Witnessing the advantages over a conventional combustion engine vehicle, there’s a continual rise in the popularity of Electric Vehicles in the UK. With this, chances are you already own an electric vehicle, or if not, then you might be tempted to buy one very soon. Moreover, you’d be happy to know that advancements in Electric vehicular technologies and changing government policies in the UK. Owning an Electric Vehicle shall be an easier and more pocket-friendly option in the near future.
One of the important aspects of EV ownership to be considered is Electric Vehicle Charging. With already more than 35,000 charging points across the UK – which is more than the number of petrol stations. Electric Vehicle Stations are more accessible and easier to find with the incessantly improving facilities. But, considering the high cost to charge at charging stations, you might want to know more about finding free charging stations in the UK.
The following ways shall help you find a free charging station near you:
Mobile Applications:
The exponentially rising Electric Vehicles on the roads of the UK has forced many OEM’s and vendors to come up with Mobile applications. Many of these apps empower users to look for public stations to charge their EV at no cost.
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Zap-Map
With 38,000 connectors mapped in over 14,000+ locations across the UK, Zap-Map display charging stations from small providers and the major networks across the United Kingdom. Free to download and easy to handle, the app also features the option to find public charging stations free to use. The app also tracks the number of charging points by location, charge devices, connectors, and ev charging cable requirements.
Available for Android and iOS.
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PlugShare
Another great app to find free public charging locations. Available for all devices across the UK, PlugShare empowers EV owners to ensure that the chargers at any particular free charging location are working and available to use.
Available for Android and iOS.
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ChargePoint
ChargePoint is another useful mobile application that also has independently owned EV charging stations across the UK. To further assist the EV owners, the ChargePoint app also shows charging stations from other networks as well. An intuitive app that helps the user in finding free public charging stations in their accessible range.
Available for Android and iOS.
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NextCharge
Available in eight widely spoken European languages. The app maps charging points that are free to use and available. Users can view the stations in both map view and list. A great app to use for finding free charging points if you own a Tesla.
Available for Android and iOS.
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Chargemap
Listed among the favourite apps in Europe to find charging stations. Chargemap allows users to interact and filter the best suitable charging points as per their needs. To further improve the user experience, it also offers dedicated 24/7 user support.
Available for Android and iOS.
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Greenlots
Owned by Shell, the app enables EV owners to easily find nearby free public charging stations that are available, open and ready to use. A user-friendly application that allows users to filter charging stations and pay-by-phone using QR codes. EV owners can also view real-time charging status, charging history and balance.
Available for Android and iOS.
Businesses
Seeing the rise in Electric Mobility, many Entrepreneurs and small businesses set up charging stations in return for business. A plethora of hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets allow customers to charge their Electric vehicle free of cost. Google Maps is a great source to look for such places in the UK where you can shop or stay and charge your EV at no extra cost. So, the next time you go for a weekend drive, you can choose to stay at a hotel that offers a free overnight charging facility for guests.
To Conclude,
Electric Mobility is the future – there are no two ways about it. Though EVs offer huge savings on fuel and maintenance. Still, the cost of charging an EV can be a little pricey for many of us. Conversely, if you drive your EV for longer distances, then free charging stations are a great way to overcome range anxiety while you’re on the move. Thus, the ways to find free charging solutions discussed in this article can help EV owners across the UK save on auxiliary charging costs.
