EV charging — plain English

The type of electricity supplied by the mains grid. All slow and fast chargers (up to 22kW) use AC. The conversion from AC to DC — what the battery actually stores — happens inside the vehicle via its onboard charger. This is why most EVs cap AC charging at 7.4kW or 11kW even if the charger can deliver more: the vehicle’s onboard charger is the bottleneck, not the charge point.

EU regulation requiring member states to deploy public EV charging infrastructure at defined intervals along major road networks. AFIR does not apply directly to private business installations in Great Britain post-Brexit, but it influences charger standards (particularly CCS connectors and OCPP) that have become the UK default. If you trade across Europe, AFIR compliance in EU markets is relevant to fleet planning.

The process by which a driver activates a charge session — proving they are permitted to use a charger. Methods include RFID card or fob, mobile app, contactless payment (required above 8kW on publicly accessible chargers), or auto-start (charger begins when a cable is plugged in). The right method depends on whether your charger is for private use, guests only, or open to the public.

The software that sits behind your charge points and lets you monitor usage, manage billing, set tariffs, and run reports. Connects to chargers via OCPP. Most CPOs and charger manufacturers include a back-office platform. If you own your chargers outright, you can use any OCPP-compatible platform — you are not locked to the manufacturer’s own system.

The UK wiring regulations standard. All EV charging installations must comply with BS 7671, which includes requirements for RCD protection, earthing, and dedicated circuits. Your installer is responsible for compliance; always ask for an Electrical Installation Certificate on completion.

The standard DC rapid charging connector for most modern EVs in the UK and Europe, including Tesla (via adapter). Required on all new rapid DC chargers under UK regulations. CCS combines the AC Type 2 socket with two additional DC pins below it. Dual-port units that combine CCS with CHAdeMO serve virtually all current vehicles.

An older DC rapid charging connector standard used mainly by Nissan Leaf and some older Japanese EVs. Being phased out in new installations as CCS becomes universal, but still relevant for mixed fleets with older vehicles. If your fleet includes pre-2020 Nissan Leafs, confirm connector compatibility before specifying hardware.

The rate at which an EV battery accepts charge varies across its state of charge. Most batteries accept power fastest between 20% and 80%. Above 80%, the charging rate tapers off significantly to protect cell health — this is called the taper zone. This is why manufacturers and charge time calculators quote figures for 20–80%, not 0–100%. Guests arriving on near-empty batteries will charge quickly to 80%; the final 20% takes disproportionately longer.

A company that owns and operates EV charge points — examples include Pod Point, BP Pulse, Osprey, GeniePoint and Believ. CPOs typically offer three commercial models for host sites: revenue share (CPO funds and installs hardware, takes a percentage of session income), lease (you fund hardware, CPO manages it for a monthly fee), or outright sale (you own everything, CPO provides back-office support). See the DC rapid charging guide for detail on CPO partnership structures.

Required by law on all publicly accessible charge points above 8kW, under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 and the PAS 1899 standard. This means any 22kW AC or DC rapid charger accessible to the public must accept contactless card or device payment — it cannot be RFID-only. Applies even if the charger is on private land, as long as public access is not restricted.

DC chargers convert AC to DC outside the vehicle and supply power directly to the battery, bypassing the onboard charger limit. This enables rapid (50kW+) and ultra-rapid (150–350kW) speeds. DC chargers are significantly more expensive to install (typically £15,000–£60,000+ per unit including groundworks and grid connection) and require a larger electrical infrastructure. Not suitable for most hotels, B&Bs or small workplaces. Appropriate for high-footfall en-route sites and large fleet depots.

EV charging installed at a location where drivers park for an extended period — hotels, holiday parks, restaurants, workplaces, leisure centres. Contrasted with en-route charging (motorway services, retail forecourts) where drivers stop specifically to charge. Destination charging is the fastest-growing and most underserved segment of the UK charging network.

The company responsible for the electricity distribution network in your area. For installations above roughly 50kW, or where a new connection to the grid is needed, a formal DNO application is required. UK DNOs by region: Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire, Northeast), Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN, Scotland and South of England), National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED, Midlands, Southwest, Wales), UK Power Networks (London, Southeast, East of England), Electricity North West (Northwest England), SP Energy Networks (Central Scotland, Merseyside). DNO lead times for new connections can range from 6 to 18 months depending on local grid capacity.

A system that automatically distributes available electrical capacity across multiple chargers in real time. Prevents the total load from exceeding your supply limit when several vehicles charge simultaneously. For example, if your site has 40A available for EV charging and four chargers are in use, the system allocates 10A each rather than allowing two chargers to trip the supply. Essential for any site with four or more units, or where supply headroom is limited. Also called load management or smart load balancing.

Charging installed at locations where drivers stop specifically to charge, typically for 20–45 minutes, before continuing their journey. Motorway services, supermarkets and retail parks are the primary en-route locations. Requires rapid or ultra-rapid DC chargers. Contrasted with destination charging.

The technical term for an EV charger. EVSE refers to the physical unit that supplies electricity to the vehicle — the box on the wall or the post in the car park. Used in regulations, technical specifications and grant scheme documentation. In everyday use, “charge point” and “EVSE” mean the same thing.

kW (kilowatt) is a measure of power — how fast electricity is being delivered. A 7.4kW charger delivers 7.4 kilowatts of power continuously while charging. kWh (kilowatt-hour) is a measure of energy — how much electricity has been used in total. A 7.4kW charger running for one hour delivers 7.4kWh of energy. Battery sizes are measured in kWh (a 77kWh battery holds 77 kilowatt-hours of energy). Charging speed is in kW. Your electricity bill is in kWh (pence per kWh).

A government fund supporting public EV charging infrastructure in underserved locations, channelled through local authorities. Rural, coastal and island businesses may be able to act as host sites for heavily subsidised or fully funded installation. Contact your local authority or local transport body to check availability in your area. Scotland and Wales have parallel programmes through Transport Scotland and Transport for Wales.

Ofgem’s Maximum Resale Price rule prevents businesses from charging guests more per unit (kWh or kVA) for electricity than they themselves pay their supplier. It is designed to stop businesses profiteering on electricity resale. However, Ofgem’s 2014 determination confirmed that dedicated EV charge points are not subject to MRP — because EV charging is treated as a separate service, not a straightforward electricity resale. This means hospitality businesses can set their own per-kWh tariff on EV charge points and are not capped at their own supply rate.

An open communication standard allowing EV chargers to work with any compatible back-office management software — not just the manufacturer’s own system. OCPP-compliant chargers give you the flexibility to switch management platforms without replacing hardware. Version 1.6 is most common in installed bases; version 2.0.1 adds improved security and smart charging features. Always confirm OCPP compliance before purchasing a charger. Non-OCPP hardware locks you to one vendor’s platform indefinitely.

The electronics inside the vehicle that convert incoming AC power into the DC current the battery stores. The onboard charger determines the maximum AC charging speed the vehicle can accept — regardless of how powerful the charge point is. A vehicle with a 7.4kW onboard charger will charge at 7.4kW even if connected to a 22kW charger. DC rapid chargers bypass the onboard charger entirely, which is why they can deliver much higher speeds.

The UK government body that administers EV charging grant schemes, including the Workplace Charging Scheme and the EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets. Installers must be OZEV-registered to apply for grants on your behalf. Always confirm your installer’s OZEV registration before signing a contract — without it, you cannot access grant funding.

A safety device that cuts electrical power instantly if it detects a fault current — for example, electricity flowing through a person or to earth through a fault. Required on all EV charging circuits under BS 7671. A 3-pin socket on an older commercial circuit may lack RCD protection, making it unsuitable for regular EV charging. This is one of several reasons why 3-pin charging is not appropriate for business use.

A key fob or card that activates a smart charger. Used in hospitality and workplace installations to restrict access to guests or authorised users only, and to attribute charging sessions to specific accounts for billing purposes. Most smart charger management platforms support both RFID and app-based activation. RFID-only access is only permissible on chargers below 8kW — above that threshold, contactless payment must also be available if the charger is publicly accessible.

Most UK properties have a single-phase electricity supply — one live wire — which limits AC charging to a maximum of 7.4kW. Three-phase supply uses three live wires and is common in commercial and industrial premises. It is required for 22kW AC charging. If you want to install 22kW chargers and your property has only single-phase supply, a three-phase upgrade from your DNO will be needed — this adds cost and lead time. Your installer can confirm your supply type from the distribution board.

A charger that connects to the internet and can be controlled and monitored remotely via a back-office platform. Smart chargers enable per-kWh metering and billing, load balancing across multiple units, remote monitoring and fault detection, scheduled charging (taking advantage of cheaper overnight tariffs), and grant eligibility. The Workplace Charging Scheme requires installation of a smart charger from the approved product list. Non-smart (dumb) chargers are not eligible for grant funding and cannot be metered for billing.

The current battery level as a percentage, equivalent to a fuel gauge. 0% is empty, 100% is full. Charging speed peaks between 20–80% SoC and tapers above 80%. Most EV drivers aim to keep SoC in the 20–80% range for daily use — this is also where charging is fastest.

A tethered charger has a cable permanently attached — guests simply plug the cable into their vehicle. An untethered (socketed) charger has a Type 2 socket only — the driver uses their own cable, which they carry in the car. For hospitality use, tethered is almost always preferable: guests do not need to carry or locate a cable, the experience is simpler, and there is no risk of the cable being left out or damaged. For workplaces where employees have diverse vehicle types, untethered can be appropriate, though most modern EVs use Type 2 so tethered works there too.

A hotel performance metric that captures total revenue across all departments — rooms, food and beverage, spa, parking and ancillary services — divided by available rooms. EV charging influences TRevPAR both directly (charging session revenue, typically 30–60p per kWh) and indirectly: EV-driving guests who have reliable overnight charging tend to spend longer at the property and generate higher F&B spend rather than leaving to find a charge point elsewhere. Research from SMS plc shows F&B can account for up to 30% of TRevPAR at hotels where destination charging is a known amenity.

The standard AC charging connector for all modern EVs in the UK and Europe. A seven-pin circular connector used on slow and fast chargers up to 22kW. Chargers can be tethered (cable and Type 2 plug permanently attached) or untethered (Type 2 socket only, driver uses their own cable). All new public AC chargers in the UK must use Type 2 under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023. Tesla vehicles use Type 2 natively in the UK and Europe.

Technology that allows a bidirectional charger to export electricity from the vehicle battery back to the building or grid. In theory, a fleet of EVs could act as a collective battery — charging overnight on cheap tariffs and discharging during peak periods. V2G is commercially available in limited form in 2026 but requires specific vehicle and charger hardware support (not all EVs support it). Not relevant for most destination charging decisions today, but worth factoring into infrastructure design if fleet electrification is a medium-term goal.