Public Electric Car Charging: A Complete Guide

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Public chargers come with various connector types, so when searching for the right charging station, many people utilize the system integrated into their car (found in the Satellite Navigation System) to locate a suitable public charger for electric car charging. 

These systems provide essential charging tips to assist in your decision-making:

- They display only the chargers compatible with your vehicle (assuming you have a connection cable).

- They may indicate if a charger is broken or currently occupied. While this information is helpful, it's important to note that a 'free' charger could become occupied while you're en route, or an occupied charger might become available, so it's merely a guide.

- They reveal the power output of the charger, allowing you to estimate how quickly your electric car will be charged. Higher power means a faster charge; for instance, a 7 kW charger is considered slow, whereas chargers with 22 kW and above are classified as fast.

With an app like Zapmap downloaded to your mobile phone (the free version), you can enter your car registration or details, allowing the app to show you only the public chargers that you can use. This app provides similar information to systems built into cars and can help you navigate to your desired charger. These apps often offer up-to-date electric car charging information, which may surpass the capabilities of Sat Nav systems in older vehicles that might not receive regular updates or live data about chargers that are out of action or currently in use. For effective charging tips, utilizing these apps can enhance your electric car charging experience.

If you want to take advantage of lower electricity costs for your electric car charging at home overnight, using the timer function is a great charging tip. However, to allow the charge to start immediately, you need to turn off that feature through the car dash display. This way, you can also ensure your car is ready when needed, especially if you’re planning to use a public charger later.

Once parked at a public charger, make sure to read the instructions displayed on it. Newer and higher power chargers can typically be paid for using a 'contactless' debit or credit card. However, with older chargers, you may need to download a mobile phone app for electric car charging. In Joe's experience, it’s helpful to call the support number on the charger if you encounter any difficulties. They can guide you through the process and even control the charger remotely. Many faster chargers come with a cable to plug directly into your vehicle, but if the charger only has a socket, remember to use your own charging cable. These charging tips will help ensure a smooth experience.

Open the charging port on your electric car; there may be a release button for this on the car dashboard. Follow these charging tips by connecting the cable as directed by the charger instructions. When the electric car charging process starts, the charger will indicate this with a green light or another signal, and your car dashboard will display that the car is charging along with an estimate of how long it will take to reach a 100% charge on this public charger. You can then lock and leave your car if you want to.

This Nissan Leaf dash provides useful information when the car is charging, making it easier to monitor the process compared to other vehicles with less informative displays. If you're using a public charger and your car's display doesn't reassure you that it's charging, you might want to consult the car handbook. However, if you keep an eye on the display for a few minutes, you should see the % charge and available range increasing. These charging tips can help ensure a smooth electric car charging experience.

When you have enough charge, press the button on your dash that opens the charging port to stop the charge and allow you to disconnect. If you used your cable, be sure to repack it. Keep in mind these charging tips: as you approach 100% charge, the speed of electric car charging becomes very slow, so it usually makes sense to stop before you hit 95%! This can be particularly helpful when using a public charger.