Guide
How to use a public EV charging station
Step by step: finding a free charger, paying by app, card or tap, plugging in, ending the session and avoiding idle fees.
The first public charging session makes almost everyone nervous: unfamiliar buttons, a QR code, an app you have never opened, a plug that will not seem to go in. By the third time it is a thirty-second routine. This guide walks through the whole thing, with the differences between Level 2 AC chargers and DC fast chargers.
Before you set off
- The right plug. In North America, Level 2 chargers have a J1772 connector attached (Tesla owners carry a small adapter), and fast chargers have CCS1 or NACS cables. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, AC posts usually have a socket only, so you bring your own Type 2 cable, while rapid chargers have the cable attached. The connector guide covers the details.
- A way to pay. The network’s app, an RFID card, or a contactless bank card on newer fast chargers. Our city pages list the networks with the most locations near you.
- A rough idea of your car’s limits. Its maximum AC rate (usually 7 to 11 kW) and DC rate (50 to 350 kW) decide how long you will stay.
Step 1: find a free charger
On the map every pin shows the connectors, the power and, where the network reports it, live status. Green is available, red is in use, grey has no live data. Keep a plan B a couple of miles away: a charger can show free and be taken when you arrive, or the bay can be blocked by a petrol car.
Step 2: park and read the charger
Check the label: network name, the port identifier (often “A” and “B” or “1” and “2”) and any instructions. If the screen shows a fault or is dark, do not fight it: switch ports or move on. What to do in the awkward cases is covered in charger not working: what to do.
Step 3: authenticate
Three routes, in order of how common they are:
- Network app or roaming app. Open the app, pick the charger from the map or scan the QR code, choose the port and tap Start.
- RFID card. Hold it to the reader and wait for the beep or the on-screen confirmation.
- Contactless bank card. Present on most DC fast chargers installed since 2023 and mandatory on new ones in the UK and EU: tap to pay like at a fuel pump, no account needed.
Step 4: plug in
On most Level 2 chargers the order is authenticate, then plug in; on some it is the reverse, and the screen tells you. On DC chargers you plug the fixed cable into the car first and confirm on the screen or app. The connector locks into the car once charging begins. That is normal; it stops anyone unplugging you.
Step 5: check it actually started
Within thirty seconds the dashboard or the light by the charge port should confirm charging, and the app should show kilowatts flowing. If nothing happens after a minute, unplug and restart from the authentication step. Nine times out of ten that fixes it.
Step 6: stop and pay
Tap Stop in the app, present the card again, or unlock the car, which releases the connector. Stow the cable and free the bay: most networks charge idle fees once charging ends, typically 0.40 to 1.00 per minute in local currency, precisely to keep bays turning over. The receipt arrives in the app or on your card with kWh and time.
First-timer mistakes
- Plugging in before authenticating on a charger that wants the reverse order.
- Not pushing the connector home until it clicks: no click, no charge.
- A scheduled-charging setting on the car quietly delaying the start.
- Sitting at a fast charger past 80%: the last fifth is slow and often the most expensive.
That is the whole procedure. For what the session will cost you, read how much does it cost to charge an electric car.