How to charge an electric car if you don’t have a driveway

Thinking of getting an EV? But worried about not having a driveway? Don’t worry - we’ve got you covered. Having a driveway isn’t the be all and end all, and it’s 100% possible to have an EV without one.  But how?

Here’s five ways to charge your EV without needing access to at home charging.

This might not be possible for everyone, but lots of workplaces are setting up chargers in their car parks. Charging at work can make it very easy to own an EV, especially if you can’t charge it at home. If your workplace doesn’t currently have a charging station, check out our info on commercial charging or speak to your Manager or HR rep as there are often grants available.

In many London Boroughs (and other areas across the UK), there are chargers available in lamp posts along residential streets. And if you live in a flat, you could have access to residential car park chargers. But if there’s none available, chat with your building owner as there are grants available to have these added. You might even be able to charge your car through a 3-pin plug cable. But check your settings on your car to make sure it’s not pulling too much electricity and creating a fire risk.

Lots of retail stores and Supermarket car parks have charging points. It’s a great way to top yourself up when you’re out and about. These might not be perfect for long stints of charging, but they’re good for adding a bit extra when you’re doing a bit of retail therapy or your weekly food shop.

If you’ve got a friend or family member who lives close by, you could have a charger installed on their driveway instead. And just use that every couple of days to help keep you topped up.

The public charging network is rapidly growing and as the demand for EVs grows,  charging infrastructure will expand too.

No doubt you’ve stumbled across an EV charging point somewhere by now, whether at your local supermarket or at a petrol station. And once you spot one, you won’t be able to stop.

If planned the right way, you can keep your car topped up on the public charging network alone. So, if you’re meeting your friend for a coffee in town, make sure you park in a car park with an EV charging station - many council owned car parks have at least one or two available.

Electroverse can make public charging really easy, especially with abilities such as route planning. The Electroverse currently has over 580,000 charging stations and with a simple tap of a card, or use of the app, can turn public charging into a hassle-free experience.

You can also connect it to your Octopus Energy account and pay it as one bill every month.