EV Charging Etiquette: The Ps & Qs of Happy Charging

When we talk about electric driving, we often use the abbreviation EV, meaning electric vehicle. We also have abbreviations such as DC, AC, PHEV, HEV, RFID… the list goes on.

If you’re new to the world of electric vehicles – and we know many of you are, having just purchased your first EV – it can all get a little confusing.

We’re not here to deliver a lesson on electric driving abbreviations, though – that’s another blog for another day. Instead, we want to discuss two very important letters from a phrase your parents probably used before they introduced you to their new grown-up friends. That’s right, we’re talking about minding our Ps and Qs.

We want your charging experience to be carefree, which is why we’ve created three simple steps to make your experience a happy one. So if you’re new to public EV charging, or just fancy brushing up on your charging etiquette, here are our top tips…

Be the brightest spark in someone’s day

We know that all our customers are lovely, but sometimes it’s easy to get stressed when we lose track of time or perhaps feel a little grumpy after a long day of travel – we’ve all been there! At InstaVolt we want to help ease that anxiety by making charging simple and convenient.

Unlike other providers, InstaVolt won’t charge an overstay fee, as we pride ourselves on giving you transparent, fee-free pricing for your charge. With our rapid chargers, it won’t be long before your vehicle is ready to hit the road again, so we hope you don’t mind us asking you to free your space for a fellow EV driver once you’re all charged up. By moving your car to a standard onsite parking space, you’ll be able to continue to enjoy all the perks of our fantastic partner sites for as long as you want while allowing other drivers to charge in your place – it’s a win, win situation!

Similarly, if you find that all our charging stations are busy, we hope you won’t mind being patient. Although it can be tempting to check the level on the cars that are plugged in, this can be a little intimidating to some drivers, making them feel pressured to move away before they are finished charging. Plus, with our rapid charging stations and multi-charger locations, you shouldn’t have to wait too long!

There’s power in being different

When it comes to electric vehicle charging it’s always good to remind ourselves that every EV driver is different.

It’s often assumed that the standard amount you should top up on your vehicle is 20-80% and although this is the level we would recommend, it isn’t necessarily the case for all customers. Depending on your journey, your vehicle or your own needs, it can sometimes be the case that drivers add 80-100% charge to their vehicles.

With InstaVolt there is no limit to the amount of energy you top up. Our chargers will provide rapid charge whatever percentage your goal is. Many electric vehicles now don’t reduce the charging rate once they hit 80% as they once did – meaning if you need a full charge, you won’t be waiting for too much longer.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

We’re definitely embracing some old school wisdom here, but this one can’t be argued with. Although it might seem obvious, we want to remind you to check your vehicles to ensure they are compatible with DC (direct current) chargers. Be aware that this can apply to some PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) but many will only allow up to 35kW.

Note that all InstaVolt Charging stations provide at least 50kW DC charge which can be accommodated with open standard connectors CHAdeMO, CCS1 (SAEJ1772 Combo), CCS2 (IEC 61851-23), and GB/T (20234.3-2011 DtC).

So now you know the Ps and Qs of electric driving, as well as some bonus EV driving abbreviations for good measure. All that’s left to say now is, happy charging!