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ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING GUIDE.
From getting home charging set up to finding the best charging points on the go, there’s a lot to think about when making the switch to electric. Our guide breaks down all you need to know to get the most from your electric car.
HOME CHARGING.
The great thing about electric car charging at home is that it’s easy to do. There are different home car charging points that you can use depending on what suits you best, so you can be sure you’re always ready to hit the road.
You can use a household plug if you want to avoid installing a dedicated unit. A PodPoint home charger offers you a powerful and more convenient alternative to the standard mains supply.
Find out more about charging at home:
PUBLIC CHARGING.
Charging your MINI in public couldn’t be easier. You can find over 39,000 charge points at over 14,000 EV charge stations in the UK.
There are three types of public chargers available:
- Rapid Charging
- Fast Charging
- Slow Charging
An increasing number of public spaces, such as shopping centres and supermarkets, often offer free use of their charging facilities. Type 2 Chargers require you to bring your own Type 2 cable, while CCS Fast Chargers include the cable, and is the standard for rapid charging in the UK and Europe.
Find out everything you need to know about charging in public in our handy guide:
CHARGING AT WORK.
As the demand for electric cars and charging facilities is growing, then workplace charging is certainly worth considering. Many employers have now embraced electric mobility and offer a more modern workspace by providing EV charging stations for their employees.
If your employer hasn’t implemented workplace charging yet, and there is space, why not suggest that workplace charging could be a good move.
There may be grants, rebates and other incentives available for your company to fund your program and charging infrastructure. You can explore workplace charging grants in the UK below:
MINI CHARGING.
MINI Charging gives you instant access to one of the largest public charging networks and will allow you to seamlessly connect to over 11,000 electric vehicle charging stations in the UK. It’ll also give you access to stations in all other MINI Charging markets within Europe. Currently in the UK the electric MINI network is connected to charging points from key operators such as our partner Pod Point, ChargepointNetwork UK and others, as well as high-power charging stations available via IONITY.
HOW TO REGISTER FOR MINI CHARGING.
If you don’t receive a card from your sales advisor during handover then you can order one by registering at MINI-charging.com. If you’ve already received one, then you’ll need to activate it before it can be used.
HOW TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC MINI.
First, find your nearest charging point using MINI Navigation, the MINI Charging App, or the MINI App. Then, to start your charging session use either your RFID card or mobile app, depending on the charge point. The current price for each charging point is shown in the MINI Charging app or on the website and we recommended checking the price before you start charging.
FIND CHARGING POINTS FAST.
In your electric MINI, you’re never far away from a public charging point. And there’s more than one way to find them.
MINI CONNECTED.
Take control with the MINI App. Plan routes in advance based on your battery usage. Keep track of your available charge. And find charging points fast for longer journeys or top-ups.
ZAP-MAP.
Download this handy ev charging app. Zap-Map helps you find more than 15,000 public charging points across the UK. Plan routes and find charging points, tailored around your battery usage.
SAVE AS YOU DRIVE.
Electric MINI makes your money go further too. At just 7p a mile*, it’s between two and four times cheaper than driving a petrol or diesel**. Unlike some electric cars, electric MINIs battery is included in the price of the car. And we're so confident about our technology we offer a warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever you reach first.
A charging point can help you charge up even faster. And right now, you can enjoy a government grant towards the cost and installation of one.
*Calculated in September 2023
GRANTS.
HOME CHARGING POINTS.
If you have dedicated off-street parking and live in rental accommodation or own a flat, you could also qualify for the Electric Vehicle (EV) chargepoint grant. The grant pays 75% towards the cost and installation of a chargepoint unit outside your home (up to a maximum of £350).
WORKPLACE CHARGING GRANT.
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a government-funded scheme that helps to reduce the purchase and installation cost of workplace charging stations significantly. See how your company can apply.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC CAR?
Well that all depends on the speed of the charging point you use and the size of the battery – naturally we’ll be focusing on the 32.6 kWh battery of the all-electric MINI Cooper.
According to our calculator, to charge up the all-electric MINI Cooper to a full 100% (which lasts for around 249 miles!) it will take approximately…
- 5 hours, 30 minutes using an at home PodPoint home charger
- 12 hours, 10 minutes using a regular power socket at home
- 5 hours, 30 minutes using a public charger
- 1 hour, 20 minutes using a public rapid charger
For more information and to try out the calculator, hit the link below.
And if you’re wondering how much it costs to charge the all-electric MINI Cooper, you can find out more here or use our handy interactive calculator below:
ELECTRIC CHARGING FAQS.
Charging at home is easy if you have a driveway or garage. An electric MINI comes with two AC charging cables as standard. The first fits a regular home wall socket and uses the standard AC power supply. It’s perfect for occasional charging, or when your electric MINI is resting overnight. The second charging cable is designed to work with a Homecharge unit where the AC power supply is increased, charging your car more quickly. A Homecharge unit costs around £1,000 to buy and install, but the government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) grant could cut the cost by up to £350.
MINI Charging gives you instant access to one of the largest public charging networks in the UK – that’s over 14,000 electric vehicle charging stations! You can locate them either using the MINI App, MINI Charging App or through your car’s navigation system, which will direct you. Then you simply pay, plug in and get charging!
At home, if you plug your car into your regular wall socket or Homecharge unit then all you pay for is the electricity using your usual tariff. Out and about, you can generally pay as you go – using contactless payment at many new chargers. Or you can use MINI Charging, our handy system that gives you access to thousands of public charging stations. Then, you simply scan your card or the mobile app at the charging point and you’ll be charged for any usage at the end of the month. Of course, you can see how much you’ve spent at any time in your online account.
Most electric cars in the UK are compatible with the same rapid chargers. But when it comes to non-rapid charging, there are two types of sockets, so you usually need to bring along your own cable. Luckily an electric MINI comes with the cable it requires, and at the charger end, the cables are all compatible.
Absolutely! Electric cars and their chargers are completely weatherproof and will protect you from any electric shocks, so it’s perfectly safe to charge your EV in the rain.
You can certainly generate power to charge your electric car using solar panels. According to drivingelectric.com, you’ll need around ten panels to charge an average-sized car battery. And to efficiently charge an electric vehicle using solar panels, you’ll also have to install a home charging unit and a PV inverter unit that converts the solar energy into DC current for the vehicle.
ANY QUESTIONS?
If you’d like to know more about public charging points, please contact your local MINI retailer.