How can I pay at the charging stations?
A total of one million public charging points are to exist in Germany by 2030. Right now there is noisy Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW) around 43,000. How much electricity actually flows is a separate topic. Plug in, juice flows, battery full. Complete. Anyone who thinks this way is disregarding the self-interest of the electricity supplier. So far, the simple Plug & Charge has only been available on Tesla’s superchargers: Billing takes place directly via the vehicle ID and a stored credit card. In the rest of the world there is a tariff jungle that is difficult to understand and a wide variety of options for paying at public charging stations: with the charging card of a specific provider, by app or by QR code and credit card.
What do you have to consider when driving long distances?
Fast charging stations on motorways must offer “roaming” and accept charging cards from external providers. It can be more difficult in urban areas – and especially abroad. If in doubt, take several charging cards with you and check in advance which charging station works with which provider (for example via Going Electric.de or “A Better Routeplanner”).
Electricity can be an adventure when traveling. Along the main motorway routes in Europe, 69 percent of all charging points are in just three countries: Germany, France and the Netherlands. That makes a Special report of the EU Court of Auditors from this spring. By 2030, there should be a fast charging station every 60 kilometers in the core motorway network. Until then, you shouldn’t rely on a route planner alone. Only a few electric vehicles can calculate a complete route with charging stops in the navigation system – and precondition the battery for this. That can save a lot of loading time.
For whom are charging current flat rates worthwhile?
Only for frequent drivers who regularly charge publicly. The charging current provider “Elvah” offers a monthly flat rate. This varies depending on the size of the car from 89 euros (small car) to 199 euros (luxury class). According to Elvah, 90 percent of all charging points in Germany can be used via the company’s own app. If a charging station is not included, Elvah will reimburse the charging costs for third-party providers within two days.
Will everything get better with private wallboxes?
The Federal Association of Energy and Water Management points out that nine out of ten charging processes still take place in the private sector. The funding for corresponding wall boxes is constantly being increased. But only those who install an intelligent system with an Internet connection instead of a simple socket receive a grant of 900 euros. The high art then lies in networking with a photovoltaic system, the smart home or bidirectional charging options.
Since the start of funding, the proportion of smart wallboxes has increased from 49 to 64 percent. The more networked the technology, the greater the need for information: According to the market researchers from Uscale, many of the 2,500 respondents complain about the complexity of the technology. 30 percent of users already had problems charging. And only 43 percent of those surveyed would recommend their manufacturer’s service partner to a friend.
Why does the electric car charge more slowly than the manufacturer promises?
Basically, there are two ways in which a Stromer is refueled. With alternating current (AC), electric cars charge primarily in private areas, for example on their own wallbox. The batteries of the vehicles can only store alternating current (DC), so this has to be converted by the car.
The values specified by the manufacturers, which fill up to 80 percent of the battery in 20 minutes, for example, are quick charging stations that charge direct current into the car’s battery and thus achieve higher charging capacities, regardless of the performance of the charger in the Vehicle. They are mainly on highways. In order to enable these short charging times, the battery must have exactly the right temperature: If the cells are not preconfigured using the route planning in the navigation device, the Stromer can only call up the promised maximum output in the rarest of cases and charges more slowly.
This is especially the case with charging stations with 150 kW or even 300 kW – not all vehicles can consume this power, even if the charging station promises it. There are currently fewer than 1400 of the current 21,000 charging stations the directory of the Federal Network Agency after more than 50 kW. However, the European Commission wants to oblige its states to have a high-performance charging station every 60 kilometers on the most important expressways by 2025. This should also apply to the expanded transport network by 2030.
Why are the loading openings on the cars positioned differently?
Nose-, left- and (rear) right-loading? What is better? In any case, the loading openings at the front left are impractical for loading bays along the street, because you have to balance the cable over the bonnet. However, automakers point out that drivers should better keep an eye on a charging port on the left. After all, that’s where they get on too. Otherwise: out of sight, out of mind. When leaving, the plug is often forgotten in the socket and all sorts of havoc is wreaked havoc. In the worst case, the entire charging station is over.