I’m an EV expert – four tips to beat the queues at charging stations every time

AN EV expert has revealed four tips to help drivers avoid queues at charging stations.

Electric car owners have complained about long queues to “fill up”, but these handy hacks can help you avoid hours of waiting.

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Luke Chillingsworth shared his top tips for a stress-free loading experience for The Express.

First, he recommended using fast charging stations wherever possible.

These chargers have a power of 50 kW instead of the standard 25.

In practice, this means an 80 percent charge should only take around 30 minutes.

Additionally, not all electric cars are equipped to use fast chargers, so there are likely to be smaller queues that move faster than at other charging points.

On that note, Luke also advised drivers to avoid peak loading times so they don’t get stuck in the rush.

Charging early in the morning or late in the evening is the best option if it is convenient for you.

In particular, avoid charging between approximately 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. or between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Not only are the charging stations less crowded, but the cooler temperatures at these times also make charging more efficient, so you don’t have to stay there as long.

Third, you can check the availability of nearby charging stations online to make sure you don’t end up in a crowd.

Apps like Zap Map and PlugShare provide users with up-to-date information about how busy local chargers are and when congestion is expected to ease.

Finally, Sam suggested charging your EV regularly so you don’t have to wait up to an hour for a full charge.

You can recharge your engine when you go to the bathroom at a church service or grab some lunch at a gas station.

This ensures additional kilometers so that you can travel without long charging breaks.

However, keep in mind that overcharging or undercharging can damage the battery and reduce your range.

A home charging station can also be a great way to save money and make charging more convenient, but it doesn’t work for everyone.

This comes after it was revealed that millions of people in rural parts of the UK are struggling to get fewer than 6,000 chargers.

Meanwhile, the RAC has been forced to use special kit to keep electric vehicle drivers on the road as range anxiety affects their driving experience.