Part of our guide to charging a Chinese electric car in the UK. Figures checked September 2026.
Most charging happens at home, but every EV driver needs the public network sooner or later: on long trips, if you have no driveway, or when a quick top-up saves the day. The good news is that the UK network is now large. The bad news is that it is expensive compared with home charging. Here is how it works, what it costs and how to pay.
How many public chargers are there in the UK?
According to government statistics, there were 119,080 public EV chargers in the UK on 1 April 2026, of which 27,372 were rated at 50kW or more. Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers cluster along motorways, at supermarkets and at dedicated charging hubs, while slower chargers are common on streets, in car parks and at destinations like hotels and gyms.
Types of public charger
| Type | Power | Connector | Typical use | Time to add 100 miles* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow / on-street | 3kW to 7kW | Type 2 | Overnight on residential streets | 3.5 to 8 hours |
| Fast | 7kW to 22kW | Type 2 | Supermarkets, car parks, destinations | 1.5 to 4 hours |
| Rapid | 50kW to 149kW | CCS | Service stations, retail parks | 15 to 40 minutes |
| Ultra-rapid | 150kW+ | CCS | Motorway hubs, dedicated charging sites | 10 to 20 minutes (car permitting) |
Every Chinese electric car sold in the UK uses a Type 2 socket for AC charging and CCS for rapid DC charging, so they work on the same public chargers as any other EV.
How much does public charging cost in 2026?
Zapmap’s price index puts the average pay-as-you-go price in August 2026 at 54p per kWh on slow and fast chargers and 77p per kWh on rapid and ultra-rapid chargers. Home charging on the price cap is about 26p per kWh, and overnight EV tariffs are around 7p to 9.5p.
| Network | Typical pay-as-you-go rapid price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Supercharger (open sites) | From about 63p/kWh | Cheaper off-peak and with a membership; non-Teslas welcome at many sites |
| Believ | About 66p/kWh | Mostly on-street and destination chargers |
| Sainsbury’s Smart Charge | About 72p/kWh | Rapid chargers at supermarkets |
| Fastned | About 79p/kWh | Ultra-rapid hubs; subscription lowers the price |
| InstaVolt | About 92p/kWh | Large rapid network; among the priciest pay-as-you-go |
For a car with a 60kWh battery, a 10% to 80% rapid charge at the 77p average costs roughly £32, against about £3 on an overnight tariff at home. See costs for every Chinese EV.
How to pay at a public charger
- Contactless. New public chargers of 8kW and above must accept contactless card payment, and existing rapid chargers have been upgraded. Just tap your card or phone.
- Network apps. Most networks have their own app, which can unlock member pricing.
- Aggregator apps and cards. Services like Zapmap Payments let you pay across many networks from one account.
- Subscriptions. Regular long-distance drivers can save with a monthly plan from networks such as Tesla, Fastned or Ionity.
Tips to charge faster and cheaper
- Charge from about 10% to 80%. Charging slows sharply above 80%, so two short stops are often quicker than one long one.
- Precondition the battery. Many Chinese EVs warm the battery automatically when you navigate to a rapid charger. A warm battery charges much faster, especially in winter.
- Know your car’s limit. A 350kW charger will not charge a car limited to 85kW any faster. Check your model’s peak rate in our charging times table.
- Look for off-peak and supermarket pricing. Some networks cut prices overnight or at certain sites.
- Charge at home whenever you can. It is up to ten times cheaper. See our home charger cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at a public charger in the UK?
In August 2026 the average was 54p per kWh on slow and fast chargers and 77p per kWh on rapid chargers. A typical 10% to 80% rapid charge of a 60kWh battery costs around £30 to £35.
Can Chinese electric cars use UK public chargers?
Yes. BYD, MG, Omoda, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, XPeng, Zeekr and other Chinese EVs sold here use the standard Type 2 and CCS connectors.
Can I use a Tesla Supercharger with a non-Tesla?
Yes, at the many Supercharger sites opened to all EVs, paying through the Tesla app. Non-members usually pay more than Tesla owners.
Do I need an app to use a public charger?
Not usually. Rapid chargers and new chargers of 8kW and above accept contactless payment, although apps can give cheaper member pricing.
Sources: Department for Transport electric vehicle charging infrastructure statistics (1 April 2026), Zapmap Charging Price Index and rapid network prices (August 2026), Public Charge Point Regulations 2023.