Where can I charge my electric car? Ideally, during the day it will be powered by energy at a special station near the office, and at night - near the house. In our country, there are still few refueling stations for eco-friendly cars, so the problem of charging electric cars completely falls on the shoulders of their owners, many of whom live in high-rise buildings. Today we will find out how to properly charge such a vehicle at home, how long this process will take, and how expensive such a pleasure will cost.
Charging an electric car at home
You don't have to look for the nearest station to charge an electric vehicle. An electric car can be called an ordinary household device, the same as a kettle, refrigerator, or washing machine. He also runs on electricity, but with one important caveat - he needs direct current, an alternating current flows in the usual electrical network of the apartment. The first has higher efficiency. Over time, it does not change either in magnitude or in time.
Since the alternating current is not suitable for electric car engines, it is impossible to charge an electric car from a home outlet without special devices. This problem was quickly resolved. Now, many popular models are equipped with special chargers - AC / DC converters. The higher their power, the faster the battery is saturated with energy. For those who live in private homes, a home charging station is the best option. This is a compact device that allows you to quickly and, most importantly, safely restore the energy resource of a car battery.
How to charge an electric car if you live in an apartment
How do you charge an electric car if you live in an apartment and don't have an electrified garage? This task becomes a real headache when the owner of the car has purchased a home on the upper floors. There is only one option here - pull the cable. It is included in the standard car kit, but the length of the factory cable for long distances will not be enough.
First, you need to choose the best parking place so that the electric car is closer to the apartment. To route the cable, you will have to drill a hole in the wall, but it is better to use a denser corrugated pipe. Additionally, you will need a metal electrical panel, in which there will be an outlet, and you must not forget about grounding. In case someone else has already settled comfortably in your parking space, you need to have an extension cord with you.
Safety rules while charging a car
To charge an electric car from a regular outlet, it is imperative to use a cable that is specially designed for such manipulations. It can be purchased separately, but it is usually included in the package. On one side, the cable has a special connector for connecting to the battery, and on the other end, there is a plug that goes into a regular outlet. To ensure safety, each cable must be equipped with a special protective module that will help protect it from short circuits or overheating.
Can I charge an electric vehicle from an outlet?
The electric car can be charged at home from a standard 220-volt outlet. Although there are some nuances here. The car owner will need a cable and a special charger. It's worth noting that charging at home has its drawbacks. It is less safe and the process will take almost three times longer than charging at a special station.
Electric vehicle charging time
Charging an electric car at home can take up to 15 hours. The exact time depends on the car model and battery capacity, network voltage. Conventional sockets are not designed for such powerful current consumers as electric vehicles. At a special station, the car is usually charged for 5 hours. If a reinforced unit is installed on it, then the time is reduced to half an hour. At home, you will have to wait about 10-15 hours, and this is the key drawback of charging from a regular outlet.
How much electricity does it consume
Electric cars are not only an environmentally friendly type of vehicle but also a profitable investment. Electric cars save money on the purchase of gasoline, the prices of which are constantly fluctuating. Does it even make sense to charge an electric car at home? Perhaps the battery consumption is so high that the vehicle will simply bankrupt its owner? It's easy to check. Energy consumption can be monitored through a household meter in every apartment. A completely empty battery will require about 25 kW. For an ordinary person, these numbers do not mean anything, so we will give an illustrative example.
An electric car with such a charge will be able to run a little over 150 km. Every day, a technician in an average apartment (kettle, stove, refrigerator, TV, and computer) consumes about 2-3 kW of electricity per day. If we take the maximum value, then one full charge of an electric car draws as much energy as all electrical appliances in the house take in 7-8 days. Are the savings being saved? Yes, charging an electric car even at home is much cheaper than refueling a vehicle with gasoline. Savings can be increased by connecting the car to the network between 23:00 and 7:00. During this time, a differentiated electricity tariff is in effect, during which each kW is cheaper than the energy consumed during the one-rate tariff (from 7:00 to 23:00).