How To Charge Electric Cars At Fleet Charging Stations

*Updated in August 2024.

To charge a fleet electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid electric car, you will need to plug it into a EV charging point, usually at the depot, but occasionally at at a public charging station. How long it takes to charge your EV can vary. It can take anything from 20 minutes to 24+ hours depending on the power output of the charging point you use, and the capacity and charging speed of the EV’s battery.

You’d be easily forgiven for finding the world of electric charging complex. There’s a lot to get your head around. In fact, the RAC have specifically criticised the ‘lack of standardisation of connectors’ and ‘bewildering array of types of charge points, connectors and tariffs’… if only it was as easy as ‘pull up, plug in, drive off’.

However, businesses electrifying their entire vehicle fleet have an advantage. By deploying dedicated EV fleet charging infrastructure, organisations can choose the vehicles, chargers and charging strategy that best suit their operations.

In many ways, EV fleet charging is much more simple than navigating public charging infrastructure. Even so, we’ve broken down the essential facts about EV fleet charging, such as how long it will take, what it could cost, the types of EV connectors and where you can charge, to help you get to grips with the basics.

How does a fleet EV charger work?

Charging an EV is a straightforward action. Using an EV connector, you plug your vehicle into an EV charge point, and power up. The efficiency of the charge and the amount of power you can obtain will depend on the ability of your fleet EV to accept high-powered charging, as well as the speed of the charge point your depot is using.

In most cases, vehicles are charged at operational depots using dedicated fleet charging infrastructure designed for business fleets.

So, what’s an EV connector? To charge, EVs have to be connected to a charge point via a cable. This cable has a ‘connector’ at either end, one to plug into the car inlet, and one to plug into the charger unit outlet.

These EV chargers are referred to as ‘untethered’ and they can often also be found on lamposts and other places for public use. While they’re small and inconspicuous, they require the driver to carry their  charging cable with them. ‘Tethered’ EV chargers have one end permanently connected to the charger, and these are commonly found across public and private charging networks. Because EV fleet operators often use the same vehicle and charge in the same place, this can save weight and ensure the cable is always available,

EV connectors are perhaps the most confusing part of electric charging – because there is no universal connector type… 

The most common EV connector types are:

1. UK 3-pin – AC – S13A / 2.3-3kW (Granny chargers)
2. Type 1 – AC – 3-7kW
3. Type 2 – AC – 3-43kW
4. Commando – AC – 3-22kW
5. European Combined Charging System (CCS) – DC – 50kW
6. Japanese JEVS (CHAdeMO) – DC – 50kW
7. Tesla Supercharger (Type 2) – DC – 50-120kW

The connector type accepted by the vehicle inlet varies from model to model, and when it comes to the charging unit outlet, it varies depending on the power rating. When investing in EV fleet infrastructure, you’ll have the advantage of being able to choose both the vehicle and charger type, allowing you to maximise efficiency and streamline costs.

However, some fleet EVs will still need to charge away from their home base, and most EVs come with 2 extra cables that enable you to charge via different charge point connectors – the charge may just be less efficient. But be aware of your model’s limitations!

The connectors required on some of the most popular fleet EVs:

Vauxhall Corsa-e: these vehicles use the CCS charging standard, which consists of a combined AC and DC inlet port. For public slow and fast AC points, it can be charged with a Type 2 connector, and for rapid DC charging, a CCS connector.

Nissan LEAF: It accepts two connector types – Type 2 for slow and fast AC charging and CHAdeMO for rapid DC charging.

BMW i3: this model also has a combined AC and DC inlet port. Part of the inlet is for a Type 2 connector for slow and fast charging and the other is for a CSS connector, for rapid charging.

Tesla Model 3: The Model 3 uses a Type 2 inlet when charging at home or public slow and fast AC points, while a CCS inlet is used for rapid DC charging from a CCS connector.

Ford E-Transit: The Ford E-Transit van uses a Type 2 (AC) and a CCS (DC) connector to use a range of home, public or business/depot chargers.

How long does it take to charge a fleet EV at home, at the depot and on the go?

How long it takes to charge an electric car can be as little as 20 minutes via a public rapid charger (charging within the suggested safe range of 20%-80%), or as much as 24+ hours for some models if you were to use a domestic plug at home.

Your personal charge time will depend entirely on the size of your EV battery and the speed of the charge point you use as well as the capacity of the vehicle to accept the charge speed.

As a guide, a 7kW home EV charger should charge a 60kWh EV battery, like those found in Tesla Model 3s, in around 8 hours from empty to full. Using the same EV charger on the 40kWh battery found in a Nissan LEAF would take around 5.5-6 hours, while an 82 kWh battery found in a VW ID.5 would take 12.

Example charge times of Popular UK EVs:

Nissan LEAF: the LEAF has a 40kWh battery. Using a domestic socket, fully charging the battery will take 21 hours. If you were to get a 7kW home charging unit installed or use a fast public EV charger, it would take 7.5 hours to charge.

If you used a 50kW public rapid charger, you can charge from 20-80% in 60 minutes. With the Nissan LEAF, a full charge will take you up to 168 miles.

Vauxhall Corsa-e: the electric remake of the hugely popular model, uses a 50kWh battery. Using a domestic socket, charging the battery to 80% will take 19.5 hours, while a 7.4kW home charger could reach 80% charge in 6 hours. Finally, using a rapid 100kW charging station can get you to 80% charge in just 30 minutes. Charging to 80% will take you an estimated 168 miles.

Tesla Model S: with its 75kWh battery, a domestic socket would take 30-40 hours to charge fully. A 7kW home EV charger would achieve full charge in around 11 hours, and a 22kW charger would take 5-6 hours. Using a rapid 150kW charger would achieve full charge in just 30 minutes and give a range of around 240 miles.

The popular Kia EV6 has a similar battery size with roughly the same charging times.

MG4 EV: Using a 64kWh battery, a 7kW home EV charger would achieve full charge in around 8-9 hours, and a 22kW charger would take 5 hours. Using a rapid 150kW charger would achieve full charge in just 30-40 minutes and give a range of around 275 miles.

Fleet EV Charging Station Installation Costs

Business and fleet charge point installation

If you’re looking to electrify your fleet, or provide charging at business and operational sites, you will most definitely need to consider the costs of charging units. The cost of EV chargers will vary depending on the charge speed you want, ranging from hundreds to thousands. But government discounts are available to businesses, enabling you to get a £350 discount on each socket, for up to a total of 40 sockets (up until 31st March 2026). Many organisations begin by developing a clear EV fleet charging strategy before installing infrastructure across their sites.

To qualify for the grant, businesses need to use a supplier (such as Mer) approved by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) – formerly OLEZ.

Installing EV chargers at your business location can bring a lot of advantages with it, enabling you to quickly see the return on your investment. Read more about the benefits of EV charging stations for businesses in our recent blog.

EV charger speeds – the 3 types you need to know about

There are 3 main types of chargers used to power EVs in the UK, and they are most commonly referred to as ‘Slow’ ‘Fast’ and ‘Rapid/Ultra Rapid’. The clue is in the name as to what to expect – each one offers a different power output and therefore a different EV charging speed…

• Slow chargers charge up to 3.6 kW, can take between 6-12 hrs for a full charge. These are most commonly used at home or business premises where employee or fleet vehicles don’t need quick turnaround times, such as when being charged during the working day or overnight.
• Fast chargers charge between 7-22 kW in 3-5 hrs and are the most common type of charger found at public charging points, as well as for fleet charging. 7kw chargers can and are commonly  installed domestically, but 22kw chargers require a 3-phase power connection, and are best suited for business premises.
• Rapid (DC) chargers charge at 50-150 kW, allowing vehicles to charge from 20-80% charge in around 60 – 90 minutes, depending on the battery size. Ultra-rapid chargers (150kW+) can do the same charge in 20-30 minutes. These are often found in motorway service stations, or fleet depots where fast turnaround times are required.

As mentioned earlier, each charger type has its specific connector requirements. It’s important to understand where your model of EV can be charged. For example, some EVs and plug-in hybrids cannot use rapid chargers.

Can I charge my electric fleet car at home or in public?

Yes. Most EVs can use AC and DC chargers, so a fleet car can also be charged on a home of public charger. Your company may have agreements with public charge point operators to allow you to charge your fleet car away from the depot. This is especially useful if you need to recharge en-route during longer journeys.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at a public charging station?

On average you can expect to spend £1.50 per hour of charge when using a fast public charger, and £6 for a 30-minute charge with a rapid charger. The cost of public charging points varies, and some charge point hosts, such as shopping centres or supermarkets, offer free charging while you visit them.

Some charge points will charge based on the time spent charging, and some based on the electricity used. Rapid charge points are naturally more expensive, as you can cram in more power in a short amount of time. As a result, many charge based on time spent, with a surcharge on the amount of electricity used.

How to charge an EV at a public charging station?

How to charge an EV at a public charging station can vary depending on the provider. In some cases, you’ll be able to just pull, plug in and tap your card to start the charge. The EV charger provider may take a set amount upfront, and then refund you/charge more when you finish the session.

Other public charge points may offer better rates for members, in which case you may need to log in with an app or tap a membership card to start the charging process.

The costs of charging your EV

Car Magazine offers a handy way to calculate a rough estimate of what you can expect to spend when charging at home or in public: Size of battery (kWh) x Electricity cost of your supplier (pence per kilowatt hour) = Cost to charge an electric car from empty to full.

The average domestic electricity rate is about 14p per kWh. And the average cost of using rapid chargers is 40p per kWh.

Examples of charging costs at home with 3 of the most popular EVs:

How much does it cost to charge the Nissan LEAF?

With the Nissan LEAF, which has a 40 kWh battery and 168 mile range, you’d be expecting to pay roughly £9.60 for a full charge at home (40 kWh x 0.24p = £9.60) – that’s 5p per mile.

Charging your Nissan LEAF to 100% with a rapid charger, will likely cost around £30 – 17p per mile.

How much does it cost to charge the BMW i3?

With the BMW i3, which has a 33 kWh battery and 146 mile range, you’d expect to pay roughly £7.92 for a full charge (33 kWh x 0.24p = £7.92)  – that’s 5.4p per mile.

Charging your BMW i3 to 100% with a rapid charger, will likely cost around £25 – 17p per mile.

How much does it cost to charge the Tesla Model 3?

With the Tesla Model 3, which has a 60 kWh battery and 250 mile range, you’d expect to pay roughly £14.40 for a full charge (60 kWh x 0.24p = £14.40)  – that’s 6p per mile.

Charging your Tesla Model 3 to 100% with a rapid charger, will likely cost around £45 – 18p per mile.

However, with Tesla, you have Supercharger stations open to you, estimated to cost around 67p per kWh for an 80% charge.