If you haven’t already, check out our FOW Recharge - Go Zero vs the competition comparison. A home charger should be easy and with Go Zero it really is. With a FREE tethered cable, 3 year Happiness guarantee and fixed price installation, you’ll love everything the Optimus charger has to offer - and we’ve not even spoken about Holiday Mode - check out the benefits here.

Tethered charging is a popular option for charging an EV. If you’re using a public rapid or ultra rapid charger (typically rated anywhere from 50kW all the way to 350kW) you’ll find a tethered cable attached to the station ready to be used. Charging speeds and capacity will vary from car to car - don’t worry, all charging speeds are limited by the on-board charger in your electric car so you won’t damage your EV if you use a higher capacity charger.

You’ll also find some tethered cable options for your home charger too - there’s no need to worry about carrying cables so it’s really easy - and if you have a Go Zero Optimus charger from FOW you can take advantage of Holiday Mode and earn money whilst the charger is not in use.

EV charging is one of the cleanest and most sustainable methods of increasing your vehicle’s range. Exclusive to BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicle) and PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), EV charging is available as slow, fast, rapid and ultra rapid - but what does this mean?

As the name suggests, charging options correlate to the speed of charge. Limited by the capacity of the onboard charger, every electric car has slow, fast and rapid options. Ultra rapid is available on some models and can (with the right charger) provide a lightning quick top up. Let’s have a look at the typical charging speeds - times may vary depending on the electric car, battery capacity and temperature.

3-pin plug - connected at home or in the office is the slowest form of charging and can take anywhere between 18 - 24+ hours to charge.

Slow Charge - typically rated at 3.6kW or under can take between 8 - 12 hours.

Fast Charge - usually rated between 7kW and 22kW. If you’re using a 7kW charger this can take 4-8 hours, a 22kW charger reduces this to around 3-4 hours.

Rapid Charge and Ultra Rapid Charge - located at public stations and rated anywhere between 43kW all the way to 350kW. A top-up from empty to 80% can take just 15 to 40 minutes depending on the public and onboard charger.

We recommend a high quality home charger, such as the Go Zero Optimus solution - why? It’s safer and quicker than the 3-pin plug option. You can also schedule charging, use cheaper, renewable overnight energy, and start your day with a full charge. In real terms a 50kW charger can add around 100 miles to your range in 30 minutes, so if you fancy a quick pit stop this is a great option.

Remember, your EV has onboard systems to protect the battery, that’s why rapid and ultra rapid chargers are rated up to 80% as the charge between 80 and 100% takes longer.

Good question - charging prices align with the energy market, if prices increase, so too will the cost to charge your EV. We recommend paring your electric car to a tariff designed for EV ownership - there’s loads to choose from including Octopus, British Gas and EDF Energy. Renewable green energy and lower tariffs are a great way to reduce your charging price. And if you have a compatible home charger you can also use solar energy to charge your electric car and make bigger savings.

As electric cars become more popular, the number of free charge points decreases - you can view the numbers right here.

Although it’s not free, with the Optimus Charger from FOW you can earn money back from the charger with Holiday Mode - set the tariff and watch as you get paid. It’s really easy to set up and means you earn money when the charger is not in use.

The majority of electric cars use what’s called a Type 2 connector (the exception being the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV which use a CHAdeMO connection).

What does this mean?

Most electric cars use the Type 2 CCS (Combined Charging Standard) option - CCS provides DC rapid charging for, as the name suggests rapid charging. The Type 2 part forms your fast charging option - available publicly or at home with both housed within the same port.

CHAdeMO is the original rapid charging standard - developed in Japan and found in a selection of Nissan and Mitsubishi models. If your electric car has a CHAdeMo port, it will have 2 sockets, each one requiring the correct cable to charge. CHAdeMO is not compatible with the ultra rapid standard, however you can find your nearest charging using the Zap Map search.

Download and register for the FREE Zap Map app, or view the map of EV charge points. Plan your journey quickly and easily with post code, town or city search alongside a route planner for longer journeys.

With the right electric car energy tariff, overnight is by far the cheapest, greenest and most cost effective option to charge your EV. The difference can be huge and go into the hundreds of £ a year.

If you’re looking for an EV home charger, we recommend one which allows you to schedule charging - you’ll be able to plug your car in and only use cheap, renewable energy on your terms.

And with a Go Zero home charger from FOW, the system is continually monitored with real time alerts should any downtime be detected. Go Zero are notified and will be on hand to help get you going again.

Absolutely, climate control, radio (infotainment) and heated seats are among some of the things you can power whilst charging your electric car. Don’t worry, you won’t be able to drive or move the car whilst it’s charging.

Some electric cars and home chargers also allow you to interact with your EV and schedule charging from your smartphone.

To keep you safe all EV charging cables are designed to withstand the elements. Every cable has an IP rating, the higher the rating the more protection they offer. In all instances, cables are designed to protect both the owner and the car and generally have an IP44 rating or higher.

Absolutely, and there’s more places to charge an electric car than fill up a petrol or diesel vehicle. If you’re thinking of having a home charger installed, it’s important to remember you can’t have cables trailing across pavements or public spaces.

If you do have a driveway then it’s perfectly safe to have your home charger installed outside. With a FREE home survey and fixed price installation available, a Go Zero home charger might just be the perfect fit.

Compared to a conventional ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicle, charging an EV can be far more cost effective. With the right energy tariff, you can take advantage of some really great deals and enjoy low running costs.

Calculating the costs takes just 3 steps.

·       Cost per kWh (overnight charging is typically cheaper)

·       kWh added

·       Range travelled

Multiplying the cost per kWh by the kWh added provides the total cost to charge. Divide the total cost to charge by the miles travelled to calculate your cost per mile. In the majority of cases, this will be far lower than an ICE vehicle.

They are (for the moment), On December the 25th 2025 this all changes when the Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD) is removed. Until then, all electric cars will be exempt from the charge. Find out more information on the Transport for London (TFL) website.

Electric cars are the future - exciting and great fun to drive. They are also the perfect showcase for all the latest technology.

Speaking of tech - battery technology is continually improving and you’ll be glad to know the latest electric cars can travel impressive distances.

So, have a think about your daily commute or regular journeys - the average commute in the UK is 23 miles (roundtrip) - more than enough for an EV. It’s also worth having a think about charging - can you charge at home? do you have a home charger already?

Do you need a home charger? A home charger, when paired with an EV energy tariff is the most cost effective way to ‘fill up’ your electric car. You have the flexibility to schedule charging, and with Go Zero - earn money when the charger is not in use.

What’s the battery health like? The battery in an electric car is continually monitored by systems that regulate temperature - a cooler battery is a happier battery. The system also regulates charging speed to ensure the battery doesn’t overheat. At FOW, we perform a battery health check on every electric car - charged to 80% with range measured against industry standard data.

It’s also worth asking what checks are performed on your electric car before you buy. Do they check the propulsion battery pack? control module? charging circuit? electric motor? charging port? - we check all these items alongside our standard checks and even offer an extended warranty designed exclusively for electric vehicles.

Yes, they can, and because electric cars by their very nature have instant torque they are often better suited to towing than a petrol or diesel model.

Similar to a petrol or diesel car, you’ll need to know the weight of what you’re towing, and the towing capacity of the electric car you’re interested in. Electric cars can tow braked and unbraked - the numbers will depend on the car you’re looking at, a smaller car will generally tow less than a larger car for example (we’ll help answer these questions). Braked towing refers to anything that has its own braking system, such as a caravan or horsebox, whilst unbraked will be limited to small trailers.

Charging costs align with the global energy market, sometimes they’ll be cheaper, sometimes not. That’s why EV energy tariffs exist - you’ll have access to cheaper, renewable overnight energy which will save you time and money vs public charging (you could save as much as 50%).

And, if you choose a Go Zero home charger from FOW you’ll be able to schedule charging and avoid expensive peak energy tariffs. You’ll also be able to add your charger to the public network whilst the charger is not in use - with Holiday Mode, you set the tariff and that’s it. Prices start from just £779 with fixed price installation available for added peace of mind.

Battery technology is continually improving - and the latest electric cars boast impressive ranges and charging times so you can enjoy your EV.

Vehicle manufacturers go to great lengths to test this technology, both in extreme temperatures and distances. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N for example was tested in -30°C temperatures n the arctic circle. Hyundai even did an endurance test around the Nordschleife in Germany - 10,000km (6,213 miles) were covered with the car pushed to the extremes without the battery getting too hot (this is the main cause of battery degradation).

Electric car range is already impressive, and comfortably more than the average commute or daily journey. All batteries slowly degrade over time, however it’s not as much as you think, or anything to worry about. A Tesla battery researcher concluded batteries last over 2,000,000 miles and over 15,000 charge cycles (remember a charge cycle is 0-100% - something most us won’t do day to day).

It’s all in the architecture and is designed to protect and prolong the life of your battery. Every electric car is fitted with a battery management system to maintain the optimum temperature, if a battery is too hot, charging speeds will be reduced, and if the battery temperature is cool, it’ll be increased.

Manufacturers recommend charging your electric car to 80% where possible - and it makes a lot of sense, especially when you consider an 80-100% charge takes just as long as a 10%-80%.

Electric cars are cheaper to ‘fill up’ than a petrol or diesel vehicle and there’s arguably more options too, such as charging at home or at the office.

A report carried out by EDF Energy highlights the cost difference for every 100 miles can be as much as £7 (sometimes less, or more depending on the mpg of your petrol or diesel car). And if you do have a home charger you can take advantage of a 100% renewable EV tariff, such as Octopus to save even more.

Absolutely, all the electrical components are safely sealed to withstand the elements so it’s safe to drive (and charge) in the rain, snow and sunshine. Just like petrol and diesel cars, EVs aren’t designed to be driven on flooded roads so take extra care in these conditions.

If you drive less than 200 miles a day, then an electric car is a perfect match for you. And if you have access to a home charger, or have the option to install one it makes even more sense - cheaper energy, scheduled charging options and ultimately, more convenience.

But, if you own or rent an apartment, or terraced house, a home charger might not be an option - don’t worry though as there are more places to charge an EV than fill up a petrol or diesel car.

And we’ve not touched on all the other benefits - instant torque and performance, near-silent motoring and no local emissions. Electric cars are also exempt from the London Congestion Charge through the Cleaner Vehicle Discount until the 25th of December 2025.

Our EV experts will be happy to help with any questions you have.

There’s actually 3 models to consider here - a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).

A battery electric vehicle (BEV) is an electric vehicle (EV) without any form of internal combustion engine (ICE). An electric car has two main components - the electric motor and battery pack. The electric motor is driven by the energy stored in the battery pack. With only one moving part, the electric motor can provide torque instantly, and some electric cars have 2 electric motors driving all 4 wheels (AWD).

The first ‘modern’ hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is the Toyota Prius which launched in 1997. Sometimes coined as a ‘self charging hybrid’ or ‘series parallel hybrid’ these models combine a compact battery pack, electric motor and petrol or diesel engine to reduce overall running costs and emissions. Unlike an EV, a hybrid vehicle relies on the internal combustion engine (ICE) to recharge the battery through normal driving - and they can only travel short distances at low speeds on electric power.

And a plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV) combines elements of the two - an internal combustion engine (ICE) with the ability to plug in and increase range. Similar to an electric vehicle, you’ll have a battery pack and electric motor providing drive - unlike an EV the battery pack is small so the distance you can travel on electric is less, and you won’t be able to use rapid or ultra rapid chargers.

Remember, we’re here to help answer all those BEV, HEV and PHEV questions!