EV charging options at Gatwick
Two products charge your car while you are away: APH Park & Ride with EV Charging and the official Valet's charging add-on. Short Stay has public chargers, and Long Stay and Mid Stay have none.
| Option | What you get | What to bring |
|---|---|---|
| APH Park & Ride with EV Charging | Charged to full during your stay | Your own cable, a physical key, at least 5% battery |
| Official Valet with EV charging | Two hours on a Type 2 22kW charger, up to 44kWh | At least 20% battery, pre-booked |
| Short Stay chargers | Eight 22kW chargers, four at each terminal | Your own session, suited to short visits |
| AVPS Park & Ride | Charging offered, per the operator | Check with your booking |
Long Stay and Mid Stay are popular with long-trip drivers, but they have no chargers. An electric car parked there comes back with the charge you left it with.
APH Park & Ride with EV Charging
APH charges your car to full capacity while you are away, from its Copthorne Road site off M23 Junction 10. The shuttle and security match its standard park and ride.
APH charges the car to full during your stay.
Phone keys cannot be used for charging.
Arrive with at least 5% battery.
Bring a cable that fits your car.
Staff hold your keys, as with APH's standard park and ride. On our sample dates the charging product costs about £32 more than the standard version over eight days. The APH Gatwick Parking guide sets out all three APH prices.
Official Valet with charging
Gatwick's Valet sells a two-hour charge on a Type 2 22kW charger, delivering up to 44kWh. You must pre-book it with your parking and arrive with at least 20% battery.
Two hours on that charger gives a solid top-up, though a large battery may not fill completely. For most drivers heading home from Gatwick, 44kWh is plenty. The car stays in Gatwick's secure facility on the airport, and you hand over at Short Stay Level 2.
Valet costs more than APH's charging product on our sample dates, but you walk two minutes to the terminal instead of riding a shuttle. See the Official Valet guide.
Short Stay chargers
Short Stay has eight 22kW chargers, four at each terminal. Gatwick suggests them for drop-offs and collections.
Plug in while you wait for an arriving flight, or top up before a short business trip. For a week away, a Short Stay charger would tie up a bay for days at Short Stay prices. The products above suit longer trips better.
The Electric Forecourt nearby
Gatwick points EV drivers to the GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt on the Ring Road South approach to the airport. It is a charging hub, not a car park.
Use it to top up on the way in or out. Gatwick lists the forecourt building as open 4.30am to 10pm, with the chargers available around the clock. You cannot leave the car there for your trip.
Planning a trip with an electric car
Arrive with enough charge to reach your car park, and plan the drive home on what the car will have left.
- Check your range. Allow for the drive in, queues on the M23 and the drive home.
- Pick your product. APH for a full charge, Valet for a two-hour top-up, Long Stay if you do not need one.
- Pack the kit. Your cable for APH, and a physical key for either.
- Note the limits. APH needs 5% battery on arrival, Valet 20%.
Winter cuts range, so leave extra margin between November and March. A car parked for two weeks also loses a little charge standing still.
Car parks with no chargers
Long Stay, Mid Stay and Premium Mid Stay have no charging points, according to Gatwick. Park an electric car there and it comes back with the charge you left it with.
That matters most on a long trip. A car left for two weeks loses a little charge standing still, and a cold snap cuts range further. Arrive with enough battery for the drive home plus a margin, or book a product that charges the car for you.
Short Stay's chargers sit closest to the terminals, but Short Stay is priced for short visits. Over a week it costs far more than APH's charging product, so it rarely makes sense as a long-stay charging plan.
What charging adds to the price
On our sample dates, APH's charging product costs £12.20 a day with our code, against £8.13 for its standard park and ride. That difference buys a full battery when you land.
| Product | Per day with our code | Charge you get |
|---|---|---|
| APH Park & Ride | £8.13 | None |
| APH Park & Ride with EV Charging | £12.20 | Charged to full |
| Official Valet Parking | £10.50 | Charging add-on priced at booking |
Valet's charging add-on is priced separately when you book, so compare the total at checkout. For a short trip, a top-up at the Electric Forecourt on the way home may cost less than either product.
Keys and electric cars
Both charging products need staff to handle your car, so both need a key they can use. APH asks for a physical key, because phone keys cannot be used for charging.
Some newer electric cars use a phone app or a card as the key. Check that you have a physical key or card before you book APH's charging product. Cophall notes that it keeps the keys of electric cars like any other car, so the same question applies there. At the official Long Stay and APH Self Park you keep your own keys, but neither charges your car.
Choosing by trip length
The best charging choice depends on how long you are away. Match the product to the trip rather than to the charger.
| Your trip | Our suggestion | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A pick-up or drop-off | Short Stay chargers | Top up while you wait |
| A night or two | Official Valet with charging | Two-minute walk and a top-up |
| A week or more | APH Park & Ride with EV Charging | Full battery when you land |
| Plenty of range left | Official Long Stay | Cheapest official, keep your keys |
Range anxiety is worst on the drive home after a long flight. A full battery waiting for you removes it, which is the whole case for paying extra.
Electric cars and meet and greet
Meet and greet drivers take electric cars like any other, but none of the off-airport firms on our list advertise charging.
Tell the operator about any charging quirks or key cards at handover. Our Gatwick meet and greet page lists each firm's vehicle rules.
More questions about ev charging at Gatwick
Yes, with the right booking. APH Park & Ride with EV Charging charges your car to full, and the official Valet sells a two-hour charge.
No. Gatwick says Long Stay and Mid Stay have no charging points at the moment.
Eight 22kW chargers: four in North Terminal Short Stay and four in South Terminal Short Stay.
Yes. APH asks you to bring your own charging cable and a physical key.
Gatwick points to the GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt on the Ring Road South approach to the airport.
Yes, most operators accept them. Cophall notes it keeps the keys of electric cars too, like any other car.
Ready to book EV parking at Gatwick? Search your dates above and choose a charging product for your trip. Our code is already in the form, and cancellation cover runs up to 72 hours before arrival.