Want to buy a charging station or wallbox for your home? That is understandable! You don't want to charge an electric car only at your workplace or on the road, but also at home. A charging station at home not only brings convenience, but also cost savings, although this depends on the current electricity rates. Still, it will certainly be more favourable than charging at the roadside. Another advantage is that home charging stations are becoming increasingly popular, and if you have solar panels on your roof, it is even more attractive to charge your EV at home.
In this blog we will discuss what is involved in the installation of a charging station or wallbox and we will also briefly look at which providers there are for home charging stations.
Step 1: the charging station and the meter box
It is important to first determine whether the car can be charged with 1-phase current or only 3-phase current. Our advice would be to charge with 3-phase current anyway, because this is more powerful and the car can be charged faster with it. The first step is to check your meter to see whether you only have 1-phase current or also already have 3-phase current. If you only have 1-phase power, you must request an upgrade to 3-phase from your energy supplier. This is often easy to arrange online or call your energy supplier for advice. Bear in mind that there is sufficient space in your meter cupboard and that it can often take a while before the change is made. So start the preparatory work in good time!
In older houses, this often concerns a single-phase connection, while in newer houses it usually concerns three phase wires, plus a neutral. If you do not know which connection you have, look in your meter cupboard. If the electricity meter shows 220 V or 230 V, you have a single-phase connection. If it says 3 x 220/230 V or 280/400 V, you have a 3-phase connection.
Step 2: the location of the charge point
Do you have room to install the charge point on your own land? Ideal, then you don't need to worry.
Don't have a place on your own property and want to charge from the meter box to a public car park? Then please bear in mind a few things. The cable may not lie across the pavement! There are special tiles with a gutter for cables and in consultation with the municipality it is sometimes permitted to place such tiles so that you can still charge your car. However, you must request an exemption from the municipality: Exemption for the General Local Government Regulation.
If the exemption is arranged, you still have to comply with the following:
You have to install a charging point on your own property.
The public car park must be directly adjacent to the pavement.
The charging cable itself must be in good condition.
You cannot reserve the public car park for yourself. It therefore remains available as a public car park; and it may also be occupied by someone else.
When loading your car, you have to consider the neighbours and, of course, the pedestrians.
The cable should be laid along the pavement as much as possible and a maximum of 10 metres should be left over the pavement. You must count on this from the boundary of your own property to the car.
You must cover the cable properly with a cable mat so that other users of the pavement are not hindered by the cable and cannot trip over it.
After use, of course, tidy up the cable and the cable mat.
Unfortunately, it can happen that the municipality rejects your application and you are left empty-handed.
Whether you want to charge on your own property or in a public car park, it is always important that the cable from the meter box can reach the charging station properly. Can the cable be run outside through the crawl space, for example, or do you have other options? Also measure how long the cable needs to be from the meter box to the charge point, bearing in mind that it needs to rise about 1.5 metres from the ground.
Step 3: choose a charging station or wallbox
As you may have seen, there are many suppliers of charging stations and wall boxes. Which one fits the bill in terms of price, appearance and, of course, technical specs? The most important thing is to decide whether you want a single-phase or three-phase charging station. We recommend that you immediately choose a 3-phase current charging station, as this is the most future-oriented and allows you to charge your car faster. With 3-phase you have 3 x 230-volt sockets. Another important factor is the capacity of the charge post. If you have the choice, 22 kilowatts is a safe choice for the future.
The difference between a charging station and a wallbox is as follows: a charging station is a separate pole, a wallbox is a charging point on the wall of your house. Otherwise, there is no difference between the two chargers.
Other things to consider are whether you are the only one who will be using the charge point or whether several cars will need to be charged. Also look into the possibility of dynamic load balancing which ensures that there is a correct balance between the power consumption in the home and the power consumption for charging the car. This can prevent the fuses from tripping when you are charging your washing machine, microwave oven, dryer and car, for example. This is certainly the case if you are using single-phase current.
Step 4: Installation of the charging station
It is now time to install the charging station or wallbox. As mentioned earlier, you must install an extra group in the meter box and this is a job for which most people will hire an electrician. If you do the installation yourself, make sure you know what you are doing because you are working with high voltage. Safety first! There are various companies that supply and install the charging post/wallbox. This will cost you a few hundred euros, but you know that it will be done well, quickly and safely.
Costs of home charging station
If you want to install a charging station at home, you will find that there are many (online) providers. Roughly speaking, you can have a charging station at your home from about €550. This will still include the installation, although most sellers of charging stations also offer installation at an additional cost. That's convenient, of course, and saves you the hassle of research! We like convenience and will definitely recommend it. If we look at the charging stations and wallboxes offered by our friends from Laadpaal Outlet, for example, we see very nice charging stations from the brand Easee. These charging stations look smart and the brand is not the leader in smart charging stations for nothing. The smart technology behind the chargers enables the station to recognise the type of car it is connecting to and to adjust the required charging programme accordingly. This is ideal, of course, as it means you don't have to worry about the technical specifications and can just focus on the finer things in life.
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The electric car finally seems to be on the verge of a breakthrough, offering significant environmental benefits, especially in urban areas. Innovative business models are emerging that should boost consumer acceptance and overcome remaining obstacles, such as high battery costs, green electricity supply and charging infrastructure.
Several European countries, as well as the US, Japan, China and others, have recently announced plans for the introduction of electric vehicles. These plans include tax incentives, funding for research into batteries and electric vehicles and plans for the construction of charging infrastructure. Major cities such as London and Paris have announced electric car-sharing schemes, while government departments and companies with large fleets are purchasing electric vehicles.
Are electric cars better for the environment?
Research has shown that electric cars are better for the environment. They emit fewer greenhouse gases and air pollutants than petrol or diesel cars. And this takes into account their production and the electricity needed to keep them running.
If you are thinking of buying or leasing an electric car, check out some online leasing offers for the best cars and prices. You can choose a Tesla, but also an electric car from another well-known brand. Think for example of the Peugeot 208 private lease.
The great advantage of electric cars is the contribution they can make to improving air quality in towns and cities. Since they have no exhaust, pure electric cars do not produce any CO2 emissions when driven. This significantly reduces air pollution.
Electric cars have been inaccessible for a long time due to the high cost of acquisition. However, it is clear that the price is getting lower and that they are being purchased more and more often. If you then also opt for private leasing, the purchase price is no longer a problem at all.
How does electric car production affect the environment?
However, a lot of energy is used in making electric cars. Even if you include the manufacture of batteries, electric cars are still a greener option. This is because of the reduction in emissions that occurs during the life of the car.
Emissions from the production of an electric car are usually higher than those from an ordinary car. This is due to the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries, which are an essential part of an electric car. More than a third of the lifetime CO2 emissions of an electric car come from the energy used to make the car itself. As technology advances, this is changing for the better.
Reuse and recycling of batteries is also a growing market
Research into the use of used batteries is looking for ways to reuse batteries in new technologies such as electricity storage. One day, we could all have batteries in our homes used to store our own energy. Opportunities like this will reduce the lifetime environmental impact of battery manufacturing.
Integrated concepts for transport and energy
To be a success, the electric car must be marketed as part of a total transport and energy concept and not as a stand-alone technology. For millions of vehicles to be connected to power grids without harming the environment, there needs to be an integrated approach to electricity supply and demand to ensure the use of green electricity sources. All in all, things are moving in the right direction!
In the first phase, which was characterised by a relatively low percentage of electric cars, charging mainly took place at home or in other private places such as office buildings. Charging services were mainly paid per minute or per hour and a large number of charging stations could be used free of charge, as low charging volumes meant relatively low costs for the operator of the charging station. Generally, the infrastructure of the charging station was "simple", i.e. not connected to any cloud-based service.
In the second phase, the supply was increased (since)
During the second phase, electric car sales began to increase rapidly. Mode 3 enabled the use of smart charging infrastructure and the focus shifted to public charging stations. Currently, most regions in Europe and the US are in this phase. Smart charging allows digital services to be equipped with more complex payment options and features for balancing charging volumes and flexible access management. Charging station operators have emerged to offer these features and have great control over the ecosystem. Consider Shell.
The 3rd development phase of the charging station market
In the third, long-term phase, electric vehicles play a key role in the power system. To protect the power system from the new demand for electricity due to the high penetration rate of electric cars, operators must respond to the needs of transmission system operators and distribution system operators. And thus provide ancillary and balancing services. This new demand would create great opportunities for operators who can now start acquiring the necessary electric vehicles and charging stations to offer these valuable V2G services.
Taking the above phases into account, Charge Passes are becoming increasingly relevant
As described above, it is probably only a matter of time before the majority of cars are electric. And if your company fleet already has a considerable number of electric cars, it is of course important to be able to keep track of expenses and declarations. The company Travelcard makes this possible. With the Travelcard charge card you can charge at a network of more than 250,000 charging points. A charging card makes driving an electric car easy and economical. For example, you can choose to use the charging card to pay for tolls and vignettes.
The range of an electric car remains a tricky issue. Many people still think that an electric car cannot go further than 100 km and that recharging takes a long time. But is this still a valid thought?
The answer is simple; no, the range of electric cars has greatly improved and this is not only true for Tesla's and Porsches. Cheaper models from Volkswagen, Skoda, Hyundai, Renault and Nissan also show increasingly better range radii. With this development, consumers are also increasingly triggered to switch to an all-electric car instead of a fuel-powered one. Meanwhile, more than 135,000 electric cars will be on the road by 2020. This is an increase of over 4% compared to 2019. This increase will increase as more affordable electric cars are added, making them affordable for people with a budget of up to €30,000.00. Renault and Skoda are even bringing models of around EUR 20,000.00 this year. These are the Twingo and the Citigo. As can be clearly seen in the image below, many Volkswagens ID 3s were sold in October. And the increase is significant, especially of fully electric cars. Sales of plug-in hybrids rose less sharply.
Although the average Dutchman does not completely empty his battery in one day, it is good to know that there are now more than 1500 fast charging stations. If the car is suitable for this so-called fast charging technique, it will be three quarters charged within half an hour.
The overview above was published in 2020. As more electric cars are sold, the number of charging stations will increase.
Charges for fast charging of electric car
Of course, the cost of driving a car plays an important role when choosing a car. It is easy to calculate the fuel costs of a diesel or petrol car, but it is more complicated when it comes to an electric car. The cost of recharging an electric car depends on the place, at home at the office or at the fast charger, and on the type of car.
In the case of electric cars, one pays not only for the electricity, but also for the constructed infrastructure. If we assume the cost per 100 km for convenience, in the case of a fast charger you end up with about 12. This is in most cases more expensive than costs for an average petrol car, and let's not even mention diesel cars at all. Fortunately, charging at home is a lot cheaper. Typically, you can drive 100 kilometres at home for half, €6.-. Then, of course, it becomes a lot more interesting and besides, you don't pay road tax.
Range of electric cars by make and model
There are now more than 60 models available. This number will increase significantly in the coming years. The sales figures will increase particularly as more affordable models are added. Below, we have listed the current range. The range of course depends on your style of driving, the temperature and the landscape. Therefore we have mentioned the average distances: Click on the link to go to the relevant model.
Range and features Audi E-tron
The Audi E-Tron is the German brand's first all-electric car. Fortunately for Audi, they were able to copy a lot from sister group VW. The model line does not deviate from other Audi's and I personally find the rear end very successful. This SUV falls in the higher segment and, as befits Audi, is not cheap. For over 84,000, you can become its owner. Although the top speed of 200 km/h is fine, the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds can be called impressive. Of course, the range depends on your driving style and weather conditions, but 350 kilometres is easily achievable with a fully charged battery. This E-tron has a large battery pack, which means that recharging at home does take some time. Usually more than 12 hours.
Range and features BMW i3
BMW got there early in 2013 with their BMW i3. In its early days, this all-electric car was fitted with a small 60 Ah battery, with which it could only cover just over 150 km. BMW has since increased these batteries to a maximum of 120 Ah. The range also increased to (depending on weather and driving style) 300 kilometres. This BMW i3 is a cross between a compact MPV and hatchback. The performance is reasonable, at 160 km/h it does stop and the acceleration from 0-100 km/h is reasonable with an average of 7.5 seconds. Of course BMW doesn't sell this car for under 40,000 euros.
Range and features BMW iX3
BMW also now builds its compact SUV X3 with electric drive - not at its parent plant in Munich or the X3 plant in the US, but in Shenyang, China.
BMW initially only wanted to market the electric version of its compact SUV X3 in China. But because the larger iX5 won't be coming to Europe until late 2021, and to shorten the wait, BMW is now bringing the iX3 to Europe in January 2021.
Few external differences with the fossil-fuelled X3s
The iX3 is based on the normal BMW X3 with diesel, petrol or hybrid drive and looks very similar from the outside too. Only details such as a largely closed radiator grille and blue body panels hint at the electric drive. The interior and the load volume are also unaffected by the battery pack in the vehicle floor.
As with the combustion engines, the boot of the ix3 measures between 510 and 1,560 litres. As typical for BMW, the interior is characterised by high-quality materials. But besides fine aluminium and stylish leather, BMW also uses hard plastic in some places in the iX3, which clearly feels like it's "made in China" with a wink.
The power of the BMW iX3
The electric drive produces no less than 286 hp and 400 Newton metres at the rear axle. That's enough for a sprint to 100 km/h in less than seven seconds. The iX3 can't keep up with competitors like the Mercedes EQC and Audi e-tron in this discipline, especially since it doesn't have the four-wheel drive of the competition. A missed opportunity, or should its big brother, the iX5 soon put things right?
The ix3 accelerates smoothly and quickly to a speed of 180 km/h and this is its top speed.
The range of the BMW iX3 is fine
BMW promises a range of 460 kilometres for the ix3. In practice, with a combination of country roads and motorways, the iX3 shows an average consumption of over 20 kWh per 100 kilometres. In practice, the iX3 should be able to cover a good 300 kilometres with its 80 kWh battery, of which 74 kWh can be used.
Powering up the BMW iX3
The ix3 charges with up to 150 kW at a suitable fast-charging station. It takes 30 minutes to recharge an empty battery to 80 per cent. When charging at home, it takes seven and a half hours to fully charge.
Range and features Citroen C Zero
The Citroën C-Zero is a small electric car that offers a surprising amount of space for its small size. Its high and narrow body makes it susceptible to crosswinds and not extremely comfortable, but it is very practical.
The small electric Citroën C-Zero shares technology with the Peugeot iOn and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Handling tends to understeer despite rear-wheel drive. In bends taken too quickly, the ESP intervenes quickly and bumps are not absorbed great. The interior feels a bit plastic and the equipment can be described as sparse.
The power and price of the Citroën C Zero
This small electric car has a 49 kW engine. Of course, this is not an excessive amount and the top speed is around 130 km/h. The acceleration from 0 - 100 km/h is almost 16 seconds. From this, you can conclude that smoothly keeping up with the traffic is challenging. The price of this outspoken creation is around 22,000 euros. This is also the strongest point of this French car.
The range and charging of the Citroën C zero
The fact that this car is not meant for long motorway trips is also evident from its range, which in practice is around 100 kilometres. This limited distance is thanks to the small battery of only 16 kWh. An advantage of this small battery is of course the fact that it is quickly recharged. With a fast charger, it takes less than 20 minutes to get 80% and normal charging to 100% takes less than 4.5 hours.
Range and features Citroen e-C4
This Citroen e-C4 was launched in 2020 and it is not a standard hatchback. No, it is to speak in Citroen's own words, a Crossover. This means that the car has a "somewhat" higher entry level. This Citroen will compete in the C-segment and the design with the sloping roofline reminds a bit of the GS of old. With the pronounced bodywork, the French brand puts a car in the market for those who love headstrong lines. The chassis is not very innovative, because it is also used in the Peugeot 2008the Citroen C3 and the Opel Mokka. This chassis is fine for daily use, but it is certainly not built for the race track. The interior is quite sleek for a Citroen and equipped with all conveniences such as a 10-inch touchscreen. According to the factory specification, the range is 350 kilometres. This is very optimistic with a 50 kWh battery, also because this is a higher bodied car. Therefore, in practice this Citroen should be able to cover more than 250 kilometres. The battery then charges fully in just under 14 hours. With fast charging, the battery can be recharged in 30 minutes. The top speed is 150 km/h, the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is not officially specified, but this speed should be around 10 seconds. Finally, this Citroen e-C4 costs around €40,000.
Range and features DS3 Crossback
If you are looking for a smaller SUV-shaped car, the 'premium' brands have a lot to choose from. The Audi Q2, Mini Countryman, VW T-Cross... the list goes on and on. However, if you want one that is not powered by a petrol or diesel engine, but solely on electricity, the list is a lot shorter. Fortunately, DS (the premium Citroën) has the all-electric DS 3 Crossback E-Tense. The E-Tense has a 50 kWh battery. The range in practice is said to be more than 300 kilometres should be. Power is 134 hp and propels the DS3 to 0-100 km/h in 9 seconds. Top speed is not overbearing at 150 km/h, but it is sufficient in the Netherlands. The battery can be recharged from zero to 80 per cent in 30 minutes, of course we are talking about a fast charger.
Range and features Honda e
At 3,895 lengths, 1,750 widths and 1,512 heights, the Honda e is approximately the size of a Ford Ka + or Toyota Yaris.
The Honda e's interior is sleek and futuristic. The dashboard consists of three screens connected into one and extending across the entire width. To the left and right of these are two more 6-inch monitors that show the real-time image sent by the rear-view mirrors.
Interior space Honda e
There is not much room, and the materials in the interior are conservative and ecological. The seats are covered in grey fabric and are more comfortable than they look. The parts of the dashboard that don't disappear behind the monitors look like the foils cut on wood on very old cassette recorders - and that's how they feel.
A mix of grey fabric and hard plastic is used as upholstery on the doors. "Lounge atmosphere" is how Honda's marketing department calls it with its creative exuberance. After all: in the front there is enough room for two passengers, in the back it only gets really tight when the front seats are pushed all the way back - there is not much room left for the rear passengers.
The cargo space provides only 171 litres - even a Smart has more. Those who fold down the - continuous - rear seat of the Honda e, can officially take up to 861 litres of luggage.
Power and performance Honda e
Honda offers the electric motor in two power levels: In the Advance, it boils down to 154 hp / 113 kW and 315 Nm of torque, which is readily available, as usual in electric cars. With that, the Advance makes it from standstill to 100 km/h in about eight seconds,
The regular Honda e has the same torque and 136 hp / 100 kW and it needs 9.5 seconds for the 0 to 100 km/h sprint. Both versions have a maximum speed of 145 km/h. That's not exactly great - but the Honda e is not really meant for long motorway journeys anyway, and in the Netherlands these days you can get along with traffic just fine.
The range and (fast) charging of the Honda e
The Honda e is particularly designed for city and surrounding areas. The range is tailored to this; the official range is good for 210 to 220 kilometres, in practice it will be just over 160 kilometres. The built-in lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 35.5 kWh and is recharged 80% within 30 minutes with a quick charger. Full charging takes 4 hours with the so-called "Honda Power Charger", with a conventional one it can take over 15 hours. Finally, the Honda e is available from just under 35,000 euros.
It is important to first determine whether the car can be charged with 1-phase current or only 3-phase current. Our advice would be to charge with 3-phase current anyway, because this is more powerful and the car can be charged faster with it. The first step is to check your meter to see whether you only have 1-phase current or also already have 3-phase current. If you only have 1-phase power, you must request an upgrade to 3-phase from your energy supplier. This is often easy to arrange online or call your energy supplier for advice. Bear in mind that there is sufficient space in your meter cupboard and that it can often take a while before the change is made. So start the preparatory work in good time!
As you may have seen, there are many suppliers of charging stations and wall boxes. Which one fits the bill in terms of price, appearance and, of course, technical specs? The most important thing is to decide whether you want a single-phase or three-phase charging station. We recommend that you immediately choose a 3-phase current charging station, as this is the most future-oriented and allows you to charge your car faster. With 3-phase you have 3 x 230-volt sockets. Another important factor is the capacity of the charge post. If you have the choice, 22 kilowatts is a safe choice for the future.
If you are thinking of buying or leasing an electric car, check out some online leasing offers for the best cars and prices. You can choose a Tesla, but also an electric car from another well-known brand. Think for example of the 
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