Free charging points?

[Basicbob]

Moderator comment - thread resurrected after merging post from "Free Chargers"

Hi

I’m aware there are a few free charging points eg Costco, Tesco that provide free 7kw.

Out of curiosity do people use or are aware of free 22kw chargers or even 50kw?

I believe Lidl use to offer free 50kw free chargers but have stopped now.

 

[MattJ M]

Tesco near me have a 22kW post that is free. Might be worth searching all the ones local to you?

 

[phil4]

Parked in Swindon (Multi-storey on Islington Street) yesterday and they've two free Rolec's... they split the power, so you only get 16A, but it's free (although the parking isn't). So at least one still exists.

 

[Medved_77]

Moderator comment - thread resurrected after merging post from "Free Chargers"

Hi

I’m aware there are a few free charging points eg Costco, Tesco that provide free 7kw.

Out of curiosity do people use or are aware of free 22kw chargers or even 50kw?

I believe Lidl use to offer free 50kw free chargers but have stopped now.

A good resource for this is:

Map of electric charging points for electric cars UK: Zapmap

UK-wide map of electric car charging points allowing EV drivers to find EV charge points and plan electric journeys to the nearest charging point.

www.zap-map.com

You can filter the map by connector type, then in the payment section select 'Free to Use', then search for your location.

 

[s88ats]

A good resource for this is:

Map of electric charging points for electric cars UK: Zapmap

UK-wide map of electric car charging points allowing EV drivers to find EV charge points and plan electric journeys to the nearest charging point.

www.zap-map.com

You can filter the map by connector type, then in the payment section select 'Free to Use', then search for your location.

I've been using Zapmap since I got the car and I had no idea I could do this, thank you

Sod's law there isn't any apart from the Podpoint I knew about, but it's useful to know - interestingly I had a few BP Pulse sites up albeit a good few miles away, but these require a membership right?

 

[Fred2]

I've come across a few:
- Coop in Chipping norton
- National trust Sherringham Park

Some of the recently upgraded national trust ones are really good - rather than 1 or two chargers that might randomly be in use, Wimpole has a dozen chargers (7kW but I'm typically there on a long walk for 3-4 hours so it's plenty)

 

[MattJ M]

There are loads of free chargers around near me. All of the big Metrolink stations are free, and the three Tesco’s all have free pod point chargers including a 22kW post at one of them. All free and easy to use

 

[Burley]

There’s a large network of free to use (until October) 50kW Engie chargers across West Yorkshire. These have 22kW AC socket as well as CCS & Chademo. ENGIE Electric Vehicle Charging

Need an account to operate, or you can add your own RFID when you’re at one of the chargers.

 

[Alistairuk]

Plenty up in Scotland including rapids - although admittedly that’s not much good to you down in London!

 

[Taurus_D]

I agree with dinner if the previous posts, several free chargers around with few rapid ones as well. It's a shame more and more are getting out of service or broken without any repair plans in sight
For those around the Glasgow area,Riverside museum has a couple.

 

[Nick77]

Only free ones near me are PodPoint 7kwh ones at Tesco or shopping centre. Both have 3 hour limits.

Too slow to wait around other than the occasional top up. Though I can walk home in 10 mins from the local Tesco and come back 3 hours later. Still only worth the hassle as an emergency top up though.

Sign up for BP Pulse (previously Polar/Charge master) and its cheap enough to pay for the 50kwh ones near me. Think its 23p/kwh on one of them when you're a member.

 

[D1939]

Regarding the free Tesco chargers, does anyone know if you can used them when the store is closed? And also is it just for customers? Or could you park up and leave it without going into the store to buy something.
I think my local one has a two hour limit.

 

[Aero]

I'm pretty sure you can use the Pod Point Tesco free chargers when the store is closed. Just make sure you comply with any parking time limits so as not to get a fine

 

[Alistairuk]

Regarding the free Tesco chargers, does anyone know if you can used them when the store is closed? And also is it just for customers? Or could you park up and leave it without going into the store to buy something.
I think my local one has a two hour limit.

Most of the car parks that are in city/town centres and busy have "time limits", there will be signage somewhere stating this, but whether it's enforced or not is a different question...

Check the information on the Pod Point app for the charger which will tell you the operating hours for the charge point and any limitations/restrictions that may be physically imposed on your usage.

 

[kelvin 660]

I tried to use a free po-point at Lidl but pod-point app said I didn't have any credit.
It looks like you now need £5 credit to use free chargers...

 

[Nick77]

I'm pretty sure you can use the Pod Point Tesco free chargers when the store is closed. Just make sure you comply with any parking time limits so as not to get a fine

Yep this. Tesco don't control the car park, they use a Parking Management Company. The signposts will tell you how long you can stay and when you can come back.

i.e. 3 hour limit, 1 hour no return.

Which means you can stay for 3 hours and have to leave for an hour before you can come back and park again.

 

[Tintin825]

In Greenwich, there are quite a few options. 7kw Pod-Points are completely free at Aldi/Primark (and across the road from Sainsburys/Asda), although you need to remember to register the charge on the app to get more than 15 minutes (car park allows 3 hours stay on non-match days). There is also another free Pod-point on the A2 in the Wickes car park. My favorite however is IKEA which has free 7kw chargers in a car park which allows you to stay for 5 hours.

I have tried lobbying our council to install better options (Source London is a total rip-off) but since COVID the consultations have gone quiet.

 

[Llama.]

There’s a large network of free to use (until October) 50kW Engie chargers across West Yorkshire. These have 22kW AC socket as well as CCS & Chademo. ENGIE Electric Vehicle Charging

Need an account to operate, or you can add your own RFID when you’re at one of the chargers.

Hi Burley

I’m using the free Engie chargers near me in Leeds. In fact I just got a quick free 10kw at Pudsey Leisure Centre car park.

Why are you saying free only until October? I can’t find any detail on this?

It would be great if this was an ongoing thing.

 

[Burley]

Hi Burley

I’m using the free Engie chargers near me in Leeds. In fact I just got a quick free 10kw at Pudsey Leisure Centre car park.

Why are you saying free only until October? I can’t find any detail on this?

It would be great if this was an ongoing thing.

here’s a screen grab from the WY ChargePoint network page. They’ll start charging at the end of the month. No word on cost as far as I know, but expect 40p/kWh. They’ve been charging £10 for overstay after 70mins ever since they were put in.

 

[Llama.]

here’s a screen grab from the WY ChargePoint network page. They’ll start charging at the end of the month. No word on cost as far as I know, but expect 40p/kWh. They’ve been charging £10 for overstay after 70mins ever since they were put in.

Thanks for this. They confirmed this in an email to me as well. Shame, I was enjoying the free charging! I knew it was too good to be true.