Can all makes of electric car be charged from the same charger?
I am thinking of buying an electric car and having a home charging point fitted. Can all makes of car be charged from the same charger? Or will I need to keep buying the same make, or have a different charger installed if I buy a different make of car?
Asked on 5 November 2018 by Crod
Answered by
Andrew Brady
You can fit a universal charger which doesn't come with a lead, meaning you can plug pretty much any electric car into it. The downside of this is you'll have to take the lead out of the boot and plug it in every time you use it, but at least the charger should be future-proof. Alternatively, fit a tethered unit with a Type 1 or Type 2 lead already fitted. Most electric cars are charged using either Type 1 or Type 2 charging leads, with Type 2 expected to become standard across all EVs, although some cars (including the Nissan Leaf) still use the Type 1 connector. If you opt for a tethered unit with one of these leads, it's not a huge job for an electrician to change it in the future. Alternatively you can buy an adapter for around £100.
If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.
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