Portable EV chargers: Everything you need to know

Home EV chargers are paving the way for easy, convenient, and cost effective electric vehicle (EV) charging. But, with a third of UK homeowners lacking off-street parking to be able to install a standard smart charger – how do electric vehicle owners charge without one? Public charging points? Three-pin plug chargers?… Or do portable EV chargers combat this issue?

Find out in this article as we delve into the world of portable EV charging. From their existence to practicalities and the best portable EV chargers on the UK market – our extensive guide on electric car portable chargers will provide you with everything you need to know.

Is there a portable charger for electric cars?

Yes, portable EV chargers or ‘mobile electric car chargers’ do exist in the UK. Although, they are incredibly rare and lack the same technology as other charging points.

Usually, portable electric car chargers refer to charging banks that can be taken everywhere. These are similar to power banks used to charge your phone when out and about. An example of a portable electric car charger includes the commercial portable EVSE equipment, the Blink Portable EV charger.

Occasionally, EV drivers might refer to portable chargers for electric cars as 3-pin plug EV chargers (sometimes called granny chargers or slow chargers). Manufacturers of 3-pin plug chargers often refer to their chargers as portable online; for example, the MG ZS 3-pin plug refers to itself as the ‘MG ZS EV portable charger’. So, sometimes, there can be confusion surrounding the word.

Will portable charging points be more prevalent in the next few years?

Truly portable EV chargers are not common by any means. In fact, many portable EV charging stations, such as the ZipCharge Go portable EV charger, are still in production. In actuality, the ZipCharge Go’s release day was pushed back further from 2023, and the new release date is still unknown.

Some portable chargers are on sale but only in commercial DC portable formats. Examples are the Blink portable EV charger and the Kempower ‘moveable charger’.

Unfortunately, there are no 7kW, 11kW, or 22kW portable EV chargers for sale in the UK. Overall, 40kW is the fastest portable EV charger for sale.

As technology progresses and EV adoption rates continue to climb, more research and development will likely be conducted on portable EV charging stations. In turn, portable EV car chargers will likely start to infiltrate the charger market. However, if you are searching for a portable electric car charger in 2024, you may struggle to find an effective and affordable portable solution.

In this article, we refer to portable electric car chargers as those that work like a power bank—not a three-pin plug. If you want to learn more about three-pin plug EV charging, please read our blog; otherwise, keep reading.

Are portable EV chargers any good?

For those who can’t have a smart EV charger installed at home or those who lack easily accessible public charging infrastructure nearby, portable electric car chargers do provide some benefits. In particular, portable chargers reduce range anxiety and offer a surefire way to charge your electric car wherever you are. This is especially valuable when your EV is running out of charge quickly.

But EV portable battery chargers do not allow cost savings and only benefit you if you are struggling to find a charger nearby and desperately need a top-up. That said, EV drivers who suffer from range anxiety might also benefit from a portable EV charger, adding a layer of peace of mind and an emergency option.

Of course, the standard electric car can go between 150 and 300 miles on a single charge. The government stated that 99% of the average car journeys in England are under 100 miles, leaving plenty of range for the typical UK EV driver.

Learn the tips on reducing range anxiety and maximising range with our blog.

Should you get a portable EV charger?

On the surface, portable EV chargers seem like a good idea, especially for those with intense range anxiety. However, in our professional opinion, we wouldn’t recommend getting an EV portable charging point. Why? Because overall, home EV chargers provide many benefits that portable electric vehicle chargers can’t compete with.

Smart EV chargers have advanced technology built into the core, leading to features that can amplify the home charging experience. On the other hand, portable chargers are in the infancy of their intelligence.

Cheaper EV charging is one of the best advantages of home EV chargers over portable electric car chargers. Many smart home EV chargers allow tariff integration, meaning you can charge your electric car cheaper with off-rate electricity prices, offering high cost-savings. Some, for as little as 7p (Intelligent Octopus Go Tariff and OVO Charge Anytime Tariff). Portable EV chargers are incapable of this.

That’s not mentioning the additional benefits of a home EV charger: greener EV charging during less carbon-intensive hours, advanced safety measures, and increased property value – to name a few.

Does Tesla have a portable charger?

Technically, yes, Tesla does have a portable charger – but it’s not for the car. In fact, Tesla’s branded portable charger is for your smartphone – not your electric vehicle, charging it wirelessly.

What is the best portable EV charger?

Due to the lack of portable charging points available for the domestic market, we feel there are no best portable EV chargers to put forward for recommendation. We will keep you updated if anything changes.

Also, we would always suggest investing in a dedicated EV home charger or commercial charger to maximise the benefits of owning an electric car.

Summary:

• Portable battery chargers for vehicles do exist, but the limited range of EV portable chargers in the UK are for commercial purposes. Most mobile EV chargers for the domestic market are in the production stage.
• Standard home chargers are infinitely better than portable emergency EV chargers. Mobile EV charging cannot provide cost benefits that EV home chargers can.
• Portable battery chargers for EV are not worth the purchase, in our opinion – unless you can easily afford a commercial portable electric car charger and suffer from severe range anxiety.

Fully charge or a small top-up, you decide – your charging is in your hands.

Charge your battery conveniently at home, whenever you choose. Elevate your electric vehicle experience by choosing We Power Your Car for your home EV charging solution. Boost convenience of charging at home while significantly reducing your energy costs.

Take the next step towards smarter, greener and cheaper home charging today. If you are looking to get an EV charger installed at your home, click below to get your free quote, or contact us for more information or any queries you may have.

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