There is probably no worse feeling than the moment when, after parking your car in the garage, you realise that you have forgotten to fill up. Owners of electric cars don't have to worry about that at all! A home charger for an electric car is undoubtedly an incredible convenience for electric car users. How much does such a charging station cost and how do you build one?
Home charger for an electric car - how much does it cost?
The cost of charging an electric car at home is considered by many to be the cheapest 'refuelling' option. The price of charging the batteries to full is completely dependent on the tariff of the energy provider. You can forget about being charged extra for amperage or power consumption! In addition, in some cases, owners of electrics do not even need to install a special device - it is enough to buy a suitable cable. Only one in five Poles knows that electric cars can be charged directly from a standard socket. For this solution, all you need is a portable EVSE charger, costing just 600-700 PLN! What is more, more and more manufacturers are adding it for free in the purchase offer of a new car.
The cable is usually terminated with a Type 1 connector (used in the Nissan Leaf I and Toyota Prius, among others) or Type 2 (present in the Volvo V60 or Volkswagen ID3, among others) to the car on one side and a regular plug on the other. Unfortunately, this is by far the slowest way to recharge the batteries at home. The maximum power the EVSE can draw is 2.3 kW. It can take up to two days to fill a vehicle's battery with a larger capacity. You also need to bear in mind that not every electrical system will be able to cope with a constant load of this power (this happens especially in older buildings). What to do in this case? The best thing to do is to invest in electric car charging stations.
Wall-mounted home chargers for electric cars
The most popular type of vehicle charging station is wall-mounted installations, with the popular Wallboxes. The devices are distinguished from other types of chargers by their small size and correspondingly low price. As a result of the ever-increasing popularity of electric cars, the equipment is also worth noting by its specifications. Most Wallboxes are fully intuitive, thanks to features such as a display indicating the battery charge status. In addition, many have a built-in internet modem, allowing remote control of the power supply or current regulation during charging.
What's more, wall-mounted charging stations for electric cars are generally quite fast. Compared to the EVSE cable, this type of charger is a real powerhouse! Some of the stations reach an output of 25 kW (depending on the type of vehicle)! The Wallbox is a car charger that provides users with a sense of security - guaranteed by a number of strict standards that must be met before the equipment is released on the market. Each device must also be durable and weatherproof.
Free-standing home chargers for electric cars
Freestanding chargers are another type of electric vehicle charging station. At the outset, we must admit that the devices are relatively scarce at the moment. It is definitely easier to find wallboxes that suit your preferences. However, if you are not in a position to install a wall-mounted station, search the Internet thoroughly before choosing a freestanding one, hunting for a unique opportunity.
Electric car charging stations of this type are much more expensive than their wall-mounted counterparts. This is usually due to the better power capacity and the ability to use two cables at once. You will most often come across a free-standing charger as a product designed for commercial use. This means that it will usually have a built-in cash register and payment card reader. Among other things, the price of free-standing stations can be up to 10 times higher than wall-mounted chargers!
Is it cost-effective to create a home charger for electric cars?
Yes, a home charger really is worthwhile. Above all, the devices offset to some extent the biggest drawback of electrics - their limited driving range on a single charge. By charging your car in your own garage, you don't have to worry about searching for the location of the nearest available electric car charger. In addition, the price of electricity delivered to residential homes is significantly lower than the fees charged by charging station distributors.
Savings from having a home charger for an electric car
Charging an electric car with a home station is all about comfort. Knowing that your battery will be full the next day is a huge plus with electrics of any make. It also means a certain independence from the still rather modest network of charging stations in our country. If tests conducted on the Internet are to be believed, home charging can be up to twice as cheap as using distributors!
