Charging on the go
Charging electric cars
You’ll likely need to use the public charging network during your lease. Learn how it works and how we can support you.
- In this article
What is public charging?
Most electric car drivers need to charge on the public network from time to time, even if they have home charging. There are over 80,000 chargepoints across the UK.* You can find these in service stations, car parks, supermarkets, and even at the side of the road.
*Source: Zapmap(opens in a new window)
How we'll support you
As part of your all-inclusive package, you’ll also get exclusive access to our app, Go with the Motability Scheme. This lets you public charge simply, at over 80,000 chargepoints. You’ll never pay more than the chargepoint operator’s ‘pay as you go’ tariff.
If it's your first lease
If you’re leasing your first fully electric car on the Scheme and you cannot get a home chargepoint, we’ll give you a subscription to the bp pulse network. Some of these public chargepoints will give you better charging rates and some are free.
If you're getting a new lease
If you’re getting your next vehicle on the Scheme and you had bp pulse for your last one, we’ll offer you this again. If you had a home chargepoint for your last vehicle, you will not be able to get a bp pulse subscription from us.
I have off-street charging at home
You might be able to get a home chargepoint installed. This is the cheapest way to charge.
Accessible chargepoints
Because there are so many places you can charge, how accessible a chargepoint is can vary depending on where you are.
It might be in a difficult spot on the side of the road. Or you might need to use an untethered cable, which can be heavy, as you need to plug in both sides of the cable.
If you’re only charging on the go, you’ll need to make sure chargepoints on your usual route are accessible first.
If you’re not sure about public charging, please speak to your dealer. They’ll show you how to connect a car up to a chargepoint.
Cost of charging
Like fuelling any vehicle, costs will vary depending on the provider. It also depends on the speed of chargepoint you choose.
The higher the charging speed, measured in kilowatts (kW), the quicker you can charge. But it’ll also be more expensive.
Here's an idea of your options:
Slow charger (3-5 kW)
Charging time *
0-80 % in 10 hoursCharging cables
Type 2Costs **
Public : £0.15 per mile**
Fast charger (7-22 kW)
Charging time *
0-80 % in 7 hoursCharging cables
Type 2Costs **
Home : £0.07 per mile**
Public : £0.15 per mile**Rapid charger (43/50 kW)
Charging time *
0-80 % in 1 hourCharging cables
Type2 CCSCosts **
Public : £0.22 per mile**
Ultra-rapid (100kW)
Charging time *
0-80% in under 30 minutesCharging cables
Type 2 CCSCosts **
Public : £0.23 per mile**
Ultra-rapid (150kW)
Charging time *
0-80% in under 20 minutesCharging cables
Type 2 CCSCosts **
Public : £0.23 per mile**
*This is an average based on a 60kWh/69kWh battery. This will differ, depending on your battery capacity.
**These are averages. We cannot guarantee the costs. You might pay up to 20% more for electricity or petrol.
What would you like to do next?
Ready to check if an electric car suits you?
Take five minutes to answer some questions and we’ll tell you whether we think an electric car could suit you. Or browse our electric cars.
See more about charging
It’s important you understand your charging options, to see what suits you best. Explore and learn more about each:
Charging at home
The most convenient and cost-effective way of charging your electric car if you have off-street parking, like a driveway or garage at home.
What is bp pulse?
Charge your electric car on a network of public chargepoints. Some of these give you better charging rates and some are free.