responsible for the legislation, stipulates that alternative fuel vans must be powered by “electricity, natural gas, biogas or hydrogen or [a combination of] hydrogen and electricity”. Basically, the new legislation applies to vans that are not powered by petrol or diesel and weigh between 3500 and 4250kg. Batteries that power electric vehicles are heavy, so it’s often difficult for manufacturers to fit them to LCVs and keep the weight beneath the traditional 3500kg level. They also need to factor in an acceptable amount of weight allowance for carrying cargo.

Electric Vehicle –A vehicle powered solely by electricity. The vehicle is charged by an external power source, e.g., a home wall box or public charge point. These vehicles are also referred to as BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) or E-REVs (Extended Range Electric Vehicles).

 

Plug-in Hybrid – These vehicles have a specified range that they can travel on using their electric charge, and then once the electric charge is used up, the journey continues on the hybrid fuel mode, petrol. You will need to use a home wall box or public charging points to charge up your vehicle to obtain the optimum benefit of these vehicles.

 

Hybrid - Mild hybrids are generally internal combustion engines equipped with an electric battery, allowing the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, yet they can restart quickly. Mild hybrids may employ regenerative braking and some level of power assistance to the internal combustion engine, but mild hybrids do not have an exclusive electric-only mode of propulsion. These vehicles are also referred to as MHEVs (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles). These do not need to be plugged in.

EVs are increasingly becoming a more viable option for many drivers across the UK, but of course every individual has to factor in their own personal needs and situation. We have created a tool to help answer some of the key questions to assess whether an EV might be the right choice for you. https://secure.kinto-uk.com/VehicleNavigator

Just like an ICE vehicle, the range of an EV varies between make and model.

 

However, according to the latest WLTP figure, some EVs can go up to 453 miles on a single charge, and this performance is improving all the time. All pure electric vehicles can comfortably drive around 100 miles before they need recharging, whether it’s from London to Portsmouth or London to Leicester.

 

Range is also influenced by a variety of factors, in the same way as with an ICE vehicle. These factors include driving conditions, weather, load, tyres, etc.

Again, this depends on the vehicle make and model, but most manufacturers offer an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty for EV batteries.

It all depends on what type of charger you are using. There are three types of charging:

 

1. A 7kW home charging wall box, best for overnight charging, usually takes between 6 and 12 hours.

 

2. Fast chargers (7kw- 22kw), usually take around 3-4 hours to fully charge a vehicle.

 

3. A 50kW rapid charger can charge an EV to about 80% in 30 minutes.

We are partnered with Pod Point and can assist you with making installation arrangements.

 

We use an online portal to submit your request, after which Pod Point will contact the driver. to complete a home survey assessment. They will ensure the property is suitable for a charge point to be installed and work with the driver to complete any necessary paperwork in order to claim the government grant. Don’t worry about filling out the documents, as the dedicated installation advisor will happily give your driver a call and talk you through every step.

 

You will be kept fully informed and updated, and we can ensure that on the day of the installation you are given a full overview of your wall box and how it works.

It is advisable that you have a wall box installed at your property for convenience; however, it is not a mandatory requirement. While there are public charging points and points at each of the main sites, you would need to ensure you have suitable access to these.

You must have the permission of the landlord. If you live in a flat other than the ground floor, you must have a dedicated off-road parking space and permission to install a charging point there.

Yes. Here at KINTO, we can help you arrange for a charging point to be installed through our current partner, Pod Point; however you can always choose to make your own arrangements through your own provider if you so wish.

It is great that you were an early adopter of an electric vehicle and already have a wall box installed at your home. You will not need to change your current wall box, however if you have a tethered wall box you may want to check that the pins in the plug are of the current standard. Those that adopted the wall boxes 5-10 years ago may find that they need an adaptor for the tethered cable or wish to change the wall box altogether.

Whilst most EVs are capable of charging via 3 pin sockets, it is not advisable to rely on this method for regular use due to the strain that it places on the household electrical infrastructure and the car’s charging hardware. Some company policies require employees to have a suitable charging point at their home in order to drive an EV.

If you are eligible for the grant, Pod Point will apply for it and deduct the grant amount from the total cost of your home charge installation.

 

The remainder of the home charge installation cost can be invoiced directly to you or your employer by KINTO, depending on your employer’s car policy and preferred setup arrangements, which will then enable them to subsequently adjust any personal use contributions for payroll deductions if appropriate.

 

The KINTO Quotes team will advise you of the value of any adjustments so you are kept fully informed of your contribution amounts. The cost of any remedial work required must, however, be met in full by you upon completion.

 

Customers also have the option to organise the home charge installation themselves, directly with our Charge Point partner, Pod Point, and be invoiced directly by them upon completion of the installation.

There are a number of reasons why EVs are really fun to drive. Not only will you notice how much quieter they are when driving, but on the whole, they are also better to handle due to the fact that their heavy batteries are mounted in the chassis, creating a low centre of gravity! Electric vehicles also provide instant torque at zero revs, making them extremely fun to drive. And finally, the regenerative braking when easing off the accelerator, which feeds energy back into the battery, adds to their efficiency.

Put simply, yes. Unlike petrol and diesel vehicles, electric vehicles don’t have multi-speed gearboxes.

Although we all know not to mix electricity with water, when it comes to EVs there’s absolutely no extra risk of driving in the rain or a lightning storm - they are just as safe as a petrol or diesel car. EVs also undergo the same rigorous testing and meet the same safety standards required for petrol or diesel fuelled vehicles.

You can work out an estimated BIK figure using the Tax Fuel Calculator on the HRMC website. If you are a KINTO customer, it is also located on the top right of your driver extranet page. You will need to calculate BiK figures dependent on the specific vehicle as the figures will vary with CO2 and P11D differences.

This is a grant provided by the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) for electric car home chargers. The OZEV EV chargepoint grant provides up to £350 off the cost of purchasing and installing a home charging point. The grant is applicable for fully electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The government has approved a change to driving licence legislation designed to make it easier for people to use electric vans. The new rule came into force on 24 July 2018 after a consultation a year earlier and is designed to make it easier for manufacturers to sell alternative fuel vans in the UK and take the hassle out of applying for more complex licences. Essentially, it means van operators can drive a heavier-than-normal van with a conventional driving licence – providing it’s powered by something other than petrol or diesel.

 

Motorists with a Category B licence – the conventional type you get when you pass your car driving test – are already allowed to drive most normal vans that weigh no more than 3500kg; however, the new legislation allows Category B licence holders to drive alternative fuel vans that weigh up to 4250kg.

 

But there are some conditions. Category B licence holders are not automatically allowed to drive the vehicles in question. Before they can get behind the wheel of a heavier alternative fuel van, they must first complete a minimum of five hours’ training at the helm of such a vehicle with a registered instructor.

The Department for Transport (DfT), which is responsible for the legislation, stipulates that alternative fuel vans must be powered by “electricity, natural gas, biogas or hydrogen or [a combination of] hydrogen and electricity”. Basically, the new legislation applies to vans that are not powered by petrol or diesel and weigh between 3500 and 4250kg. Batteries that power electric vehicles are heavy, so it’s often difficult for manufacturers to fit them to LCVs and keep the weight beneath the traditional 3500kg level. They also need to factor in an acceptable amount of weight allowance for carrying cargo.