The EV Charging Gap Businesses Need to Understand – Daily Business

As more UK businesses move towards electric fleets, charging capacity is becoming an operational consideration rather than a purely technical one. Yet one figure can be particularly misleading: 22kW. A charging point rated at 22kW does not mean every electric vehicle connected to it will charge at 22kW. The actual rate depends on several parts of the charging system working together, including the vehicle’s onboard charger, the electrical supply and the charging cable. For businesses planning workplace charging or managing an electric fleet, understanding that distinction can prevent unnecessary investment and unexpected charging delays.

 22kW is a maximum, not a guarantee

AC charging works within the limits of the entire charging chain. A 22kW connection requires a three phase supply capable of delivering 32A per phase. If the vehicle can only accept 11kW through its onboard AC charger, the charging session will remain limited to 11kW. The same principle applies to lower capacity vehicles. A car with a 7.4kW single phase onboard charger cannot turn a 22kW charge point into a 22kW charging session. This matters for fleet operators because the headline specification of a charger only tells part of the story. The vehicle specification needs to be considered alongside it.

The UK adds another complication

The distinction becomes particularly relevant in the UK because domestic electricity supplies are normally single phase. On a 230V single phase connection, 16A provides approximately 3.7kW, while 32A provides approximately 7.4kW.  Three phase charging changes the equation. At 16A per phase, the theoretical AC charging rate is approximately 11kW. At 32A per phase, it rises to approximately 22kW.

 This is why a cable labelled 22kW should not automatically be interpreted as a promise of 22kW charging. Its rating describes the electrical capacity the cable is designed to carry. The vehicle and charging installation still determine what is actually delivered.

 Why the cable can become the limiting factor

The charging cable is one of the less visible components of the system, but its rating can affect the available current. Businesses choosing a type 2 charging cable should therefore consider both the charging infrastructure and the vehicles that will use it. A Type 2 cable rated at 11kW is designed for 16A on three phases. A 22kW Type 2 cable is rated for 32A on three phases. On a UK single phase wallbox, this difference can be significant. An 11kW cable can limit a 32A single phase charging session to 16A, or approximately 3.7kW. A 22kW cable can carry the full 32A available from a compatible single phase installation, allowing up to approximately 7.4kW. For businesses operating vehicles across different locations, choosing the right type 2 charging cable can therefore be relevant to charging flexibility, particularly where vehicles move between home, workplace and public AC charging infrastructure.

The vehicle remains the final constraint

Even with a suitable 22kW charging cable and a 22kW three phase charging point, the vehicle may still charge at a lower rate. The onboard charger inside the vehicle controls how much AC power the battery can accept. Some vehicles support 11kW AC charging, while others have lower single phase limits. A vehicle with an 11kW onboard charger connected to a 22kW charging point will therefore still charge at a maximum of 11kW. This is also why comparing charging infrastructure solely by the number printed on the charger can produce the wrong conclusion.

What this means for business fleets

For businesses, the issue is less about chasing the highest possible charging figure and more about matching infrastructure to actual vehicle use. A fleet that returns to a depot overnight may have little need for 22kW AC charging if vehicles can comfortably replenish their required range during several hours of downtime. A fleet with vehicles returning for short charging windows may have a stronger case for higher capacity infrastructure. The same calculation applies to workplace charging. If several vehicles need to charge during the same period, available electrical capacity, charger configuration and vehicle charging limits all become relevant.

Businesses should therefore look at charging as a system rather than treating the charging point, vehicle and cable as separate decisions.

Getting the charging equation right

The growing adoption of electric vehicles is making charging infrastructure an increasingly important part of fleet planning. But a higher rated charger does not automatically translate into faster charging. The useful question is not simply whether a business has access to 22kW. It is whether the vehicle, electrical installation, charging point and cable can work together to deliver the charging rate the operation actually requires. For fleet managers and SMEs, understanding that distinction can help avoid paying for capacity that vehicles cannot use while also preventing avoidable restrictions elsewhere in the charging setup.

In an increasingly electrified fleet, the most effective charging strategy may not be the one with the biggest number on the charger. It is the one in which every part of the charging chain is matched to the way the vehicles are actually used. For businesses reviewing their charging setup, that also means selecting a type 2 charging cable that matches the current requirements of the vehicles and charging infrastructure, rather than simply choosing the highest rated option available.