FAQ for charging in the UK


Find our most frequently asked questions (FAQ) for charging in the UK here.
For other Shell Recharge charging stations, please see these FAQs.

Shell ubitricity and Shell Recharge

Why are ubitricity’s being rebranded to Shell Recharge?

ubitricity became a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell in 2021. From September 2023 ubitricity charge points will start to be rebranded as Shell Recharge, alongside our pay-as-you-go access payment and website. As part of Shell we want to create a full e-mobility ecosystem to help end users feel fully supported in the switch to EV. By changing our branding, our customers can benefit from one network that supports them in every type of charging, from home, to fleet, to on-street. Read more info about the rebranding here.

Where does the rebranding start and how do I notice it?

ubitricity has now rebranded our charge points to Shell Recharge. 

On ubitricity lamppost and bollard charge points, you can identify a rebranded charge point by the new Shell Recharge sign fixed to it. When using PAYG, you will also notice the new Shell Recharge web interface after scanning the QR code.

ubitricity remains the operator of these charge points and is in this form still highlighted on the new signs, in the web interface and within e-mobility apps such as Shell Recharge.

Does the rebranding to Shell Recharge affect my usual charging experience with ubitricity?

The rebranding will not affect your usual charging method. You can continue to use all ubitricity-operated charge points as usual.

Can I call Shell Recharge’s customer service when using a ubitricity-operated charge point?

Please always use the customer service details stated on the charge point you’re charging at. For all ubitricity-operated charge points in the UK, please use 0800 024 6279 or support@ubitricity.co.uk.

Why do I get different prices in the Shell Recharge App and with the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) service?

Firstly, we would like to acknowledge that there is indeed a difference in pricing between the Shell Recharge app and the PAYG (direct access) option. This variation arises from the fact that the Shell Recharge app and PAYG have different capabilities and features at this time. The Shell Recharge app is designed to offer a more simplified and user-friendly experience for our customers. It provides an easy way to locate and initiate charging sessions, offers the option to have monthly bills and more.

We are excited to inform you that the Shell Recharge development team is actively working on enhancing the Shell Recharge app to include more features and functionalities, including those currently available with PAYG. We are committed to ensuring that our customers have a seamless and unified experience across all our services. In the near future, you can expect updates that will bridge the gap between the two pricing structures. 

Safety

Is Pay-As-You-Go secured against fraud attempts?

At ubitricity, we want to make electric vehicle charging convenient and accessible to all, ensuring you can charge safely is always our highest priority. As we operate EV charge points in public there is always a small risk that signs get vandalized and fraudsters attempt to mimic our ubitricity Pay-as-you-go charging portal. We want to remind you about some important safety tips, helping you and other EV drivers to remain safe and fraud free when charging at one of our 7,000+ public charge points. We have various security mechanisms in place to ensure that fraud attempts via our Pay-As-You-Go can be prevented and averted. The following FAQ provide answers to various safety questions.  

How is my payment data protected when using Pay-As-You-Go?

The security of your data is very important to us. Payments are handled by a secure third-party payment provider and are compliant with the usual online banking standards.

How do I notice a fraud attempt at the sign of a charge point?

All ubitricity lamppost and bollard charge points are equipped with QR signs above the socket. This sign will either have an ubitricity logo or – as we’ve started to rebrand our charge points – a Shell Recharge logo. Each sign includes a quick “How to charge” section, details about our customer support and most importantly a QR code linking to our digital Pay-As-You-Go webpage.

Before scanning a QR code, please make sure that no other smaller QR sticker is stuck over the original QR code area. You can check this by rubbing your finger over the QR code.  We as ubitricity will never stick a second smaller square QR code over an existing sticker.

To protect from fraud, we always recommend checking the URL after scanning the QR code. More information on this can be found in the question below.

If you are unsure, or if a sign looks suspicious, please reach out to our customer hotline at 0800 024 6279 or support@ubitricity.co.uk (available 24/7) and our team will be happy to support you.

How do I notice a fraud attempt within the Pay-As-You-Go webapp?

After scanning the QR code, you are directed to our Pay-As-You-Go webpage in your smartphone’s browser. This webpage guides you through your charging process.

Before entering any data in the webpage, please always check the URL in the browser. The right website address should read mysimplesocket.com or charge.ubitricity.com without any dashes or hyphens (or other full stops than shown here) in these words. Other indicators to check are the functionality of the menu and links in our webapp. You can also check if the charge point ID (starts with “suby”) in the webpage is identical with the one in our interactive web map.

What should I do if I become aware of an irregularity or think I am subject to a fraud attempt?

If you are unsure whether a third party is attempting to access your personal data during an ubitricity charging process, please reach out to our hotline at 0800 024 6279 or support@ubitricity.co.uk (available 24/7). Our customer service team will be happy to support you.

I am sure that fraud has occurred, and I have already entered payment details into a fake form. What do I need to do?

  1. Call your bank and block your card.
  2. Call the police and inform them about the specific fraud.
  3. We also appreciate if you call our customer support to make sure we can avoid further fraudulent activity (0800 024 6279 or support@ubitricity.co.uk; available 24/7).

Are ubitricity chargers safe? What if people trip?

All ubitricity charge points are installed according to local health and safety standards. Our lamppost charge points are installed near the edge of the kerb meaning that the traditional trip hazard of trailing cables is reduced. We also encourage users to observe the following safety instructions:

 

  • To avoid obstructing the pedestrian path, please ensure that your cable is kept close to the footprint of the car.
  • If there is excess cable, ensure that it is tucked away or within the footprint of the car.
  • When the charge point is on the opposite side of the car to the pavement, ensure the cable always remains within the footprint of the car.
  • These actions will help to eliminate trip hazards for pedestrians, so please make sure to never leave extra cable on the pavement!
Illustration on saftey measures when charging with a type 2 charging cable at ubitricity-operated Shell Recharge charging stations in the UK.

General

How can I find an ubitricity charge point near me?

You can find your nearest ubitricity charge point on our charge point map or by using an app by a E-Mobility Service Provider (such as Shell Recharge).

How do I pay for my EV charging session?

If you charge at this charge point with Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) via the QR code, the payment is via credit card or Apple Pay / Google Pay. After you have agreed to the tariff for charging, you will be prompted to enter your credit card details or to authorize Apple Pay / Google Pay. As soon as this is finished, charging can start and continues as long as you are plugged into the socket. When using our charge points through an e-mobility service provider by using an RFID card or mobile app, the respective costs are indicated in your mobility app.

How much does it cost to charge at ubitricity charging stations?

Costs for charging can vary from charge point to charge point. You can learn more about costs on our pricing page. 

If you are using our Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) option by scanning the QR code, you will find detailed information about the specific charges on the mobile site before you enter your payment details. If you are using a Mobility App such as Shell Recharge, you can find the relevant charging costs in your app. Please read through the tariff information carefully before you agree to the respective tariff.

Why have I been charged prior to starting the charging session?

When you initiate a charging session, your bank temporarily reserves £25 to ensure there are funds available for payment. If you use mobile banking, you may see this amount as a pending transaction. After you finish charging, we notify your bank of the actual amount spent, and they will deduct it while releasing the pre-authorized amount. The duration of this process may vary, taking anywhere from a few minutes to several days, depending on your bank.

What charging current is available at ubitricity charging points?

You can see the maximum charging current of the respective charging point on the mobile website before you start the PAYG charging process or in your E-Mobility App (such as Shell Recharge).

Will my car be fully charged by the time I unplug?

Charging times depend on the battery capacity of your vehicle, the power output of the charge point and the rating of the charging cable. Generally, you can calculate your charging time by using the following formula:

Time = battery capacity of your vehicle / power output of charge point (which depends on the charge point or the charging cable). As we’re currently mainly operating lamppost and bollard charge points which focus on low power charging during long parking times, the power output at our charge points in the UK is usually 5 kW.

For example:

45kWh (battery capacity) / 5kW (power output) = charging time of roughly 9 hours if a 32 ampere charging cable were used.

Using a cable with lower ampere would limit the power output which would mean a longer charging time.

What should I do if I have queries about my charging experience?

If you have a question, or run into any problems, please contact us at 0800 024 6279 or support@ubitricity.co.uk. Let us know the charge point ID and the model of your car and we’ll investigate.

How do I get a public charger near where I live?

All public EV charge points must be procured and installed by your local authority. However, we can support you and forward to your request. Fill out the form on our website for free and we’ll pass it onto the relevant local authority. Please note that using this form does not guarantee a charge point placement.

 

Our tariffs

What tariffs does ubitricity offer and at what times do the different tariffs apply?

ubitricity has 2 tariffs: standard and peak. These prices apply at the following times:

Standard: 49p per kWh (7pm – 4pm)
Off Peak: 85p per kWh (4pm – 7pm)

Some charge points may not have Smart Charging available, these charge points will instead have one flat rate. Please check the home screen to receive your charge point’s tariff information.

What is Smart Charging?

We’ve upgraded our Smart charging software to help customers skip peak pricing. Customers who choose Smart charging before the peak window (4pm-7pm)  will now be able to automatically charge up to the peak window, pause charging during peak hours, and automatically resume charging after the peak window has ended. Currently drivers who charge at home already have the option to smart charge and access cheaper tariffs, with launch of ubitricity Smart Charging we are hoping to bring a similar advantage to people don’t always have access to a home charger.

Some charge points may not have Smart Charging available, these charge points will instead have one flat rate. Please check the home screen to receive your charge point’s tariff information.

You can learn more about Smart charging here.

What will happen to my cable if I opt for Smart Charging?

We’ll lock your cable in place once you’ve selected our Smart Charging option. We won’t send any power to your car during the peak period (4pm-7pm). At the end of the charge, just unlock your cable as normal.

How will I know my charging session has started when using Smart Charging?

On our lamppost and bollard charge points, the LED light will turn green to show that your session has started – we just won’t send any power to your car until the off peak period begins. Depending on what type of car you have, you may see a different message in your car app.

Charging Process

Is there anything I must be aware of when charging?

Please ensure your charging cable is tucked away when your car is charging, this is to avoid accidents such as trip hazards to yourself and pedestrians.

Be aware when using our charge points that there may be parking restrictions where parking fees may apply. These are independent from any ubitricity charges.

How will I know my charging session has started?

On ubitricity lamppost and bollard charge points, the LED light on the charge point will turn green to show that your session has started.

How do I end the charging session?

When using PAYG,  you have to unplug the charging cable from the vehicle to release the cable and stop the charging session. It is very important to unplug the cable from your vehicle first before unplugging from the charge point. The charged electricity is billed to your credit card. You will receive a separate invoice via email.

The LED of the charge point is off, what should I do?

Please write us an email at support@ubitricity.co.uk or  call +44 800 024 6279 (available 24/7) to report the issue.

Why didn’t my charging event start after I have authorized a charging process via Pay-As-You-Go?

Please ensure your cable is plugged in properly.

Please unplug your cable and start the process again. Once you have entered your payment details please wait for a connection between the car and the charge point to be established. Once a mobile connection has been successfully established, the button at the bottom of the payment page will be visible, and you need to click it to start charging.

Some EV models require a different plug-in sequence for our charge point to connect to the vehicle successfully. Please try again using the following sequence:

Step 1: Unplug the cable from the charge point.

Step 2: Scan the QR code

Step 3: Connect your cable to the charge point.

Step 4: Allow the charging event to start. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate the charge session. Once on-line connection has been automatically established by the charge point you will be able to enter your payment details (or select a payment card previously stored on you Smart Phone). Continue to follow the instruction to commence your charge session.

Step 5: Once charging has started plug your cable into the car.

My charging cable is locked in the charge point. What should I do?

Try to plug in the cable a little tighter into the charge point, then unplug again. If it’s impossible to remove your cable, please contact our support team. Do not try to remove the cable by force! This could cause damage to the cable.

Why was there no power drawn during my charge event?

  1. Your car may already have a fully charged battery, please check your battery level.
  2. This could be due to a faulty charge point, please check for the correct LED colour during the connection process (BLUE when the socket is available to use, then ORANGE when the cable is plugged in but the charge event has not started, then GREEN when charging).
  3. You may not be plugged in correctly, please unplug your cable and reconnect the cable correctly.
  4. There may be a local power outage.

If the solutions above, do not work please call our customer service team on call who will be happy to help.

What happens in case of a technical disturbance in the grid?

Due to technical issues in the distribution grids, the electric current can be interrupted from time to time. Normally, this shouldn’t be a problem as the pauses in supply are very short. But even if there should be a longer shortage of electricity, there’s no need to worry: You only pay for the electricity you have actually charged.

What happens if mobile communication fails? Can my EV charge then?

In this case, a subsequent data transaction enables charging by using an expiring certificate that actualizes itself when reconnecting online.

An EV driver is using his smartphone to read ubitricity's FAQs for charging at public on-street Shell Recharge charging stations.

Can't find what you are looking for? Get in touch!

If you have a question that is not listed in our FAQs please feel free to send us an email to support@ubitricity.co.uk