How to charge your EV at a public charging point: a step-by-step guide

Public charging trips people up more from unfamiliarity than difficulty. Different networks use different apps, different connectors and different payment methods, and that can make the first few sessions feel more complicated than they need to be. Here is the process broken down step by step.

Before you set off

• Check your car's connector type. Almost all UK EVs now use the CCS connector for rapid and ultra-rapid charging, and Type 2 for slower AC charging.
• Check your state of charge and route. Charging is fastest and most efficient between roughly 20% and 80% battery, so plan a stop before you hit empty rather than after.
• Have a payment method ready. Some chargers accept contactless bank cards, others need a network app, and some need a dedicated RFID card. Having more than one option avoids being stuck at a charger you cannot pay for.

Step by step at the charger

1. Park so the cable reaches the charging port. Check the bay is designed for your vehicle type, some rapid bays are for larger vehicles.
2. Check the charger is working and available. Apps like Zap-Map, or the app built into your charging card, show live status before you arrive.
3. Select your connector and start the session, either by tapping a contactless card, scanning a QR code, or using an app or charge card linked to the network.
4. Connect the cable to your car first, then the charger, or follow the order shown on the unit; most units lock the cable in place once charging starts.
5. Confirm charging has started. You should see a charge rate on the unit display or in your app within a minute or two.
6. Monitor progress via app, particularly on rapid chargers where charging slows significantly past 80%.
7. End the session properly. Stop the session in the app or on the unit before disconnecting, then unplug the cable and return it to its holster.
8. Check your receipt. Costs should show as pence per kWh plus any session or connection fee.

Common problems and how to avoid them

• Charger won't start a session: try restarting the app, or use an alternative payment method; a second attempt often resolves it.
• Cable won't release: make sure the charging session has fully ended in the app before trying to unplug.
• Charging speed is much slower than advertised: this is normal past 80% state of charge, or if the charger is shared with another bay drawing power.
• Multiple apps needed for different networks: this is the most common frustration for new EV drivers, and the main reason aggregator apps and cards exist.

Using one app and card for every network

Rather than downloading a separate app for every network you might encounter, a single app and charge card that roams across networks removes most of the friction described above. The Charge Scheme app and card, powered by Plugsurfing, work across 76,000+ public chargers in the UK, alongside home and workplace charging, so you use the same login and payment method wherever you plug in. See how this fits together on our how it works page.

Making the cost work in your favour

Public charging is one of the more expensive ways to run an EV, so once you have the mechanics down, the next question is cost. If your employer offers EV charging salary sacrifice, every session, home, work or public, is deducted from gross pay rather than take-home pay, cutting the real cost by 20 to 50%. That does not change how you plug in, only what it costs once the receipt lands. Employees can find full detail on the employees page.

Next steps

If your workplace does not yet offer this and you think it should, point your HR or finance team to our how it works page, or book a demo directly and we will talk them through it.