Plug and Charge is exactly what it sounds like: you arrive at a compatible charger, plug in your car, and charging starts automatically. No app to open, no RFID card to tap, no contactless payment to fumble with while standing in the rain. The charger recognises your car, authenticates your account, starts the session, and bills you afterwards.
It’s genuinely brilliant when it works. The question is: does it actually work in the UK, and can you rely on it?
How Plug and Charge Actually Works
The technical name is ISO 15118, which is the communication standard that lets your car and the charger have a proper conversation through the charging cable itself. When you plug in, your car essentially says “Hi, I’m Dan’s Hyundai Ioniq 5, here are my encrypted credentials”, and the charger checks with the network’s system, verifies everything, and starts the session.
This is different from the RFID cards or apps you’re probably used to. Those systems rely on you initiating the session manually. With Plug and Charge, the car handles everything. It’s the difference between showing your ID at the door versus the doorman already knowing who you are.
Which UK Charging Networks Support It?
Here’s where we need to be honest: Plug and Charge has been “coming soon” to the UK for years. The actual rollout has been slower than most of us hoped.
Ionity was the first UK network to properly support Plug and Charge, and it’s been relatively reliable since late 2022. If you’ve got a compatible car, it generally works at their motorway sites.
Tesla Superchargers support it, but only for Tesla vehicles. That’s always been Tesla’s approach, proprietary but polished. If you drive a Model 3 or Model Y, you’ve probably been using this feature without even thinking about it.
bp pulse announced Plug and Charge support in 2023, starting with their newer 150kW and 300kW chargers. Rollout is ongoing, and not every bp pulse charger supports it yet.
Shell Recharge has begun testing Plug and Charge at selected high-power sites, though it’s not widely available as of early 2025.
Notably absent from this list: most other UK networks. Pod Point, Gridserve, Osprey, and InstaVolt have all talked about adding Plug and Charge, but haven’t actually deployed it at scale. You’ll still need apps or RFID cards at those networks.
Which Electric Vehicles Support Plug and Charge?
Your car needs to support ISO 15118 for any of this to work. Here’s the current state of play for popular models in the UK:
Definitely supported: Tesla Model 3 and Model Y (at Tesla Superchargers), Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, Kia EV6 and EV9, Genesis GV60 and Electrified GV70, Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, Ford Mustang Mach-E (2023 onwards), Ford F-150 Lightning.
Partial or network-specific support: BMW iX and i4 (some networks only), Mercedes EQS and EQE (being rolled out via software updates), Polestar 2 (newer models), Genesis Electrified G80.
Not currently supported: Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4, and ID.5 (despite being promised), MG 4 and MG 5, Nissan Ariya, Renault Megane E-Tech, most Stellantis EVs (Peugeot, Vauxhall, Citroën), older Tesla Model S and Model X.
The Hyundai Motor Group (Hyundai, Kia, Genesis) has been the most reliable here. If you’ve got an Ioniq 5 or EV6, Plug and Charge genuinely works at Ionity sites. I’ve heard from multiple drivers who’ve never needed to open the Ionity app.
Should You Actually Rely on It?
Right, here’s my honest take: Plug and Charge is lovely when it works, but you absolutely cannot rely on it as your only payment method in the UK yet.
Even on supported networks with supported cars, I’ve heard enough stories of authentication failures, especially at busy times, to know you need a backup. The Ionity app still needs to be on your phone. The bp pulse app should still be installed. You still need to know your backup options.
There’s also a slightly annoying setup process. You need to create an account with each network that supports Plug and Charge, then link your car to that account (usually through the car’s infotainment system or companion app). It’s not difficult, but it’s not quite the seamless experience you might imagine.
The Practical Takeaway
If you’re buying an EV in 2025, Plug and Charge support is a nice-to-have feature, particularly if you drive on motorways frequently and use Ionity chargers. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and newer Ford models offer the most reliable UK experience.
But don’t make it a deciding factor in your purchase. The UK charging infrastructure simply isn’t there yet. Keep Zapmap on your phone, keep a couple of RFID cards in the glovebox, and treat Plug and Charge as a convenient bonus rather than something you depend on. Maybe in another couple of years we’ll be in a different place, but for now, it’s still more promise than reality.