When it comes to electric cars, almost every day brings fresh innovation that boosts both usability and desirability. From performance through to range, efficiency and pricing, the best all-electric cars no longer have to make excuses. Even dyed-in-wool internal combustion advocates are making the switch.

However, while the cars themselves get ever better, the process of charging still remains a stumbling block for so many. It’s not just a question of range anxiety or even of cost, especially when it comes to public chargers: there’s also the issue of access.  For users with a driveway, charging an EV at home makes lots of sense, which is why around 90% of owners refill their car batteries this way. Not only is it cheaper thanks to lower rates for domestic electricity, but it’s also more convenient because you can charge when the car would otherwise be doing nothing, such as overnight when you’re asleep.

So, what’s the problem? Well, when you consider that over 40% of households in the UK don’t have access to off-street parking, it becomes clear that plenty of potential EV converts are being put off making a purchase. Yet dig a little deeper and you’ll find that driving an electric car and having to park on the road shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. In fact, read on and you’ll find that it could be easier to do than you think.

Can I run a cable across the pavement?

In theory, the easiest solution is simply to run a cable from your property, across the pavement and then plug into your car at the kerbside. Yet there are some hazards – literal tripping ones as well those of the legal kind – to be aware of if you're considering this option.

On paper there’s nothing wrong with doing this, but there are some guidelines you should follow. First off, you should make sure the cable is laid as flat as possible, and when charging is complete, the cable needs to be removed immediately. You should also only plug into a ground floor or basement power supply. Hanging a cable from a first floor window is very much frowned upon.

If there’s no other choice to do this, then you can consider a raised cable protector, like those often used on pavements where roadworks are being undertaken. It’ll need to be made of tough non-slip plastic and be finished in contrasting colours, such as yellow and black, for maximum visibility. Bear in mind, however, that you’ll still need to take the protector and cable up every time you finish charging, which is a bit of a faff.

From the point of view of the charger itself, it’s also worth considering the length of the charging cable, especially if you’re using the three-pin domestic unit. Most won’t have cables that are long enough to stretch from the house to the car, and using an extension cord is forbidden by most EV manufacturers.

In terms of legislation, it’s not illegal to run the cable across the pavement, but you must ensure it doesn’t cause a danger or nuisance to pedestrians. Perhaps most importantly of all, if someone does trip and injures themselves, you will be held legally responsible. As a result, councils will caution against this practice, although only a few ban it outright.

However, over the past couple of years, an increasing number of councils and companies have started offering services to install dedicated channels for routing charging cablings underneath footpaths - like that from Kerbo Charge below. Essentially running from the boundary of a property to the kerbside, these systems virtually eliminate trip hazards, allowing you to plug in and power up even if you haven’t got a driveway.

The actual installation is fairly straightforward, but you’ll have to jump through a few bureaucratic hoops before the electricity can start flowing. First you’ll need to get permission from your local council. (Some only allow connection to houses rather than flats, while almost all stipulate you must have access to legal on-road parking directly outside your property – so no restrictions such as double yellow lines.) 

For most authorities, the price for installing it is around £1200, which doesn’t include the admin fee of a few hundred pounds for considering your application. Then, depending on your council, you could face an annual licence or upkeep fee, usually of around £100.

That said, some councils, such as Enfield in north London, will offer to subsidise some of the cost – in this case providing a £480 incentive, bringing the job down to £750. The London Borough of Richmond is even more generous and is currently knocking a £1000 off its usual £1250 fee.

Crucially, by having a charging channel installed, you’ll also be eligible for a separate government grant of up to £500 to cover the cost of buying and fitting a wallbox charger at you home.

What about public charging?

Perhaps the most straightforward answer to the problem is to plug into a public charger. You don’t need to run cables across pavements or park inconsiderately to make the plug reach: simply roll up to a space and let the electricity flow. Obviously this will involve some research of your local area to find out where the most convenient sites are and you’ll pay more for the energy than you do at home, but it should be largely hassle-free, more so when you consider that the range of EV cars is improving all the time, meaning fewer requirements to top-up the battery.

So what are your other options?

For the quickest charging you’ll need to find a rapid-charging hub, where in many cases you can get a full charge in a compatible vehicle in under an hour. For most people doing lots of short hops, this should mean you won’t need to top up again for a week or two.

However, most of these sites tend to be out of town, so you’ll need to make a special trip just to plug in. It’s also worth considering the health of the battery, because frequent rapid charges will result in a quicker degradation in the cell’s efficiency. And of course this sort of charging costs more, with companies such as Ionity charging up to 83p per kWh – a figure that starts to make you think a traditional petrol or diesel car might make more sense, even at today’s inflated fuel prices. Most of the public fast charging network operators offer subscription models that slash the kWh pricing in return for a fixed monthly fee. For drivers racking up the miles all over the country, this could make sense, but do your sums before committing.

The next option is on-street chargers, which look a little like high-tech parking meters. There are providers to choose from and finding them is straightforward thanks to smartphone apps such as Zap Map, which not only highlight their location but also tell you whether they are working and available. On the whole, these tend to be 3kW slow chargers like the three-pin domestic type, meaning something like a Tesla Model 3 would take 24 hours to charge. And although there don’t tend to be any time restrictions on remaining plugged in, EV etiquette dictates a few hours at most – so you can’t leave your car charging overnight or while you’re at work in the day.

Further opportunities to charge are offered by lamp-post chargers, which are as straightforward as they sound. Simply put, these feature a transformer with a socket and control unit that are bolted straight to the street lighting and take its electricity feed. Accessed by using an app, they usually offer between 3kW and 5kW slow charging and are relatively cheap and easy to install. 

Brighton & Hove council led the way with these types of chargers a few years ago and plans to have 6000 units in operation by 2027. Many councils across the UK have followed suit, gradually rolling out these low-powered chargers. However, unlike dedicated roadside chargers, a number of these units are not attached to dedicated EV parking bays, so you may find a combustion-engined car parked there instead. On the plus side, there will be less pressure to move on once hooked up to the mains.

In terms of cost, prices vary depending on the provider, but like everything in life, you’ll pay a lot more than you did only a few years ago. Currently, most providers charge around 55p per kWh, which is around double the rate of just four years ago. As a result, a few councils have got in hot water, with Bristol being singled out earlier this year for charging prices that were around 10 times that of charging at home.

Whatever the cost, there are different ways to fork out for the electricity. Some units are pay as you go, allowing you to simply arrive, plug in and then use a contactless bank card to pay. Others require a monthly or annual subscription but with a lower price for every kWh used. Most now can be accessed using a smartphone app, but there are a small number that still require an RFID card (radio frequency identifcation – essentially a card or fob that allows you to unlock the charger). Also, be aware that most on-street chargers are untethered, so you’ll need to remember to keep your own cable in the boot. However, this does mean most will accept any sort of charging plug.

Another option is to keep the cells topped up when you do your weekly shop or head off for an evening out. Many supermarkets are now installing chargers in their car parks, allowing you to plug in while you get your household essentials. In the early days retailers such as Tesco even offered free charging, but now almost all require payment. So at Tesco you’ll pay 44p per kWh for its basic 7kW chargers, while faster 75kWh units are 75p per kWh.

What if there are no public chargers near my apartment?

If all the above options aren't possible or don't appeal, you could consider a charger sharing scheme. There are more than million home charging points in the UK and they’re not all being used at the same time. Smartphone apps such as Co-Charger and Plug-Share highlight locations with domestic wallbox chargers and off-road parking that are close by and are owned by fellow EV drivers who are willing to let others use them for a fee. Prices vary as hosts can set their minimum price per kWh, but it’s often cheaper than public charging and you can compare the pricing of different venues on the app.