What Are The Best Public EV Charging Networks in the UK?
It has never been easier to find a public EV charging station. Over the past few years, thousands of new points have been added throughout the UK. However, finding the right charging station can be confusing as they’re all run by different businesses with different prices and membership fees.
To help you understand all the different charging networks in the UK, we’ve compiled this article to give you a brief overview of all the major networks, where they cover and their prices.
Before we get into the different networks, you should understand how long it will take to charge an EV. Different chargers charge at different speeds, so understanding the difference between the different power charger types is essential.
Slow chargers are rarely found in public charging stations. They charge up to 3 kW and are usually used to charge overnight or at work over long periods. They generally take 8 - 10 hours to charge fully.
Fast chargers charge between 7 kW - 22 kW. They can take around 3 - 4 hours to charge your car. These chargers are usually found in public places like car parks, supermarkets or other facilities. They’re the most common sort of charger you’ll find in public.
Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers charge from 43kW onwards. These take 30 - 60 minutes to fully charge your car but are only compatible with rapid-charging function EVs. They can be found at locations like motorway service stations, petrol stations and supermarkets.
Below is a list of all the significant public EV charging networks you will likely encounter in the UK. Some operate across the country, while some are region-centric, and others are only located in select cities.
ESB Energy is an Irish energy company providing the UK with public electric charging points.
ESB Energy covers London, Birmingham and Coventry. They are currently rolling out more chargers in Birmingham. They have 140 chargers in these locations, although they hope to have 200 in the next two years.
You can get a membership for ESB Energy for £4.99 a month. With this membership, they will charge you 38p per kWh. 38p is also the fee for registered taxi drivers. However, if you don’t have a membership, they will charge 40p per kWh for pay-as-you-go and contactless users.
GeniePoint is run by Equans, formerly Engie EV Solutions, a market leader in renewable technologies.
GeniePoint’s network is mainly concentrated in the south of England, although they can also be found in other parts of England, Scotland and Wales. Their charging points are often found in Morrison’s stores as they are the supermarket's EV charging partner.
GenePoint doesn’t have a membership, but you still must register on their app before accessing their points. They cost 57p per kWh.
MFG EV Power runs the largest network of independent EV charger forecourts in the UK. They use 100% renewable energy and are notable for being very easy to use.
There are over 500 sites across the UK, including 350 ultra-rapid chargers. These are mainly found in English cities like Bristol, London and Manchester.
MFG EV Power charges no subscription fee and costs 65p per kWh.
Osprey is one of the fastest-growing EV networks in the country. They focus on providing rapid charging networks.
Osprey’s charging stations can be found all over the country, from Scotland to Cornwall. They operate over 170 sites, most of which are operated in destinations like supermarkets, pubs and coffee shops. Unlike some public EV networks, they don’t just cater for cities and can often be found in the countryside.
Osprey charges a standard rate of 66p per kWh and has no membership fees.
Fastned is a rapid charging network which operates primarily in Europe. They provide reliable 100% renewable energy in countries like Germany, Netherlands, France, Belgium and Switzerland and have also expanded into the United Kingdom.
Fastned opened its first EV charging point in the UK in 2019. Since then, they have primarily expanded in the North East of England, in areas like Newcastle. They also have two locations in Scotland and 3 in the South of England.
Fastned has a gold membership which costs a monthly fee of £9.99. For gold members, chargings costs 45p per kWh, but for guests, it costs 65p per kWh.
BP runs the most extensive public charging network in the UK. They bought Chargemaster, integrated it with the Polar network in December 2020, and rebranded it into bp pulse. They supply other networks such as Chargeplace Scotland and Chargeyourcar (CYC.)
As bp pulse has such an extensive network, it isn’t surprising that they’re easy to come across. They run over 8000 points spread across the UK, operating fast 7kWh and rapid 150 kWh chargers.
They have a subscription service which costs £7.99 monthly. Depending on the point and charger speed, they charge subscribers between 44p - 67p per kWh. Non-subscribers and contactless users pay between 57p - 69p.
ChargePlace Scotland is Scotland’s national EV charging network. SWARCO operates them on behalf of the Scottish government.
As you’d guess by the name, ChargePlace Schotland operates across the length of Scotland. They have over 2000 charge points from the Shetlands to the border with England. Around 70% of their charging points are located outside of cities. They provide more than 300 rapid chargers.
To use their charging points, you must pay a one-off £10 fee for an RPID card. With that, you can access all their points. Some select points are free, but the majority cost 16p per kWh with a £1 minimum charge. There is no contactless access.
ChargerNet is a regional network of EV charge points found in Southwest England.
ChargerNet operates a handful of charging points in Dorset, primarily in Bournemouth and Poole and also has a charging station in Lyme Regis in Devon.
ChargerNet charges a £20 per annum fee for an RFID card. Once you have the card, you can use their rapid charging. It’s £4 for the first hour and then £12 for every hour afterwards.
GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, formerly called Ecotricity, is an EV charging network that spans the South of England and operates EV forecourts. They have ambitious plans to roll out 350 kW chargers.
GRIDSERVE charging points are found primarily in the south of England and Wales. However, they also operate two EV forecourts in Norwich and Braintree and have plans to open a third one in Gatwick. At these forecourts, they can charge 24 cars simultaneously.
There are no membership costs. Prices vary depending on if you’re using their electric forecourt or not. If you use them, the price is 45p per kWh, but if you use one of their non-forecourt charging points, it costs 39p per kWh.
Instavolt is headquartered in Hampshire and currently runs the 2nd largest rapid charging network in the UK with plans to become the largest.
InstaVolt has over 800 charging points in the UK, spread evenly across the nation. They have charging points as north as Aberdeen and as south as Cornwall.
There are no membership costs involved at InstaVolt charging stations which charge 66p per kWh.
Swarco E.Connect are a Welsh EV network which provides charging points across the UK. Most of their units are fast chargers, although they have some rapid charging points.
Their charging stations can be found across the UK, especially around Birmingham, Bradford, Cardiff and Plymouth. They provide 150 kW rapid chargers in Wales only.
Swarco E.Connect’s pricing differs from site to site. There is no set standard price per kWh. You can find information on their charging points’ pricing on their app.
Ionity is an EV charging network joint venture by key car manufacturers BMW Group, Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes Benz AG, Volkswagen Group, Ford Motor Company, Audi and Porsche. It has the backing of the EU and provides rapid 350kw chargers.
Ionity has only 16 locations in the United Kingdom. They are found mainly in England. There are plans to expand the network in the country soon.
Ionity has a membership fee of £16.99 per month. For this, they charge 35p per kWh for members, while contactless guests must pay 69p per kWh.
Pod Point is one of the oldest networks in the UK. They’re the EV charging partner with supermarket chains Tesco and Lidl. As well as providing public charging points, they also sell home and workplace charging stations.
Pod Point covers most of the United Kingdom. They have over 7300 charging bays, often found in Tesco and Lidl supermarkets. Thanks to this, they are easy to find across the country.
Tesco’s Pod Point charging stations are free to use. However, Lidl locations cost 28p per kWh, which is the same price as their other charging stations not located in supermarkets.
Shell Recharge provides an EV network across Europe in 33 countries. They provide rapid and ultra-rapid points.
They have 119 charge points in the UK; 65 are rapid, and 54 are ultra-rapid. They can usually be found in the forecourts of their refuelling stations. They have plans to add 5000 charge points in the UK by 2025.
Shell Recharge charges different prices depending on which charger you use. They charge 45p per kWh for fast chargers, 55p for rapid chargers, and 65p for ultra-rapid chargers.
Tesla needs no introduction. They are famously easy to use and often considered the best service in the UK.
There are 780 chargers available across 87 locations in the UK. Their superchargers are evenly spread out across the country. Some of these have been open to non-Tesla drivers since May 2022.
Charging at Tesla’s chargers used to be free and still is for Teslas ordered before 15th January 2017; however, if you ordered it after that, they are no longer free to charge. Instead, Tesla owners now get 1000 miles per year free and then pay 22p - 33p per kWh. Non-Tesla drivers pay from 50p per kWh.
Chargeyourcar, also known as CYC, is an open network of EV charging stations. They provide access to a network of independent point owners. They do not own any of the points.
There are over 1900 charge points in the CYC network. They are usually found at shopping malls and town centres. CYC’s points are usually slow or fast chargers.
As they do not own any power points, the price is set by the unit owner instead. This means pricing varies between points from 20p per kWh upwards and with a minimum charge of £1. They charge £20 per annum for an RFID card.
Knowing where to charge your car can get confusing with so many public EV charging stations. You never know whether a point is reliable, if they are any hidden registrations or if you need to download an app first.
That’s why Bonnet is great. Bonnet is a stress-free way to find your nearest EV charging point. You can use our interactive map to find the nearest EV point and avoid unnecessary detours. Bonnet ensures your payments are secure and that you don’t need separate cards and apps for every charging point provider.
What’s the Biggest Public Charging Network in the UK?
bp pulse operates the largest EV public charging network in the country. They operate over 8000 points across the UK.
How Do Public EV Charging Stations Work in the UK?
To charge your EV at a public charging station, you must plug the connector into your vehicle. Some networks require you to have an RFID card to use their points, and others need you to have their app.
Is Car Charging Free At Tesco?
Yes. Pod Point are the official EV partner with Tesco and provides free charging at their Tesco points. They have more charging points in over 500 stores.
What Are The Best Public EV Charging Networks in the UK?
It has never been easier to find a public EV charging station. Over the past few years, thousands of new points have been added throughout the UK. However, finding the right charging station can be confusing as they’re all run by different businesses with different prices and membership fees.
To help you understand all the different charging networks in the UK, we’ve compiled this article to give you a brief overview of all the major networks, where they cover and their prices.
Before we get into the different networks, you should understand how long it will take to charge an EV. Different chargers charge at different speeds, so understanding the difference between the different power charger types is essential.
Slow chargers are rarely found in public charging stations. They charge up to 3 kW and are usually used to charge overnight or at work over long periods. They generally take 8 - 10 hours to charge fully.
Fast chargers charge between 7 kW - 22 kW. They can take around 3 - 4 hours to charge your car. These chargers are usually found in public places like car parks, supermarkets or other facilities. They’re the most common sort of charger you’ll find in public.
Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers charge from 43kW onwards. These take 30 - 60 minutes to fully charge your car but are only compatible with rapid-charging function EVs. They can be found at locations like motorway service stations, petrol stations and supermarkets.
Below is a list of all the significant public EV charging networks you will likely encounter in the UK. Some operate across the country, while some are region-centric, and others are only located in select cities.
ESB Energy is an Irish energy company providing the UK with public electric charging points.
ESB Energy covers London, Birmingham and Coventry. They are currently rolling out more chargers in Birmingham. They have 140 chargers in these locations, although they hope to have 200 in the next two years.
You can get a membership for ESB Energy for £4.99 a month. With this membership, they will charge you 38p per kWh. 38p is also the fee for registered taxi drivers. However, if you don’t have a membership, they will charge 40p per kWh for pay-as-you-go and contactless users.
GeniePoint is run by Equans, formerly Engie EV Solutions, a market leader in renewable technologies.
GeniePoint’s network is mainly concentrated in the south of England, although they can also be found in other parts of England, Scotland and Wales. Their charging points are often found in Morrison’s stores as they are the supermarket's EV charging partner.
GenePoint doesn’t have a membership, but you still must register on their app before accessing their points. They cost 57p per kWh.
MFG EV Power runs the largest network of independent EV charger forecourts in the UK. They use 100% renewable energy and are notable for being very easy to use.
There are over 500 sites across the UK, including 350 ultra-rapid chargers. These are mainly found in English cities like Bristol, London and Manchester.
MFG EV Power charges no subscription fee and costs 65p per kWh.
Osprey is one of the fastest-growing EV networks in the country. They focus on providing rapid charging networks.
Osprey’s charging stations can be found all over the country, from Scotland to Cornwall. They operate over 170 sites, most of which are operated in destinations like supermarkets, pubs and coffee shops. Unlike some public EV networks, they don’t just cater for cities and can often be found in the countryside.
Osprey charges a standard rate of 66p per kWh and has no membership fees.
Fastned is a rapid charging network which operates primarily in Europe. They provide reliable 100% renewable energy in countries like Germany, Netherlands, France, Belgium and Switzerland and have also expanded into the United Kingdom.
Fastned opened its first EV charging point in the UK in 2019. Since then, they have primarily expanded in the North East of England, in areas like Newcastle. They also have two locations in Scotland and 3 in the South of England.
Fastned has a gold membership which costs a monthly fee of £9.99. For gold members, chargings costs 45p per kWh, but for guests, it costs 65p per kWh.
BP runs the most extensive public charging network in the UK. They bought Chargemaster, integrated it with the Polar network in December 2020, and rebranded it into bp pulse. They supply other networks such as Chargeplace Scotland and Chargeyourcar (CYC.)
As bp pulse has such an extensive network, it isn’t surprising that they’re easy to come across. They run over 8000 points spread across the UK, operating fast 7kWh and rapid 150 kWh chargers.
They have a subscription service which costs £7.99 monthly. Depending on the point and charger speed, they charge subscribers between 44p - 67p per kWh. Non-subscribers and contactless users pay between 57p - 69p.
ChargePlace Scotland is Scotland’s national EV charging network. SWARCO operates them on behalf of the Scottish government.
As you’d guess by the name, ChargePlace Schotland operates across the length of Scotland. They have over 2000 charge points from the Shetlands to the border with England. Around 70% of their charging points are located outside of cities. They provide more than 300 rapid chargers.
To use their charging points, you must pay a one-off £10 fee for an RPID card. With that, you can access all their points. Some select points are free, but the majority cost 16p per kWh with a £1 minimum charge. There is no contactless access.
ChargerNet is a regional network of EV charge points found in Southwest England.
ChargerNet operates a handful of charging points in Dorset, primarily in Bournemouth and Poole and also has a charging station in Lyme Regis in Devon.
ChargerNet charges a £20 per annum fee for an RFID card. Once you have the card, you can use their rapid charging. It’s £4 for the first hour and then £12 for every hour afterwards.
GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, formerly called Ecotricity, is an EV charging network that spans the South of England and operates EV forecourts. They have ambitious plans to roll out 350 kW chargers.
GRIDSERVE charging points are found primarily in the south of England and Wales. However, they also operate two EV forecourts in Norwich and Braintree and have plans to open a third one in Gatwick. At these forecourts, they can charge 24 cars simultaneously.
There are no membership costs. Prices vary depending on if you’re using their electric forecourt or not. If you use them, the price is 45p per kWh, but if you use one of their non-forecourt charging points, it costs 39p per kWh.
Instavolt is headquartered in Hampshire and currently runs the 2nd largest rapid charging network in the UK with plans to become the largest.
InstaVolt has over 800 charging points in the UK, spread evenly across the nation. They have charging points as north as Aberdeen and as south as Cornwall.
There are no membership costs involved at InstaVolt charging stations which charge 66p per kWh.
Swarco E.Connect are a Welsh EV network which provides charging points across the UK. Most of their units are fast chargers, although they have some rapid charging points.
Their charging stations can be found across the UK, especially around Birmingham, Bradford, Cardiff and Plymouth. They provide 150 kW rapid chargers in Wales only.
Swarco E.Connect’s pricing differs from site to site. There is no set standard price per kWh. You can find information on their charging points’ pricing on their app.
Ionity is an EV charging network joint venture by key car manufacturers BMW Group, Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes Benz AG, Volkswagen Group, Ford Motor Company, Audi and Porsche. It has the backing of the EU and provides rapid 350kw chargers.
Ionity has only 16 locations in the United Kingdom. They are found mainly in England. There are plans to expand the network in the country soon.
Ionity has a membership fee of £16.99 per month. For this, they charge 35p per kWh for members, while contactless guests must pay 69p per kWh.
Pod Point is one of the oldest networks in the UK. They’re the EV charging partner with supermarket chains Tesco and Lidl. As well as providing public charging points, they also sell home and workplace charging stations.
Pod Point covers most of the United Kingdom. They have over 7300 charging bays, often found in Tesco and Lidl supermarkets. Thanks to this, they are easy to find across the country.
Tesco’s Pod Point charging stations are free to use. However, Lidl locations cost 28p per kWh, which is the same price as their other charging stations not located in supermarkets.
Shell Recharge provides an EV network across Europe in 33 countries. They provide rapid and ultra-rapid points.
They have 119 charge points in the UK; 65 are rapid, and 54 are ultra-rapid. They can usually be found in the forecourts of their refuelling stations. They have plans to add 5000 charge points in the UK by 2025.
Shell Recharge charges different prices depending on which charger you use. They charge 45p per kWh for fast chargers, 55p for rapid chargers, and 65p for ultra-rapid chargers.
Tesla needs no introduction. They are famously easy to use and often considered the best service in the UK.
There are 780 chargers available across 87 locations in the UK. Their superchargers are evenly spread out across the country. Some of these have been open to non-Tesla drivers since May 2022.
Charging at Tesla’s chargers used to be free and still is for Teslas ordered before 15th January 2017; however, if you ordered it after that, they are no longer free to charge. Instead, Tesla owners now get 1000 miles per year free and then pay 22p - 33p per kWh. Non-Tesla drivers pay from 50p per kWh.
Chargeyourcar, also known as CYC, is an open network of EV charging stations. They provide access to a network of independent point owners. They do not own any of the points.
There are over 1900 charge points in the CYC network. They are usually found at shopping malls and town centres. CYC’s points are usually slow or fast chargers.
As they do not own any power points, the price is set by the unit owner instead. This means pricing varies between points from 20p per kWh upwards and with a minimum charge of £1. They charge £20 per annum for an RFID card.
Knowing where to charge your car can get confusing with so many public EV charging stations. You never know whether a point is reliable, if they are any hidden registrations or if you need to download an app first.
That’s why Bonnet is great. Bonnet is a stress-free way to find your nearest EV charging point. You can use our interactive map to find the nearest EV point and avoid unnecessary detours. Bonnet ensures your payments are secure and that you don’t need separate cards and apps for every charging point provider.
What Are The Best Public EV Charging Networks in the UK?
It has never been easier to find a public EV charging station. Over the past few years, thousands of new points have been added throughout the UK. However, finding the right charging station can be confusing as they’re all run by different businesses with different prices and membership fees.
To help you understand all the different charging networks in the UK, we’ve compiled this article to give you a brief overview of all the major networks, where they cover and their prices.
Before we get into the different networks, you should understand how long it will take to charge an EV. Different chargers charge at different speeds, so understanding the difference between the different power charger types is essential.
Slow chargers are rarely found in public charging stations. They charge up to 3 kW and are usually used to charge overnight or at work over long periods. They generally take 8 - 10 hours to charge fully.
Fast chargers charge between 7 kW - 22 kW. They can take around 3 - 4 hours to charge your car. These chargers are usually found in public places like car parks, supermarkets or other facilities. They’re the most common sort of charger you’ll find in public.
Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers charge from 43kW onwards. These take 30 - 60 minutes to fully charge your car but are only compatible with rapid-charging function EVs. They can be found at locations like motorway service stations, petrol stations and supermarkets.
Below is a list of all the significant public EV charging networks you will likely encounter in the UK. Some operate across the country, while some are region-centric, and others are only located in select cities.
ESB Energy is an Irish energy company providing the UK with public electric charging points.
ESB Energy covers London, Birmingham and Coventry. They are currently rolling out more chargers in Birmingham. They have 140 chargers in these locations, although they hope to have 200 in the next two years.
You can get a membership for ESB Energy for £4.99 a month. With this membership, they will charge you 38p per kWh. 38p is also the fee for registered taxi drivers. However, if you don’t have a membership, they will charge 40p per kWh for pay-as-you-go and contactless users.
GeniePoint is run by Equans, formerly Engie EV Solutions, a market leader in renewable technologies.
GeniePoint’s network is mainly concentrated in the south of England, although they can also be found in other parts of England, Scotland and Wales. Their charging points are often found in Morrison’s stores as they are the supermarket's EV charging partner.
GenePoint doesn’t have a membership, but you still must register on their app before accessing their points. They cost 57p per kWh.
MFG EV Power runs the largest network of independent EV charger forecourts in the UK. They use 100% renewable energy and are notable for being very easy to use.
There are over 500 sites across the UK, including 350 ultra-rapid chargers. These are mainly found in English cities like Bristol, London and Manchester.
MFG EV Power charges no subscription fee and costs 65p per kWh.
Osprey is one of the fastest-growing EV networks in the country. They focus on providing rapid charging networks.
Osprey’s charging stations can be found all over the country, from Scotland to Cornwall. They operate over 170 sites, most of which are operated in destinations like supermarkets, pubs and coffee shops. Unlike some public EV networks, they don’t just cater for cities and can often be found in the countryside.
Osprey charges a standard rate of 66p per kWh and has no membership fees.
Fastned is a rapid charging network which operates primarily in Europe. They provide reliable 100% renewable energy in countries like Germany, Netherlands, France, Belgium and Switzerland and have also expanded into the United Kingdom.
Fastned opened its first EV charging point in the UK in 2019. Since then, they have primarily expanded in the North East of England, in areas like Newcastle. They also have two locations in Scotland and 3 in the South of England.
Fastned has a gold membership which costs a monthly fee of £9.99. For gold members, chargings costs 45p per kWh, but for guests, it costs 65p per kWh.
BP runs the most extensive public charging network in the UK. They bought Chargemaster, integrated it with the Polar network in December 2020, and rebranded it into bp pulse. They supply other networks such as Chargeplace Scotland and Chargeyourcar (CYC.)
As bp pulse has such an extensive network, it isn’t surprising that they’re easy to come across. They run over 8000 points spread across the UK, operating fast 7kWh and rapid 150 kWh chargers.
They have a subscription service which costs £7.99 monthly. Depending on the point and charger speed, they charge subscribers between 44p - 67p per kWh. Non-subscribers and contactless users pay between 57p - 69p.
ChargePlace Scotland is Scotland’s national EV charging network. SWARCO operates them on behalf of the Scottish government.
As you’d guess by the name, ChargePlace Schotland operates across the length of Scotland. They have over 2000 charge points from the Shetlands to the border with England. Around 70% of their charging points are located outside of cities. They provide more than 300 rapid chargers.
To use their charging points, you must pay a one-off £10 fee for an RPID card. With that, you can access all their points. Some select points are free, but the majority cost 16p per kWh with a £1 minimum charge. There is no contactless access.
ChargerNet is a regional network of EV charge points found in Southwest England.
ChargerNet operates a handful of charging points in Dorset, primarily in Bournemouth and Poole and also has a charging station in Lyme Regis in Devon.
ChargerNet charges a £20 per annum fee for an RFID card. Once you have the card, you can use their rapid charging. It’s £4 for the first hour and then £12 for every hour afterwards.
GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, formerly called Ecotricity, is an EV charging network that spans the South of England and operates EV forecourts. They have ambitious plans to roll out 350 kW chargers.
GRIDSERVE charging points are found primarily in the south of England and Wales. However, they also operate two EV forecourts in Norwich and Braintree and have plans to open a third one in Gatwick. At these forecourts, they can charge 24 cars simultaneously.
There are no membership costs. Prices vary depending on if you’re using their electric forecourt or not. If you use them, the price is 45p per kWh, but if you use one of their non-forecourt charging points, it costs 39p per kWh.
Instavolt is headquartered in Hampshire and currently runs the 2nd largest rapid charging network in the UK with plans to become the largest.
InstaVolt has over 800 charging points in the UK, spread evenly across the nation. They have charging points as north as Aberdeen and as south as Cornwall.
There are no membership costs involved at InstaVolt charging stations which charge 66p per kWh.
Swarco E.Connect are a Welsh EV network which provides charging points across the UK. Most of their units are fast chargers, although they have some rapid charging points.
Their charging stations can be found across the UK, especially around Birmingham, Bradford, Cardiff and Plymouth. They provide 150 kW rapid chargers in Wales only.
Swarco E.Connect’s pricing differs from site to site. There is no set standard price per kWh. You can find information on their charging points’ pricing on their app.
Ionity is an EV charging network joint venture by key car manufacturers BMW Group, Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes Benz AG, Volkswagen Group, Ford Motor Company, Audi and Porsche. It has the backing of the EU and provides rapid 350kw chargers.
Ionity has only 16 locations in the United Kingdom. They are found mainly in England. There are plans to expand the network in the country soon.
Ionity has a membership fee of £16.99 per month. For this, they charge 35p per kWh for members, while contactless guests must pay 69p per kWh.
Pod Point is one of the oldest networks in the UK. They’re the EV charging partner with supermarket chains Tesco and Lidl. As well as providing public charging points, they also sell home and workplace charging stations.
Pod Point covers most of the United Kingdom. They have over 7300 charging bays, often found in Tesco and Lidl supermarkets. Thanks to this, they are easy to find across the country.
Tesco’s Pod Point charging stations are free to use. However, Lidl locations cost 28p per kWh, which is the same price as their other charging stations not located in supermarkets.
Shell Recharge provides an EV network across Europe in 33 countries. They provide rapid and ultra-rapid points.
They have 119 charge points in the UK; 65 are rapid, and 54 are ultra-rapid. They can usually be found in the forecourts of their refuelling stations. They have plans to add 5000 charge points in the UK by 2025.
Shell Recharge charges different prices depending on which charger you use. They charge 45p per kWh for fast chargers, 55p for rapid chargers, and 65p for ultra-rapid chargers.
Tesla needs no introduction. They are famously easy to use and often considered the best service in the UK.
There are 780 chargers available across 87 locations in the UK. Their superchargers are evenly spread out across the country. Some of these have been open to non-Tesla drivers since May 2022.
Charging at Tesla’s chargers used to be free and still is for Teslas ordered before 15th January 2017; however, if you ordered it after that, they are no longer free to charge. Instead, Tesla owners now get 1000 miles per year free and then pay 22p - 33p per kWh. Non-Tesla drivers pay from 50p per kWh.
Chargeyourcar, also known as CYC, is an open network of EV charging stations. They provide access to a network of independent point owners. They do not own any of the points.
There are over 1900 charge points in the CYC network. They are usually found at shopping malls and town centres. CYC’s points are usually slow or fast chargers.
As they do not own any power points, the price is set by the unit owner instead. This means pricing varies between points from 20p per kWh upwards and with a minimum charge of £1. They charge £20 per annum for an RFID card.
Knowing where to charge your car can get confusing with so many public EV charging stations. You never know whether a point is reliable, if they are any hidden registrations or if you need to download an app first.
That’s why Bonnet is great. Bonnet is a stress-free way to find your nearest EV charging point. You can use our interactive map to find the nearest EV point and avoid unnecessary detours. Bonnet ensures your payments are secure and that you don’t need separate cards and apps for every charging point provider.
What’s the Biggest Public Charging Network in the UK?
bp pulse operates the largest EV public charging network in the country. They operate over 8000 points across the UK.
How Do Public EV Charging Stations Work in the UK?
To charge your EV at a public charging station, you must plug the connector into your vehicle. Some networks require you to have an RFID card to use their points, and others need you to have their app.
Is Car Charging Free At Tesco?
Yes. Pod Point are the official EV partner with Tesco and provides free charging at their Tesco points. They have more charging points in over 500 stores.
