How to charge an electric car if there is no driveway?

[OAbigail]

Charging an EV without a driveway is entirely feasible by leveraging public, workplace, and on-street charging networks. The key is planning your routine around available infrastructure, using dedicated apps to locate and pay for charging, and understanding the costs involved, which can be comparable to home charging with the right plan.

The most common solution is using public charging points. In the UK, networks like ubitricity and Connected Kerb have integrated thousands of chargers into existing lampposts and bollards, particularly in residential areas. These are typically low to medium power (3-7kW), suitable for overnight charging. According to recent data from Zap-Map, the total number of public charging devices in the UK grew to over 53,000 by the end of 2023, with a significant portion being these on-street solutions. Public car parks, supermarkets, and retail hubs also offer charging, often while you shop or work.

Charger Type & Location	Typical Power Rating	Best For	Approximate Cost (p/kWh)*
On-Street Lamppost	3kW - 7kW	Overnight charging at home base.	35p - 55p
Supermarket/Retail	7kW - 22kW	Top-up while shopping (often free/discounted).	0p - 45p
Public Car Park	7kW - 50kW	Longer stays, like at work or leisure.	40p - 65p
Rapid/Ultra-Rapid Hub	50kW+	Quick top-up during longer journeys.	70p+

*Costs are illustrative and vary by network (e.g., BP Pulse, Pod Point) and subscription plans.

Using these chargers is straightforward. After parking, you plug in your own Type 2 cable. Payment is almost always managed via a smartphone app or RFID card from the charging network. You need to download the relevant apps, such as Zap-Map or PlugShare, to find real-time charger availability, power levels, and prices. Some boroughs offer resident permit schemes for dedicated on-street bays, which can be applied for through the local council.

Cost awareness is crucial. While public charging is more expensive than a domestic electricity tariff, membership subscriptions with networks can lower the per-kWh rate. For example, a network might charge 55p/kWh for pay-as-you-go users but only 45p/kWh for monthly subscribers. Charging while at work, if offered by your employer, is often the most cost-effective public option, sometimes even free.

The practical habit is to integrate charging into your weekly routine—plugging in at the supermarket each week or using a nearby lamppost charger overnight a couple of times. This avoids reliance on expensive rapid chargers. Always have a backup plan by knowing the location of a few reliable chargers near your home.

[StKarter]

I live in a terraced house in London with no private parking. My solution is the ubitricity lamppost charger right outside. Once I got my council permit for the bay, it became my regular spot. I use the Shell Recharge app to start sessions. I plug in after work and unplug in the morning. It’s as habitual as charging my phone. The cost is higher than a driveway, sure, but it’s just part of my transport budget now, and far cheaper than running my old petrol car. The convenience of waking up to a full “tank” outweighs the slight extra cost for me.

[LaHailey]

Let’s talk about the tools you need. Your phone becomes your fuel key. Before I even got my EV, I downloaded Zap-Map. It shows me every charger in my area—lampposts, pod points in the Sainsbury’s car park, the fast charger at the service station. I filtered for 7kW ones near home for overnight stuff. Then I signed up for two main network apps: BP Pulse and Pod Point. I added my payment details once. Now, when I need a charge, I check Zap-Map for the best option, drive there, plug in my own cable, and tap ‘start’ in the right app. It takes 30 seconds. The anxiety about finding a point disappeared once I had these apps set up.

[McAlexander]

For families without a driveway, routine is everything. We use the grocery run. Every Saturday, we shop at the Tesco with Pod Point chargers. While we’re loading the weekly shop for an hour, the car gets a solid 30-40 miles of range. That covers most of our local school runs and errands. For bigger top-ups, my husband uses the 7kW charger at his workplace twice a week. We almost never use rapid chargers near home because they’re pricey. It’s about weaving charging into life’s existing stops. It works seamlessly for us.

[CarolineDella]

As an early EV adopter in a flat, I’ve seen the infrastructure evolve. The biggest change has been the rollout of dedicated on-street residential charge points by councils. It’s not just lampposts anymore; new dedicated units are appearing. My advice is to engage with your local authority. Many have waiting lists or application forms for resident bays. Be proactive. Furthermore, investigate all charging options within a 10-minute walk from your home. You might find a reliable bank of chargers in a public library car park you never noticed. My strategy is a mix: a regular overnight lamppost for 80% of my needs, and the workplace charger for the rest. It requires a slight mindset shift from “filling up” to “topping up whenever parked,” but once adapted, it’s effortless.