Which charging points are free?
This is often referred to as destination charging. If you take a look through Zapmap and filter by location type, you’ll find cafes, restaurants, pubs, museums, garden centres, theatres, zoos, National Trust properties and leisure centres that provide free charging. Several websites and mobile apps, such as Zap-Map and PlugShare, can help you find the number of free charging points near you. However, it’s essential to be aware of access restrictions such as time limits, membership requirements, location and parking restrictions.There are a number of services across the UK that offer free or cheap phone charging. Typically, these are found at hospitals, hotels, theme parks, cafes, restaurants and shopping centres. There are a few different types, such as special charging lockers, rentable power banks and charging points found on tables.
How much do EV charging points cost?
What is the average price of charging an electric car on the public charging network? The weighted average PAYG price to charge an electric car on the public charging network in November 2025 was 52p/kWh on slow/fast chargers and 76p/kWh for rapid/ultra-rapid chargers. Cost Savings & Strategies: Home charging is far cheaper than gas; using Level 2 chargers, solar panels, or off-peak rates maximizes savings, often cutting annual fuel costs by ~$950 or more. Charging an electric car at home usually costs between $0. Wh — about $7–$18 for a full charge on most EVs.One of the main advantages of charging an EV at home is that it is generally cheaper than charging at a public station. According to a 2017 report, a person charging an EV at home pays an average of $0. Wh, while a public charging station costs an average of $0. Wh1.The cheapest way to charge your electric vehicle would be to rely completely on free charging points, but this might not be the most convenient. You’ll often find that only slow or fast chargers are free of charge, and you might not fancy hanging around in public for long enough to get a full charge on a regular basis.
How do I pay for charging my EV?
Paying using a contactless credit or debit card The option that requires the least setup or commitment is paying using a contactless bank card. While not every public charger has this option, some come with a contactless card reader that allows you to start a charging session with the tap of a credit or debit card. Pay with contactless credit or debit card The government has mandated that contactless payment be available on all new rapid chargers that are installed, and within the next couple of years this will also apply to any existing rapid chargers without contactless capability.
Can I charge an electric car for free?
The cheapest way to charge your electric vehicle would be to rely completely on free charging points, but this might not be the most convenient. You’ll often find that only slow or fast chargers are free of charge, and you might not fancy hanging around in public for long enough to get a full charge on a regular basis. Charging your vehicle Slow and fast public charge points are available on residential streets and at key destinations, including public car parks. The charging time will depend on the power level of the charge point and the capacity of your vehicle’s battery.Many free charge points have some kind of access restriction (e. Another consideration is that you’ll need to ensure you have the appropriate RFID card or app to start a charge and, while the charging might be free, there may well be some parking charges to pay.