If you want to compare how much CO2 an EV can save compared to a diesel or petrol car over its lifetime, Transport & Environment (T&E) have put together a tool that compiles all the most up-to-date data on CO2 emissions linked to the use of an electric, diesel or petrol car. You can check it out here.
There is now a wide range of pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on sale, from compact cars and sedans to SUVs and pickup trucks, with new models coming out every month.
Most EV owners charge their cars through chargepoints installed at home or at workplace locations, which are estimated to be more than 400,000, but that’s not always possible.
Thankfully, there is an ever-expanding public charging infrastructure: according to Zapmap, as of August 2023, there were over 75,700 connectors, over 48,400 devices, in over 29,000 locations.
The charging network is made up of different types of charge points for different use cases, from high speed en-route chargers and charging hubs to destination chargers and on-street provision: the 4 speeds or power ratings are defined as slow (3-6kW), fast (7-22kW), rapid (25-99kW) and ultra-rapid (100kW+).
The latest public rapid charge points can provide a 0-80% charge for many EVs – equating to around 200 miles in some cases – in around 30 minutes. However, bear in mind that regardless of the power of the charger itself, your EV will only be able to charge at the maximum rate of its charging capability.