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How long will I need to charge for? 

How long it takes to charge your electric car will depend on the size of your car’s battery, the speed of the charger and the car’s ability to accept this charge.

Read more about that here.

Our step-by-step guide will show you how to start charging your electric vehicle along the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway.

Good news: it’s the same simple process, no matter where you’re plugging in with us.

  1. Identify the appropriate connector for your vehicle (either CCS, CHAdeMO or Type 2)

  2. Take the connector from the holster and plug it into your vehicle’s charge port

  3. Tap your debit/credit card or contactless payment device (e.g. the Google or Apple Pay app) against the payment terminal

  4. Our payment system reserves a £1 (all GRIDSERVE Electric Highway locations) or £35 (Moto Rugby Services) pre-authorisation from your account, which is released once your EV charging session is complete. Read more about pre-authorisation chargers here.

  5. Wait for the connector to lock into your vehicle and the charging session to begin

  6. Grab a coffee and relax

  7. To end your EV charging session, tap your contactless card on the payment terminal, or press Stop on the screen. Wait for the connector to unlock before returning it to the holster

On Medium Power EV chargers it is possible to charge two cars simultaneously on the same unit. There will be signage informing you if this is possible.

The charger will have two cables: either CCS and CHAdeMO or two CCS connectors.

While two cars are charging, the power is shared between the vehicles, reducing the amount supplied to each vehicle.

Removing the cable

If the cable is at a slight angle, it may be hard to pull out after a charge and it’s easy to think that it has become stuck.

Ensure the charging connector and cable are straight and give it a firm pull. If this fails to work, many cars have an emergency release function which makes it possible to release the cable.

If both approaches fail, call the customer service hotline on 0800 240 4242 and an agent can remotely request the charger to release.

Our step-by-step guide will show you how to stop charging your electric vehicle with us.

It’s as easy as starting the charge but there’s a few things to watch out for:

  1. To end your EV charging session, tap your contactless card or device on the payment terminal

    You can also press the ‘STOP’ button on the charging unit’s digital screen to complete your session. If you’re plugged into a Medium Power unit that is supporting dual charging, make sure you’re stopping the correct connector

  2. Wait for charging to stop and for the connector to unlock

  3. Return the connector to the holster

Automatic vend 

Automatic vend happens when the EV chargers are experiencing communication problems. While in this mode, we will offer EV charging free of charge until we can get everything back up and running again. It ensures that our customers can always rely on our network.

We aim to make charging on the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway as smooth and stress-free as possible, with real-time charger status available on our map and app.

However, we understand that sometimes things don’t run completely smoothly. This can be for a number of reasons and there’s a few things you can try before calling our 24/7 support team for help.

  1. Remove the connector and place it in the holster.
  2. Turn the vehicle on, then off.
  3. Ensure all vehicle doors and windows are locked.
  4. Reinsert the connector into the charging port.
  5. Support the cable’s weight and attempt to restart the charging process.

Below, you’ll also find some of our tips and tricks for specific car makes and models below that might help you get back on the road faster.

And although it’s pretty rare, software compatibility issues between new cars and our chargers sometimes occur. Our tech teams work with our charging partners and car makers to get these fixed with updates as soon as possible. We’ll keep you informed by regularly posting updates on specific makes and models with any known issues.

If you are at a GRIDSERVE charger and are experiencing difficulties, call our 24/7 customer service helpline on 0800 240 4242 for real-time assistance.

Should you face any difficulties with a charger while using our app, simply tap the question mark icon located in the top right corner of the screen and select ’24/7 charging support’ to connect with our customer service team.

If you wish to report an issue retrospectively, please get in touch via live chat or the contact form here. We ask that you provide as many details as you can so we can track your session and investigate what happened. If you are having issues charging at one of our locations then please call our phone line.

  1. Date and time:

  2. Location:

  3. Charger number:

  4. Connector type:

  5. Error message on the screen:

We are always aiming to improve the real-time status of the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway but sometimes there can be issues with one of our EV chargers that is not reflected correctly on the map.

If you notice any inconsistencies with our map or any third-party apps or maps, please let us know via live chat or the contact us page here.

If you’re at one of our EV chargers, then please call our customer service hotline 0800 240 4242 so that we can get you and the charger back up and running as quickly as possible.

If you have noticed any damage to the charger during your visit, please contact our 24/7 customer service helpline on 0800 240 4242, drop us a line on live chat or complete the form here, providing the charger number, location and a photograph or brief description of the problem.

We fixed an earlier issue affecting some Audi vehicles at GRIDSERVE charging stations in March 2024. However, we have recently been informed of a new problem that may be affecting your ability to charge.

If you encounter difficulties charging any Audi model, please contact our support team or email feedback@gridserve.com. While we may not be able to resolve the issue immediately, providing details of your charging session is invaluable in helping us investigate with our charging partners and the vehicle manufacturer to find a solution.

We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. For further assistance or questions, please reach out to our support team.

Thank you for your cooperation.

We have identified compatibility issues affecting older Mazda MX-30 vehicles at certain GRIDSERVE charging stations equipped with ABB chargers.

As a result, you may experience difficulties when attempting to charge your vehicle at these stations. We recommend that you contact your Mazda dealer to update your vehicle’s software to the latest version.

This update should resolve the compatibility issues and restore full functionality. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

For further assistance or if you have any questions, please reach out to your local Mazda dealer. Thank you for your patience and support.

If you’re having trouble starting a charge with your GV60, try supporting both the handle and the cable to ensure they align properly with the port until the charge initiates.

Once charging, if the cable won’t release when you want to stop the session, reducing the charging percentage on the in-car screen might help free it.

For low charging power issues, contact your Personal Assistant (Genesis), as a software update might be necessary. Please make sure our customer service help line has confirmed there’s no issue with the charger itself before trying these steps.

If you’re having trouble starting a charge with your Mercedes-Benz EQA, support both the handle and the cable to ensure the cable is properly aligned with the port. This should help initiate the charge.

If you’re having trouble starting a charge with your MG, try the following steps:

  1. Open the charger flap on the car.
  2. Lock the car.
  3. Prepare the charging unit (pay via the app, contactless card or smart device).
  4. Once the unit instructs you to plug in, unlock the car.
  5. Connect the charger immediately.

The price of energy on the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway varies depending on whether you choose AC or DC charging. All prices are calculated based on the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh). You can check out our current pricing here, as well as displayed on Medium Power and High Power chargers screens and on the Low Power payment device.

The total cost of your charging session is displayed on the payment device on the charger after you stop your session, not on the charger screen. Keeping track of your transaction amount for contactless payments can help you locate receipts on our portal, though it’s optional for the process. You can also sign up for automated receipts to be sent directly to you. Find out more here.

With the app, you can remotely monitor the estimated cost of your charging session. Details of your charging sessions, including receipts, are securely stored for future reference and automatically emailed to you following each session.

How to improve your charging speed

Pre-conditioning your electric vehicle’s battery can improve both charging speed and overall vehicle performance. Essentially this means warming up your battery before charging so it’s ready to accept higher power. You’ll find many vehicles have a scheduling option on their app so you can schedule preconditioning before you set off.

The charger you’re plugged into and the model of your electric car will determine how fast you can top up your battery.

Across the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, we offer a range of EV chargers with different power outputs. We have split them into three categories:

Our High Power chargers are located at our Electric Super Hubs, Electric Retail Hubs and Electric Forecourts®, delivering up to 360kW.

Some of these units cater for both CCS and CHAdeMO connectors, with CHAdeMO output limited to 100kW.

We currently have two types of High Power chargers on the network. Some have two connectors but are not able to charge two cars simultaneously. These will have one charging bay per unit.

Some of our High Power chargers can charge two cars at once and will be situated in the middle of two charging bays, indicating that two vehicles can park and plug in at the same time, as the examples below show.

Single bay High Power charger

Dual bay High Power charger

Our Medium Power chargers can supply up to 90kW and can be found at our Electric Hubs, Braintree Electric Forecourt® and Electric Retail Hubs across the network, catering to both CCS and CHAdeMO users. 

Most units are also able to support dual charging, which allows two vehicles to plug in and charge at the same time. However, dual charging does split the charger’s power in half between both connectors. 

What we refer to as our standalone Low Power AC chargers can be found across the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, including some provision at our Electric Forecourts®. These are untethered so remember to bring your own cable.

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