How To Charge your Electric Car or EV in Public
Easy and convenient EV charging in public
So you want to know how to charge your electric car in public anytime, anywhere?
One of the great benefits of an electric car (or EV as we often like to call them) is your ability to charge at public charging stations, in convenient locations, while you enjoy the time spent doing other things. Many of these ev public charging stations are conveniently located in shopping centres or near cafe's so you can charge your electric vehicle while you shop, eat or catch up with friends. Forget queuing up at a petrol station, you can park, plug in your ev, and enjoy your day.
The best apps for charging your electric car in public anywhere in Australia
Your best friend when it comes to charging your EV in public in Australia is Plugshare, for a fully comprehensive list and EVUp, for the UpCharge network.
You can download both their apps, or use their website to find all the electric vehicle public charging stations near you. This can also help you plan a road trip, working out where to stop and recharge along the way. It’s a comprehensive list of all public EV charging stations across Australia, and gives you all the information you need regarding plug types and accessibility.
Download UpCharge from EvUp Charge
Here's what you need to charge from a Type 2 or untethered public electric car charging station
Most public charge stations are universal, or untethered, meaning they don’t have their own cable. This reduces the chances of any damage to cables that may not be placed neatly back once someone has finished charging (think air hoses at petrol stations). This does however mean you will need to bring your own cable to use them.
What cable do I need? By far the most common socket type in Australia (where the plug goes into the charger) is Type 2 (also known as Mennekes).
What does that mean for you?
If your car has a Type 1 plug (or J1772), you will most often need a T2-T1 cable. Type 1 cars include most Nissan Leafs, Mitsubishi PHEV, most BMW and Mercedes electric vehicles and PHEVs
If your car has a Type 2 plug, you will need a T2-T2 cable. For Type 2 cars think Tesla, Hyundai Kona and Ioniq, Renault and Jaguar I-Pace.
Finally, how to use Type 1 or ChargePoint EV charger
Some chargers are tethered, meaning they come with their own cable. If this is the case, you can just turn up, plug in, and recharge. Look for a cable that suits your car type (Type 1 or Type 2), or look at using an adaptor if it’s the wrong type for your car.
T1-T2 cable allows any car with a Type 2 plug to rock up to a Type 1 charger, plug in the adaptor and enjoy a charge.
Conversely, the T2-T1 adaptor allows cars with a Type 1 plug to charge from a Type 2 charger.
Just remember, once you’ve finished powering up, be kind and place the cable back neatly for the next person. The last thing someone wants is to pull up to charge and find the cable damaged!
A different kettle of fish, charging from DC fast chargers & Tesla super chargers
Then we have DC fast chargers. Are we talking about Tesla charging stations, or superchargers?
Well yes, and then some.
Unfortunately (at least for non-Tesla owners), most Tesla superchargers will only charge Teslas. However, there are other DC chargers out there which can charger other EVs, as long as they have the capability. Some of these with DC capability include all Tesla models, Hyundai Kona, Hyundai Ioniq, Jaguar I-Pace and the Nissan LEAF. DC chargers come with a cable attached, so if your car is compatible, you just plug in and enjoy a super quick charge. DC chargers, like the Tritium EV charger, will generally have a CCS2 or CHAdeMO plug. It’s just a matter of determining what plug type your car has, finding a DC charger near you, and plugging in for a quick boost.