How to choose the best home charging solution?

2023-07-17 19:15:00

More and more of us are choosing electric vehicles. The question then arises of recharging it. Most of us opt for home charging. But how do you find your way through the jungle of proposed solutions? Futura and the EDF Pulse & You co-ideation platform focus on the subject.

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On the French automobile market, the share of electric vehicles is increasingly important. From 7% in 2020, it reached 15% over the first five months of this year 2023. At the same time, the number of charging points open to the public is exploding. In May 2023, France crossed the symbolic threshold of 100,000 charging stations. That is an increase of nearly 62% in one year.

What would the ideal charging solution for your electric vehicle be for you?

But in fact, the overwhelming majority of electric car owners charge at home. It is this observation that encouraged the EDF Pulse & You co-ideation platform to look into the matter. What would be the ideal home charging solution for your electric vehicle? How to have it installed, at what cost or with what features? More than 500 experiences have already been shared. Among which, a number of questions. So for those who are wondering regarding the possibilities of charging their future electric car at home, here are some answers.

Did you know ?

Since 2016, the EDF Pulse & You co-ideation platform has set itself the goal of building the world of tomorrow around the experiences and reflections of the Pulseurs. Already more than 14,000 EDF project managers, start-ups and individuals have registered. They speak regularly on different topics.

You can very simply join them to enrich their exchanges. It suffices for this to create an account, post your ideas and vote for the best contributions. As a result, there are always campaign-themed rewards for the most creative Pulsers.

First, know that it is, on paper, quite possible to recharge an electric vehicle at home by plugging it into a simple household outlet. Most manufacturers, moreover, provide a cable that allows you to do this. However, this raises some security issues. Even if it seems that the majority of homes have sufficiently powerful electrical installations, it is better to check – or have it checked by a professional – beforehand to avoid any damage. Another disadvantage – certain, this time – the recharging time which can become endless. Between 10 and 20 hours for cars equipped with batteries of less than 50 kWh and an 80% charge. Well over 30 hours for cars with batteries of 70 kWh or more. However, if you are a short driver and only drive a few kilometers each day, charging your electric car from a household outlet may well be sufficient.

Solutions adapted to home charging of an electric car

The other solution is to reinforce a household socket which can then make it possible to recharge an electric car a little more quickly. Overnight, for example, for cars equipped with batteries of less than 50 kWh. Between 20 and 30 hours for batteries of 70 kWh or more. This requires a licensed electrician, but the time savings may be worth the cost.

Become an actor of change, join the community of Pulseurs!

The best solution is still the installation of a charging station at home. A Wallbox, as the experts say. Even the less powerful can halve the charging time. The most powerful can charge cars equipped with batteries of less than 50 kWh in less than 2 hours and batteries of 70 kWh or more in less than 5 hours. The installation may require taking out a three-phase electricity subscription and installing a new meter with the intervention, of course, of a professional electrician. Better yet, from a certified Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (EVRI) electrician. So it is better to reserve the use of a so-called accelerated charging station – understand with a power greater than 11 kW – for those who use their electric car intensively or for those who have chosen a powerful vehicle.

The other advantage is that the Wallboxes can be programmed to charge only during off-peak hours and to stop automatically once charging is complete. Or to fade when you use, at the same time as your electric car is plugged in, your oven and your washing machine. This will prevent any damage to your installation. And for the most worried among you, know that some home charging stations require the use of a badge to be unlocked. What to prevent “energy flights”.

The most advanced technology, known as V2G — for vehicule-to-grid —, allows you to think of the battery of your electric car as an energy reserve for your home. This type of intelligent charging station allows, for example, to charge the battery when renewable energies, solar and wind power in particular, produce a lot of electricity. And to restore, if necessary, this electricity to the network when the demand increases. The first advantage is that if during the day, you have only used 20% of your charge made the previous night at off-peak time, you can, by connecting your electric car in the evening, take advantage of the remaining charge to supply your home at a reduced rate. The other advantage, if you make a V2G battery available to the network, is that you will be paid by the operators. All the same, your electric car must be compatible for this.

Subject produced in partnership with EDF teams

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