There are two different types of charging unit in the UK; tethered units and universal units. A tethered unit means that your charging cable is permanently attached to your charging unit, making it easy to get to and secure from thieves. A universal unit on the other hand has a plug that you plug your charging cable in to when you want to use it. This means that you can swap the cable depending on what type of electric vehicle you want to charge, however you need to get it out and plug it in when you want to use it. Each one has it's advantages and disadvantages and we can work with you to choose the right one for you.
Your cars connector is determined by 3 factors; whether it is charged using AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current), the charging speed (kW power) and the safety protocol employed (as well as the make and model of car). The two main connectors in the UK are the Type 1 (J1772) and Type 2 (Mennekes) connectors which are both AC connectors. You can view more information about these two connectors and the vehicles they support by clicking here.
Generally charge points come in either 16amps (3.6kW in 1-phase) or 32amps (7.2kW in 1-phase). As you might have guessed, 32amps provides a faster charging speed than 16amps by doubling the amount of available current to your vehicle. There is also the option for 3-phase charging which essentially triples the 16 and 32 amps, turning 3.6kW in to 11kW and 7.2kW in to 22kW. Charging at 16amps in phase-1 mode takes around 6-8 hours for a full charge, while charging at 32amps in 1-phase takes around half that time at 3-4 hours. Rapid speeds are also available in some newer models of electric vehicles which can use up to 43kW, although you usually only see these charge points in public settings such as motorways or A roads.