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Return home1.1. Basic, smart, and rapid charge points
Explore basic, smart, and rapid EV charge points for different uses: simplicity, communication, and high-speed charging.
Charge points vary in both functionality and charging speed. At their most basic, charge points provide a socket that allows a battery electric vehicle (BEV) to be connected and recharged.
More advanced systems include smart functionality, enabling features such as remote monitoring, scheduling and charge management through a mobile app.
Charge points are available with a range of power ratings, measured in kilowatts (kW). Higher-powered charge points can deliver energy more quickly, reducing the time required to recharge a vehicle’s battery.
Types of chargepoints
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Basic charging is one of the most common ways to charge an electric vehicle (EV). The process is similar to charging any other electrical device, with the vehicle connected directly to a charge point. Many EV drivers plug in whenever they park to keep the battery topped up.
A basic charge point is often little more than a wall-mounted socket. These chargers are typically rated between 3.7 kW and 7.4 kW and use alternating current (AC). They may be tethered, with a charging cable permanently attached, or untethered, allowing different charging cables to be connected as required.
When an EV is connected to a basic charge point, it will charge at the available power output until the battery reaches its required state of charge.
The main advantages of basic charge points are their simplicity and relatively low cost. However, because they do not communicate with the vehicle or a management system, they cannot:
- Optimise charging times.
- Monitor electricity consumption.
- Connect to a back-office system to manage the charging of multiple vehicles.
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Smart charging is a convenient way to charge an electric vehicle (EV) when electricity demand is lower. This may be overnight or during periods when there is a high level of renewable electricity generation on the grid.
A smart charger provides all the functionality of a basic charger but also enables communication between the charge point and an app, back-office system or other software. This allows users to:
- Set charging schedules.
- Monitor charge point availability, which is particularly important for depot-based charging.
- Automatically receive over-the-air (OTA) software updates for the charge point.
These additional features can help improve charging efficiency and vehicle management. However, smart chargers are generally more expensive than basic chargers.
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Rapid charge points deliver high-power alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) electricity to charge an electric vehicle (EV) as quickly as possible.
Rapid chargers are always smart chargers and are typically rated at 50 kW or above. Depending on the equipment, they may provide DC charging only or a combination of DC and AC charging.
Rapid chargers can typically add between 50 and 80 miles of driving range in 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the vehicle’s battery size and efficiency.
These are the most expensive types of charge point and often require upgrades to the electricity supply because of their high power demand. Installing multiple rapid chargers may require a new electricity substation and can result in ongoing standing capacity charges.
In depot environments, rapid chargers are generally reserved for vehicles with limited downtime that need to be recharged quickly before returning to service.
Installing rapid chargers can significantly reduce the available electrical capacity for other charge points. They should only be installed where there is a clear operational requirement, as they can substantially increase the overall cost of a charging infrastructure project.
