Can I Own an Electric Car Without A Driveway?: EV Charging Explained – DrivingElectric

Just because you live in a flat, or a house without a driveway, doesn't mean you can't own an electric car. In this video, we take a look at your options for keeping an EV topped up without a driveway or private off-street parking.

Chapters:
00:00 - No driveway? No problem
00:33 - Workplace charging
00:56 - Kerbside charging
01:23 - On-street chargers
01:50 - Rapid chargers

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[garrycroft]

I’m 18 months and 12, 500 miles in without home charging. I use a mix of destination, rapid and supermarket chargers. I have had zero problems and will never go back to a petrol car.

[michaelgoode]

We bought a used EV in March 2023 and I am reading this in September 2023. We use kerbside charging in our town centre for local use and then rapids if we go on longer trips.

We bought with eyes open working out what we need and what absolute minimum non-stop range we need, then bought a car to deal with this.

Once a fortnight we go for Sunday breakfast in the town centre and plug the car in at the 7kWh kerbside charger and just leave it there until it gets to 80%. We just walk out and collect it later. I have marked all the practical rapid chargers into the car satnav for the journeys that we take. We have not suffered any range anxitey yet.

When going on unusual or one off journeys I just use a couple of apps from charge providers that we use and put the charger locations into the satnav.

At present I am planning a 2024 European road trip from Spain (Santander) to Norway. Ionity and Fastned cover us all the way into Denmark. It is really very easy.

Oh, and if people think that it's OK for these young, tech savvy types, thanks. 60 years young. 😊

[khalid]

Thank you for these public awareness videos.

[audriusa]

All West Yorkshyre rapids are is 0.75-0.79p per kWh. No idea where people charge rapid for 0.45p in UK... Living in council house without driveway. No kerbside charging in 20 mi radius probably, local council dont care. Lucky for me, my kind neighbour lady let me use her driveway, so charging mine EV from 13A socket for 2 years now, 0.26p per kWh over night full battery.

[KingSadim]

Street lamp charging is not an option in area like mine, vandals would destroy it guaranteed, just like they destroy bus shelters for some odd reason. Non-plug-in hybrids are my only option for now

[Kawalis-hihq]

It’s an absolute nightmare if have an ev in London and don’t have a home charger, I only use rapid chargers and they’re usually taken a lot of the time with other cars even already waiting sometimes. It’s absoloutely transforms the experience of having a car

[bernardcharlesworth]

With range of second generation EVs being so good it's not a problem even charged in a b&b off a 13amp socket

[ers]

Local authority restrictions on EV charging and heat pumps is holding the UK back compared to the rest of the world, all so we can maintain our quaint built environment.

[megapangolin]

Very helpful and informative, but it is important to appreciate that getting an employer or using a roadside charger is going to be nigh on impossible, and it is very worthwhile making it very very clear to people that it will not be a human right to have access to a charger just because there are a few charging points in a car park somewhere.

[rodneilson]

I asked my council for a cable gully they said No! I asked for an on street charger also No! Work have chargers but only for company cars, so unfortunately it’s not viable to own one ☹️

[tautliners]

This is England, scum would steal the copper charging cable in an instant if you charged your car in the street.

[steve-zschannel]

The big problem with not having a driveway is the fact that it pushes up your insurance premium if you're forced to park on the road.

[lynnedwards]

The reality is this will not work, small companies will not install a charger for their employees to use unless there are better subsidies. As for the anti trip device to cover your cable as it trails across the curb; it's bad enough storing your cables let alone a few metres of thick rubber (wet, muddy etc), who in reality is going to do this? EV's are not for the masses, the UK is not set up to for this, the infrastructure in all towns and cities is lacking. The government will not invest and private investors do not have the appetite as they also see the flaws in EV ownership. Thank you for trying to promote a mechanism for cleaner world, but this is unattainable for so many. 🤔☹️

[vladzis]

Sure you can. Have no off-street parking since 2016, 140k EV miles since

[wingedhussar]

Problem is that we're going to have a two tier system. Thise that can get cheap overnight homecharging which protects the battery and everone else who will have to pay a higher rate on public chargers and degrade their battery faster using fast charmrge kore often.

[King-mitch]

I have a drive way but my house is on a looped electric system meaning I can not have a wall changer with unlooping my house and my next door neighbour at huge expense. Public charging is bad in my area and my workplace doesn't allow my to park on site so this dream of electric cars for me is dead. Petrol is king.

[DarrenWhittington]

Bristol City council are not good, zero tolerance for on street charging, not allowing cables across pavement in any form, plans for on street charges in pipeline for a good 5 years now

[church]

Luckily I Got my own driveway to charge on
Just watching the video to admire the car

[michaelgoode]

Where do you live? Just give me a post code and I will research your local charging options.

With a 23 mile commute you are looking for 50 miles range minimum. You could get that from an used 24kWh leaf or similar early Renault Zoe.

[SatoriHaddad]

If you leave your car slow charging on the street overnight, wouldn't your cable be stolen? Those are quite expensive.