How much power do you need to charge electric cars?

One of the key points to consider in order to understand electric and hybrid parking in depth is the maximum possible expansion of charging points. And in this aspect, know that there are different powers and charging times. Such that,How much power does it take to charge an electric car?? Are there differences in points located in homes and businesses? Do charger types affect speed and power?

The reality is that, in comparison, there are different types of charging points and chargers for electric vehicles, just as there are a variety of chargers for mobile phones. Not all cell phones recharge their batteries as quickly and the same goes for cars.

But precisely because there are different powers and different charging times for electric cars, at , as experts in charging solutionswe want to talk about the minimum power required.

And, likewise, taking into account the legislative changes, we are talking about charging points in companies or parking lots, which have undergone changes since January 1, 2023.

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Charging power of electric cars in the residential sector

First, let\’s talk about the power required to charge electric cars in the residential sector. As is known, charging points can be installed in private houses: for example, in the garage of a cottage or in the parking space of the community car park.

?How much power is needed to charge the electric car at home? Surely, if you have an electric or hybrid vehicle, you have asked yourself this question. Or if you\’re interested in buying one for climate awareness. The answer is this: 7.4 kilowatts (kW) of power is recommended, although the minimum power is 2.3 kW.

For this, it is necessary to install a charging point or wall base the home? Not always, we will expand on this point.

How to recharge electric vehicles at home

The reality is that for charge an electric car at home You don\’t always have to install a charging point. It may be enough, depending on the power at which it is charged, with a conventional socket, whose power is 2.3 kW.

Of course, it should be taken into account that depending on the power, it takes more or less time to fully recharge the car.

  • With a power of 2.3 kW, the full recharge time is about 15 hours (slow charge).
  • With a power of 3.5 kW, it lasts about 10 hours (slow charge)
  • And with a power of 7.4 kW, in less than 5 hours (semi-fast charging).

How to increase charging power at home

what if you want increase the charging power of electric cars at home? In this case, bearing in mind that there may be limitations in doing this in an outlet – such as possible power outages, jumping cables if there are too many electrical appliances on or slow charging – you would need to buy a 7-watt.4 kW charging point and have a correct and compatible adapter.

In other words, you don\’t need to contract for more power with the electricity company, it\’s not mandatory, although you should take precautions. The basic thing to know is that the contracted power is always greater than the power required to charge the car, including the charger. In this way, with good power contracted with the electric company, it is possible charge the electric car with solar panels if you have them installed.

Connected car chargers

But since the power of the socket is 2.3 kW, you will definitely need more to take less time. For this, it is necessary, as mentioned before, a recharging point and a suitable charger from among the various existing types.

More precisely, a charger type 1 for cars with 50 kWh batteries and that it is compatible with the electric car.

Charging power of electric cars in companies

If, instead, you charge your car at the company where you work (because it has charging points in the parking lot), how much power is needed? As experts in self-consumption in companieswe give you the keys below.

Charging points in company car parks

From January 1, 2023, as set out in Royal Decree 29/2021, of December 21, company car parks must have a charging point for a number of spaces between 20 and 40, and another point for every additional 40 spaces. And what power should it have? It is best to have charging points with a minimum power of 11 kW to 22 kW (with 11 kW the charging speed is semi-fast and takes about 3 hours).

What happens in these cases if a company needs to have the necessary power for the correct operation of the charging points and the entire electrical installation of the company? A good idea, before contracting more power and spending more money, is to installation of photovoltaic panelswhich allow, through solar batteries, storing generated electricity that is not currently being used.

In this way, in addition to the significant savings on the electricity bill due to the use of solar energy, the stored energy can be used for the times when they want or need to use more energy. For example, to meet the energy demand to charge the electric or plug-in cars for your employees.

Refueling points in fuel supply companies

On the other hand, the same Royal Decree obliges to have a minimum power installed in direct current in fuel supply companies that have installed charging points for connected vehicles.

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The mandatory power will depend on the sales volume of companies or service stations:

  • In the case of a sales volume of more than 10 million euros in 2019, the installation must have a power equal to or greater than 150 kW. If they have to do work to achieve it, the deadline ends in February of this year.
  • For gas stations with a sales volume between 5 and 10 million euros in 2019, the minimum charging power must be 50 kW. If they have to carry out work to guarantee this power, the term ends in August 2023.

So, as we explained in this article, you already know how much power is needed to charge an electric vehicle both at home and in companies; what are the recommended ones to speed up the loading time; and what measures can be taken so that, without the need to change the contract and have a more expensive electricity bill, to have more power available.