There are now 14 Ionity 350kW electric car charging stations across the UK, with new sites currently being built at Alnwick and Polmadie (near Glasgow).
The company has more than 400 charging stations across Europe, with an average of six charge points at each one. Use of the 350kW chargers offers hassle-free pan-European travel, with around 100km (62 miles) of range available in just eight minutes, depending on the car.
What is Ionity?
Ionity is a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz, Ford, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche, with its ultra-rapid chargers situated close to major roads. The plan is to install a charging station every 100 miles along the motorways and A-roads of Europe.
Although the UK provision is still fairly small, Ionity says it will create 40 charging stations here in total.
Where are the UK’s Ionity charging stations?
There are currently 14 350kW Ionity charging stations in the UK:
Baldock
Beaconsfield
Blackburn
Cambridge
Channel Gateway (Folkestone)
Chippenham
Cobham
Cullompton
Gretna Green
Leeds (Skelton Lakes)
Maidstone
Milton Keynes
Perth
Peterborough
Ionity is also building 350kW charging stations in the following locations:
Alnwick
Polmadie (Glasgow)
Which cars can use a 350kW charger?
The installation of 350kW chargers shows the electric car industry planning for the future. Right now, it isn’t possible to buy a car that can handle the maximum charging speeds offered by Ionity.
However, provided your car is equipped with a Combined Charging System (CCS) connector, it can use an Ionity charger. The charging point will automatically optimise its speed to the maximum the car can handle.
For example, the Porsche Taycan offers 225kW, while the Audi E-tron SUV can handle 150kW. Other electric cars like the BMW i3, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia e-Niro, Mercedes-Benz EQC and Jaguar I-Pace can also use the Ionity network, albeit without the benefits associated with a 350kW charge.
Lastly, Kia has just added Ionity to its Kia Charge service, giving customers discounted access to the network. The Ionity add-on costs £11.25 per month – but slashes the price of Ionity charging by 64 percent, from 70p per kWh to 25p per kWh.
A leading extended car warranty provider has revealed analysis of long-term electric car powertrain reliability.
It’s an attempt to disprove the common misconceptions that used electric cars are unreliable and offer poor longevity. The research focused on three popular models: Tesla Model S, Nissan Leaf and BMW i3.
To complete the analysis, Warrantywise took into account the frequency of repairs, common faults, cost of repair and the age at the time of repair. It also factored in the rate of repair and the average cost of repair for similar combustion vehicles.
The Nissan Leaf is the most reliable of the three electric cars, with just two of the vehicles covered by Warrantywise requiring repairs. The problems were minor: a mirror assembly and an electrical fault. For reference, the Nissan Juke has a repair percentage of 14 percent.
Tesla is the most troublesome
There’s more good news for BMW i3 buyers. Although the repair percentage is slightly higher at 18 percent, the BMW 1 Series is more troublesome, with a 21 percent repair rate. The air conditioning and electrical systems are the most common problems.
Thanks to a 41 percent repair rate, the Tesla Model S is the most troublesome of the three. Although the majority of repairs centred around electrical faults rather than issues with the electric motors and batteries, used Model S buyers are likely to find this concerning.
Used Nissan Leaf prices start from around £5,000, but you’ll pay at least £30,000 for a second-hand Tesla Model S. Given the potential reliability issues, the Leaf might make more sense for someone considering their first electric car.
‘EVs can be a great used buy’
Lawrence Whittaker, CEO of Warrantywise, said: “Scepticism surrounding the reliability and powertrain longevity of EV technology – particularly the ability of the batteries to consistently hold full battery charging capacity – has been a concern in the early uptake of plug-in electric vehicles.
“It is really encouraging to see that the major EV components such as the powertrain, outperform petrol and diesel counterparts after the manufacturer’s warranty expires. Overall numbers of repairs and the severity and complexity of them are encouragingly low for anyone eyeing up a second-hand EV bargain.
“Our reliability data index provides the most accurate snapshot of real-world data anywhere in the market and helps to prove that plug-in EVs can be a great used buy. With a Warrantywise plan in place, buyers have complete peace-of-mind that they are fully covered against any major mechanical defects for the duration of their cover.”
The near-silence of electric cars is viewed as one of the key selling points of electric mobility. Without the noise and vibration of a conventional engine, you’re free to enjoy a quieter drive, in and out of the city.
But are electric cars too quiet? There are concerns that silent running makes them a hazard to pedestrians because they cannot be heard as they approach.
A study commissioned by Guide Dogs found that hybrid and electric vehicles are 40 percent more likely to collide with pedestrians than cars with a regular combustion engine. There was also a 54 percent increase in accidents where pedestrians were injured by quiet vehicles from 2012 to 2013.
In 2019, Debra Roffey from Devon was narrowly saved from being hit by an electric car after her guide dog failed to recognise the vehicle on the seafront in Paignton. Mrs Roffey said: “Electric cars are silent killers. A passer-by grabbed me and Crystal [the guide dog] out of the way.
“There was no warning. There was no noise and no fumes from an exhaust, so Crystal didn’t pick up on the fact there was a car behind us on the seafront pathway. We could have been seriously injured or worse.”
Electric car noise legislation
A change is coming. From 1 July 2019, all manufacturers have been required to fit an Audible Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) to new electric cars to prevent them being too silent.
Vehicles must produce a sound when they are reversing or driving below 20kph (12mph), in an attempt to improve pedestrian safety in urban environments. The change will also apply to new hybrid vehicles registered from July 2021.
Michael Ellis, roads minister, said: “The government wants the benefit of green transport to be felt by everyone, and understands the concerns of the visually impaired about the possible hazards posed by quiet electric vehicles.
“This new requirement will give pedestrians added confidence when crossing the road.”
The move is welcomed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), but the charity says that questions still remain. First, will the driver be able to deactivate the AVAS? Second, what about the 1.35 million electric cars already on the roads of Europe?
Some electric cars have featured an audible warning system for years. For example, the Renault Zoe is equipped with ‘ZE Voice’, which is active at speeds up to 18mph, with the frequency of the noise changing according to the speed of the car.
Crucially, the noise can be switched off – which is something the RNIB wants to stop.
Experimental noise
The legislation provides manufacturers with the opportunity to experiment with different sounds. BMW has turned to legendary composer Hans Zimmer for help adding sound to its new electric and hybrid vehicles.
Premiered on the Concept i4, BMW IconicSound Electric ‘will imbue BMW’s electric models with extra emotional depth by connecting the driver with the vehicle’s character on another level through individual tones and sounds’.
Meanwhile, under the direction of acoustics expert Rudolf Halbmeir, Audi has developed a range of sounds for its E-tron electric vehicles. Halbmeir said: “AVAS is primarily about warning pedestrians.
“Every child knows what a car sounds like, so the current legislative proposal intends for the sound to be oriented to what people are accustomed to. The challenge is to also make a premium experience possible for the customer. The sound should have a high-quality feel to it, and to achieve that, the quality of the components has to be right, of course.”
One thing’s for certain, we’ll have to get used to a range of different noises in our zero emission urban centres – and that’s not just the sound of birdsong and chatter. Electric cars will deliver a cacophony of noise, creating an entirely new aural landscape.
At the time of writing, there are around 31,500 electric charging connectors across the UK. The vast majority of these are fast chargers, but there has been a surge in the number of rapid chargers.
If you own an electric car, the chances are you recharge at home, either via a domestic plug socket or a wallbox. Once on the move, you’ll be able to access one of the UK’s charging networks.
You won’t have too much trouble finding a place to recharge. There are now more electric charging stations in the UK than conventional fuel stations. Almost 80 percent of UK petrol stations have closed since 1970, while the number of charging locations has increased from a few hundred in 2011 to around 11,300 in 2020.
Here’s a list of 10 significant electric charging network operators in the UK.
Polar
With around 7,000 public charging points, this is the largest network in the UK. There are two products – Polar Plus and Polar Instant – both run by BP Chargemaster.
Polar Plus is a membership scheme that costs £7.85 a month, with new members given three months for free. After this, you’ll pay 12p per kWh used, although some of the chargers are free to use.
Polar Instant is a pay-as-you-go alternative with access to the network granted via a smartphone app. After this, you’ll pay 18p per kWh for 13A and Type 2 charging, 25p per kWh for a 50kW rapid charger, and 35p per kWh for 150kW ultra-rapid charging.
Pod Point
Pod Point operates 3,000 public charging points, the majority of which are free to use. These are predominantly fast chargers, located at areas of high footfall, such as Heathrow airport, Tesco supermarkets, McDonald’s restaurants and Center Parcs resorts.
There’s no membership scheme or subscription – you simply download the Pod Point smartphone app. Charging will start as soon as you plug in and will stop after 15 minutes unless you confirm the charge via the app.
Charge Your Car
Charge Your Car (CYC) claims to be the UK’s fastest growing pay-as-you go charging network. Users must register online to create a direct debit, purchase an access card for £20 per year, then pay for each charge.
Costs and minimum charges apply, with the price varying according to the charging speed and location.
Ecotricity
The Ecotricity Electric Highway covers the UK motorway network, with 300 rapid charging points available. Customers must sign up for free membership, with electricity charged at 30p per kWh used. There are also 15 free-to-use slow chargers in the UK.
Ecotricity domestic energy customers qualify for half-price charging and discounted home wallbox installation.
Instavolt
Instavolt claims to offer the ‘simplest and most transparent’ electric vehicle charging network in the UK. There’s a good spread of 50kW rapid chargers across the country, the majority of which are situated close to urban centres and major roads.
There are no membership fees or connection charges – you pay 35p per kWh of electricity used.
GeniePoint
The GeniePoint network is free to join and there’s no monthly fee – you pay for what you use. In 2019, the company teamed up with Morrisons to begin the roll-out of 50-100kW charging points in supermarket car parks.
Most units have a connection fee, with electricity charged at 30p per kWh.
Ubitricity
Ubitricity specialists in the installation of charging points for businesses and local authorities. Many of these are lamp-post and bollard chargers. There are two options available: a SmartCable tariff or a pay-as-you-go approach.
Ionity
Ionity operates 400 charging stations along Europe’s major roads, with an average of six charging points per station. Crucially, it offers a charging capacity of up to 350kW, making it ready for the next generation of electric cars.
There’s no membership fee, but you’ll be charged 69p per kWh for charging.
Tesla
There are two networks available to Tesla owners: Supercharger and Destination. There are 1,870 Supercharger stations across the globe, with 16,585 connectors. Charging takes around 30 minutes, and although some Model S and Model X get free charging, others have to pay. All Model 3 drivers must pay to use the network.
As their name suggests, Destination chargers are located at places where you’ll spend more time. These include hotels, restaurants and shopping centres.
Shell Recharge
The Shell Recharge network is by no means the largest in the UK, but it’s one of the most significant. It sees a major petrol retailer making the switch to electric car charging, with 150kW and 50kW chargers available.
There’s no subscription charge – you’ll pay 39p per kWh, with payment taken via the Shell Recharge app or charge card.
Other large / regional / smaller charging networks
Source London – 1,300 charging points in London
ChargePlace Scotland – 1,000 charging points in Scotland
NewMotion – 800 rapid charge points in England (inc. Shell Recharge/Ionity)
GMEV – 100 charging points in Greater Manchester
eCar – 160 fast chargers and 17 rapid chargers in Northern Ireland
ChargerNet – 17 rapid chargers in Dorset
Eon Drive – ultra-fast charging stations
Electric Blue
Engenie
Hubsta
Revive
Swarco E.Connect
ZeroNet
We will edit and update this list of electric charging operators as the network expands.
