Zapmap published an updated version of its quick tips guide for new electric car owners on 11 June 2026, carrying advice drawn from its own users rather than from charge point operators1. The guide is dated "By Zapmap Updated 11/06/2026"1.
The nine tips cover practising a first charge near home, understanding the difference between AC and DC charging, tyre pressures, planning stops at multi-charger hubs, payment methods, paying through the Zapmap app, pre-authorisation fees, parking restrictions and miles per kWh1. On payment, the guide states that "all charging networks are required to provide pay-as-you-go access"2, and that after the 2023 Charge Point Regulations pass through Parliament, "all existing 50kW+ chargers will also be required to accept contactless payment" and "all new chargers above 8kW will be required to take contactless"2. It adds that many slow and fast chargers currently have no contactless capability and are unlikely to be upgraded for some time1.
On pre-authorisation, the guide says that when paying with Zapmap "you'll see a pre-authorisation fee of either £30 for registered users, and £60 for non-registered users", that the money is held rather than taken, and that it "will be released back to you within three to five days"2.
The guide gives figures for tyre condition and efficiency. It states that "The minimum legal limit is just 1.6mm" of tread depth, and that "The RAC recommends tyre replacement once the tyres get down to 3mm of tread depth"2. On consumption, one user is quoted as saying "It should be around 3.2 in winter and approaching 4 in summer" in miles per kWh2.
"Practice charging near home on networks you plan to use," says one long-time Zapmap user. "Don't wait until you are in the middle of nowhere with 5% battery to find out how to use a network."
The guide also points readers to an AC rate calculator published by charge point operator Osprey, which shows a car's maximum charging speed on different types of charge point1. It notes that Zapmap Premium users can "access live availability status on your car's infotainment display via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto"2, and that a Zapmap charging card can be ordered "by selecting 'Charging card' in the Payments settings of the Zapmap app"2. The page also carries a promotion for EVA England, described as "a non-profit member association representing current and prospective EV drivers across England", listing member benefits including "exclusive deals and discounts worth up to £500"2.
Why it matters for households
For a household running an electric car, the guide's figures bear on two costs that sit outside the electricity bill itself. The pre-authorisation hold of £30 or £60 ties up money on a card for three to five days after a public charging session, which matters where a household budget is tight between pay dates2. The tyre and efficiency figures bear on how far each unit of electricity takes the car: tread below 3mm and soft tyres increase consumption, and a miles per kWh figure falling from around 4 in summer towards 3.2 in winter means more electricity bought for the same journey2.
The payment points also touch on where charging happens. Public charging is subject to VAT at a different rate from charging at home, which affects the relative cost of charging on a driveway or on the street, as set out in our guide to why public EV charging VAT is higher than home charging. For households without off-street parking, the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for renters and flat owners is the relevant support route, and the wider picture sits in our EV charging hub. Home hardware that combines solar, battery and vehicle charging is covered in our page on Sigenergy EV charging.
What happens next
The guide states that the contactless requirements for existing 50kW+ chargers and for new chargers above 8kW take effect once the 2023 Charge Point Regulations pass through Parliament, and that this "will of course take time to come into effect"2. No date for that passage is given in the guide, and no timetable for upgrading slow and fast chargers has been reported1.