Have you rented an electric PCO car? That's great! You can now reduce carbon emissions in the environment and enjoy the amazing benefits of driving an EV, like superior performance and high ranges. Even though the electric vehicle ranges have improved to over 300 miles for different EV models, the driving ranges and battery capacity can be concerning for many PCO drivers in London.
Since PCO drivers are also quite used to filling up the tank at a petrol station, charging a car at a charging point seems like a foreign concept and overwhelming at first. That’s why we’ve put together a detailed guide about EV charging. Here’s what you need to know.
Finding Charging Stations In The UK
There’s an extensive charging station network all over London and the UK with thirty-two thousand plus charging stations and approximately twenty thousand charging points. These numbers don't include workplace and home charging stations that are estimated to be more than 400,000.
If you’re wondering what’s the best area with the most charging points in London, Greater London is your answer. It has more than ten thousand charging points, making it a geographical area with the most charging stations in the UK.
One of the best ways to find charging stations or points in London or the UK is to either use Google maps or a charging points map made by London authorities. Google maps can show you your nearest charging station, while the other map can allow you to check the charging stations in real-time and filter them by operation time, charging type, and operator. It’s a nifty and easy way to charge your vehicle when you’re running low on battery.
Charging An Electric Vehicle
Once you're at the charging station, locate your car's charging point. Many electric vehicles have their charging point at the rear, near the right or left panels where traditionally you'd fill the petrol tank. In other electric cars, the charging ports are built into the hood or situated in the front near the driver's side.
Now that you've found the charging port on your PCO car, unlock it to access the charging plate. You can do that by pressing the button on your driver’s side panel or pulling a lever on your centre console. Next, open the charging port to locate the faceplate with three regularly-spaced holes in the centre. Now, you only need to insert the charging cord into the charging port and let the electric charger do its job.
How Long Does It Take To Charge an EV?
There are three kinds of chargers at public charging points like
- Public fast chargers with 7kWh – They take 8-10 hours to charge your vehicle.
- Public slow chargers with 3kWh – They take approximately 15 hours to charge your vehicle.
- Public rapid chargers with 50 kWh – They take 50-60 minutes to charge your car.
However, if you have a home charger, you can charge your EV in 7-8 hours with a Home Fast 7kWh charging point or 17-18 hours with a Home Slow 3kWh charging point. Just ensure that you get a connector compatible with your car model. And if you want to charge your electric vehicle at a public charging point, you'll have to find a charging station compatible with your connector.
Starting Your EV After Charging
Once you've finished charging your car, it's ready to go and pick up customers. But before you depart, keep these things in mind:
- If your electric car is not starting after plugging it in and leaving it to charge for a certain amount of time, it's probably because your EV has not reached a battery level to successfully start your car. So, it's best to wait until it does. The minimum battery level to start your electric vehicle depends on your car's model and battery type.
- Always ensure that your parking brakes are disengaged before you press the accelerator after charging your car.
Get The Latest PCO Cars For Rent In Greater London
If you want the latest electric PCO cars for hire, check out the hybrid and electric car fleet at G&M Direct Hire. They’re one of the best PCO car rental companies in London that have helped hundreds and thousands of PCO car drivers begin their careers in the private hire driving industry.
Explore the electric, hybrid, and traditional fuel-based cars on their website, like Kia E Niro, Toyota Prius Plus, Nissan Leaf, Mustang Mach E, and many more.
Contact them today to rent your PCO car.
