ABC of charging stations
The number of electric cars is growing rapidly, driving the development of charging infrastructure. This creates opportunities to charge an electric car in many different places. This makes charging more comfortable and longer distances less daunting than before.
A solution to make your electric car easier to use and save you time is a home charging station. It allows you to charge your electric car when you are not using it, for example at night. So you can start each morning with a full battery.
Why do I need a charging station?
The purpose of the charging station is to ensure the safe charging of the electric car battery. With the charging station, there are no additional connections between the charger and the consumer network. This reduces the risk of electrical discharges, as the energy transfer is managed in real time and charging is stopped in case of any discrepancies. This avoids a potential disaster on the power grid.
It is also convenient for charging. It charges the battery in 6 – 12 hours, whereas charging from a standard 230 V socket with a portable charger would take 10 – 30 hours.
It also allows you to monitor and control the charging process via a mobile app, lock the station from unauthorised access and more.
Which charging station should I choose?
The main criterion is the power (kW) of the station, which is selected according to the power of the electricity supply of the residence and the internal charger of the electric car. Karolis Kieras, CEO of Įkrautas, points out that every electric car is capable of absorbing a certain amount of power, regardless of how much the charging station can deliver. It is therefore worth considering a more powerful charging station, so that in the future, when an electric car changes and can take more power, the charging unit does not have to be replaced. The most popular choice is a 22 kW charging station.
What is the cost of a charging station?
You can buy a quality charging station for your home for around €900. It will ensure safe charging of your battery from a single-phase or three-phase grid. If the building has a three-phase electricity supply, it is recommended to choose a three-phase one, and a single-phase one if the electricity supply is single-phase. K. Kieras suggests choosing the most powerful charging station. The cost varies slightly, but in the future, if the power input is increased or the electric vehicle is replaced by a more powerful inverter, the charging station will not have to be changed. You will only need to increase its power through a mobile app.
Charging stations and their cable types
EV charging stations can be divided into two groups: AC and DC. They differ in power and charging time. AC chargers are designed for slow charging – between 2 and 18 hours – when you don’t need to rush around (e.g. at home, at the workplace, in a hotel). DC chargers recharge the battery much faster, with a charge time of around 20 minutes.
Public charging stations offer a variety of chargers. K. Kieras explains that the main differences are the type of connector and the number of phases. For example, a Type 1 connector carries a single phase, while a Type 2 connector can carry current through 3 phases. The Type 1 connector is mainly found in older generation EVs and is popular in the American market. The Type 2 connector is more common in Europe and is used in newer models of electric vehicles. Chinese EV manufacturers are already deploying this connector. Combo-2 (CCS2) and CHAdeMO connectors are classified as fast charging – DC stations.
How long does it take to charge an electric car and how much does it cost?
The main components that determine the charging time are the capacity of the EV battery, the power of the internal and external chargers, and the power of the electrical input. Modern EV batteries can be recharged on average in 3-5 hours with an AC (slow charging) station. The difference in time is determined by the type of charging chosen: AC – slow (up to ~3 kW), AC – medium (7-22 kW) and DC – fast (50-350 kW).
You can calculate the cost of charging by multiplying the battery capacity of an electric car by the price you pay to your energy supplier per kWh. Charging your EV at night will result in a lower cost of electricity (if you have a dual tariff meter), so you’ll not only have a full battery, but also a fuller wallet in the morning.
How do I maintain my electric car battery to make it last longer?
The main recommendation is to choose an AC charging station with a medium charging speed for daily charging. Although it takes longer to charge an electric car at an AC charging station than at a DC fast charging station, it is the most battery-friendly charging method. It’s also convenient – it’s easy to set up at home.
To make the battery last longer, it is important to maintain it properly. One way to do this is the 20-80% rule. This means starting charging when the battery is 20% depleted and stopping charging when it reaches 80%. Frequent, minimal recharging is also beneficial.
It is also important to note that each manufacturer programs the optimum ratio of maximum charging power, speed and battery longevity for a specific EV model at the time of production. Therefore, the car owner can only partially extend or shorten the life of the battery.
