An ID. Buzz parked in front of a building.

Charging your electric vehicle

Charge whenever, wherever

It’s official – there are now more charging stations in the UK than there are petrol stations. With the national infrastructure larger than ever, and still growing every day, it’s never been easier to keep your electric vehicle fully charged and ready to go.

Not only is it easy to charge while you’re out, it’s also simple to have a charger of your own installed. All you need is a household socket1 or a professionally installed wall box and you can charge while you’re at home.

The electric technology we build is safe and reliable. We’re so confident in the performance of our lithium-ion batteries, that they all come with an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty – whichever comes first.

 

AC/DC

How are they different?

Alternating current (AC) is used by domestic UK plug sockets to get their power. Because AC sockets are so common, they are what most people use to charge their vehicles. However, there is a faster way.

By using direct current (DC) you can reach speeds of up to 350kW. We call it rapid charge because it’s over 10x the speed of the mains power you’ll find at home. Not all vehicles can support this speed yet, and the on board charger for your vehicle will determine the maximum charge rate available. You can charge your vehicle with DC power at CCS (Combined Charging System) stations, and our electric vehicles come with a CCS socket as standard for you to use for a quick charge.

Three ways to charge your Volkswagen electric van

There are three different types of plug connection that you can use with your Volkswagen electric vehicle, depending on whether you want slow, fast or rapid charging. Many charging apps will allow you to filter by connection type, so you can always be sure you’ll be able to use a public charge point before you try to connect.

Mains charging (Slow)
Slow charging is offered by domestic sockets at home and some workplaces, by using the standard 3 pin plug that you use for most household electrical items1. Being the slowest way to charge, they normally offer AC charging rates of up to 2.3kW.

Type 2 (Fast)
Using a type 2 connector, fast chargers are usually found in public car parks, supermarkets and domestically installed wall boxes. Like slow chargers, they use AC but at speeds of between 3.6kW and 22kW.

CCS (Rapid)
Rapid charging is the fastest way to charge and uses a CCS socket. Using DC to charge, the most common types of rapid chargers provide 25kW or 50kW. However, ultra-rapid DC chargers can achieve 100kW with some even capable of 350kW. Rapid chargers are mostly found at service stations and on main roads and can be used to charge your vehicle in as little as 45 minutes while you stretch your legs2.

Charging at home or on the go

Person interacting with the wall mounted charger

Home charging

You don’t necessarily have to have any specialist equipment installed to be able to charge at home. You can charge an electric vehicle using a standard 3-pin plug1. For best results, it’s better to have a wall box installed by a professional. Some grants are still available to reduce the cost of installing wallboxes at home3. Businesses may be able to access the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) grant providing up to £350 towards the cost of purchase and installation per socket (up to a maximum of 40). A wall box provides you with up to 55% higher charging performance, making it much quicker than charging via a domestic socket.

Ohme - pronounced "Oh-me"- is one of our recommended and trusted home EV charging partners.  Find out more about their range of home EV chargers here.

Charging on the go

With the ever-increasing network of public chargers, finding a place to charge if you’re running low on power while you’re out is becoming much easier. According to Zap Map, there are now 34,000 charging points across 20,000 different locations across the UK. The most common type you’ll find are fast chargers, of which there are 19,000.

There are several different charging networks run by companies such as Pod Point, Ecotricity and Polar, which offer both national as well as regional networks. Regional networks, found in well-defined areas such as Scotland, the Midlands, or the South-West, often allow you to use their chargers regardless of whether you are registered there.

Paying for the electricity you take from a public charge point is straightforward. Mostly you’ll be charged via an app or a radiofrequency identification (RFID) card. Contactless bank card payments are also becoming more and more common across many networks. Some charging points are free, but you should expect to pay to use most fast and rapid chargers.

A wallbox to suit you

Ohme offers a range of home EV chargers with features such as smart scheduling,  which, depending on your energy tariff, could charge your electric vehicle when the electricity rates are lower. 

Ohme Home Pro (tethered) and ePod (untethered) are available, both packed with intelligent features. Typically, the Home Pro with standard installation costs from £975 (incl. VAT) and the ePod with standard installation costs from £925 (incl. VAT). Read more about the Ohme standard installation process.

Find out more about Ohme wallboxes
Ohme wallbox pod connected to a wall.

Electric vehicle ownership tools

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Important information :

1.
Home charging using a domestic socket will depend on the condition and suitability of the wiring in your home. Always consult a qualified electrician before charging when using a domestic socket for the first time, or, if the socket is to be used as the primary source of charging. Domestic sockets on the same circuit as other appliances, particularly those in frequent use, will draw additional amperage which may result in a breaker switch being 'tripped'. Establishing a separate circuit for home charging will help ensure your electric vehicle is supplied with a consistent, uninterrupted current. For optimum charging, we recommend installing an electric vehicle charging point at home. Please ensure your plug is standard, fully functional and correctly installed before using it to charge your car.
2.
Charging times will depend on various factors, including temperature, state of the battery, state of and capabilities of the charging unit and power supply. Actual charging time will vary depending on the level of charge in the battery, as well as environmental conditions. Charging times will also be affected by the charging curve for example once charging passes 80%, charging will slow to protect the battery’s longevity.
3.
From April 2022, the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) announced that the Electric Vehicle Homecharge scheme (EVHS) grant of £350 is only available to homeowners who live in flats & consumers in rental accommodation (flats and single-use properties). The Government grants are subject to full terms and conditions and eligibility may be revised or withdrawn at any time without prior notice. UK sales only (excludes Channel Islands and Isle of Man). See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-guidance-electric-vehicle-homecharge-scheme/electric-vehicle-homecharge-scheme-guidance-for-customers for further information
Images are for illustration purposes only. Vehicle shown may not reflect UK specification.