Are ALDI car chargers free?

OK so ALDI EV charging is free at a small number of locations via single-phase 7kW charge points but the pool of stores offering free charging is reducing rapidly.

The chargers are for ALDI customers only, so you shouldn’t pitch up and sit in your car to charge without heading inside to buy something. Some ALDI car parks are managed by third parties and have cameras, so follow the rules to avoid fines.

Your next question is going to be which locations have ALDI free EV charging, and my answer is, there is no list we can share. It’s pot luck!

Wish they’d label which stores have free charging on the website. Drove to three different locations before finding one. – David, Hyundai Kona Electric

While some ALDI car chargers are free, others have payable rates of 20-60 pence per kWh in 2026, so it really does pay to do your research.

You can use the ALDI store locator to find ALDI stores near you with EV charge points. Just enter your postcode, apply the EV charge point filter, and hit go.

For example, a search in the WF9 postcode (that’s Wakefield FYI) returns 13 locations with car chargers within a 15-mile drive. Unfortunately, it doesn’t elaborate on charging fees, so you need to dig a little further to see if they are free.

Here’s how:

• Option one, contact the store and speak to the manager to find out the current charging rates and any limitations in place, such as a time limit.
• Option two, head over to Zap Map and do the following search: filter ‘Free to use’ under Payment, and ‘Supermarket’ under Location types. Alternatively, skip the ‘Free to use’ filter to see all supermarket locations.

Store manager was really helpful when I rang to check the charging setup. Saved me a wasted journey. – James, BMW i3

ALDI EV charging

The ALDI store locator is the best way to find ALDI EV charging near you. The table below shows its results for Leeds, London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

What chargers do ALDI use?

There are three main chargers at ALDI: Community by Shell Recharge, Pod Point, and Newmotion (blank chargers).

Most ALDI chargers use the Shell App and are branded as Community by Shell Recharge. Shell Recharge runs most locations and charges between 20p and 40p per kWh. A small number of stores have Pod Point chargers, with rates from 30p to 60p per kWh.

Some ALDI chargers are made by Newmotion with blank branding. These are often free to use with a plug-and-play, cardless design. No app, no registration. You just plug in and charge.

These are all AC chargers, usually with a maximum 22kW charge rate. That gives you roughly 60 to 80 miles of range per hour depending on your car and how much charge it already has.

Frustrated that there’s no consistency between stores. Each one seems to have different rules and networks. – Paul, Skoda Enyaq

Ultra-rapid charging arrives at ALDI

Not all ALDI charging is slow AC any more. In January 2026, Zest opened an ultra-rapid EV charging facility at a new ALDI store in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. The site features four charging bays, each capable of delivering 160kW of power, a significant step up from the standard 7kW or 22kW AC chargers found at most stores.

The chargers are located on the A46 at Gallamore Lane, the main road connecting Lincoln and Grimsby, and serve both the ALDI and an adjacent Starbucks drive-thru. The area had very few comparable rapid chargers within a 20-mile radius before the installation, so it fills a genuine gap in coverage.

Whether ALDI rolls out ultra-rapid charging more widely remains to be seen, but it signals a shift in what supermarket EV charging could look like going forward.

ALDI’s solar investment

ALDI is also investing in on-site energy generation. The supermarket has already installed solar panels at over 470 UK stores and plans to add panels to a further 62 stores in 2026 as part of an £8.4 million programme covering 100 stores across 2025 and 2026.

Each installation can provide up to 30% of a store’s annual energy requirements. Upcoming locations include Stratford-upon-Avon, Maghull, Northampton, and Wrexham. ALDI has also committed over £300 million to upgrading and extending its UK stores in 2026.

For EV drivers, the solar expansion is worth watching. More on-site generation could eventually support more charging infrastructure, particularly as energy costs remain a factor in whether stores offer free or subsidised charging.

Setting up payment for ALDI EV charging

Most ALDI charging points need you to register with Shell Recharge or Pod Point before you can charge. Download the app for whichever network operates at your chosen store, create an account, and add your payment card.

When you arrive at the charger, scan the QR code or tap your phone to start charging. The app tracks how much energy you use and bills your card automatically when you finish.

Some older charging points accept RFID cards instead of apps. You can order these through the network website. Keep one in your glovebox as backup because phone batteries die and apps crash.

Registration takes about five minutes and you only do it once. After that, charging at any location on the same network works straight away.

Pro tip: Use our EV charging cost calculator to determine how much all your charging sessions will cost.

Rules you must follow when charging at ALDI

ALDI restricts charging sessions to one to two hours maximum at most stores to ensure availability for other customers.

Someone left their car plugged in for four hours yesterday. Completely defeats the purpose of these bays. – Tom, Volkswagen ID.3

Time restrictions apply at some locations, typically 8am to 4pm on weekdays. Parking outside these hours may result in a fine.

You must be an ALDI customer. Charging bays are for shoppers only. Staff cross-reference vehicle registrations with purchase receipts and issue £70 fines (reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days) to non-customers.

Don’t overstay once charging completes. Move your vehicle promptly to free the space for others. Set a phone reminder or enable app notifications to track your charging progress.