EV chargers

The sale of charging points, charging stations and wall boxes has really taken off in recent years, now that electric vehicles are increasingly the standard. The first charging points were still quite 'primitive' compared to the current 'intelligent' charging stations; they just charged the battery.

Modern charging points are directly connected to the internet, so that consumption and electricity costs can be viewed anywhere with an internet connection. The latest models also have different configuration options, so that each charging station can be seamlessly integrated into any household.

Home charging posts

We offer a complete range of EV charging for home and business. The wall-mounted charging models in particular offer a solution in situations where standing charging points take up too much space. Suspended charging stations also offer the option of neatly concealing them, so that they are not an inconvenience when not in use.

What is the difference between 1-phase and 3-phase charging stations?

With a one phase charger, the current flows through only one wire, while with a three-phase charger, the current is divided over three wires, allowing it to handle more power. A 1-phase charging station uses a standard 230-volt connection and a standard fuse of 16 amps. A meter box contains a 1-phase connection as standard.

A 3-phase charging station uses 3x230 volts. This is also known as power flow. This point also has a standard fuse of 16 amps. Because the current is distributed over three wires, this charging point has a higher maximum charging capacity.

Just like with a meter box, you can choose to purchase a one-phase or a three-phase charging point. The advantages of a 3-phase connection are a faster charging time and multiple batteries can be charged at the same time. However, the battery of the car must be suitable for 3-phase charging.

Calculate the charging time for the electric car

The charging time of an electric car is easy to calculate. To make this calculation, you need the battery capacity and the charging capacity of the car. If you divide these, you know how long it takes to charge an electric car.

If your car has a capacity of 60 kWh, around 55 kWh of this will be used effectively. If you charge the battery with a 1-phase connection that has a charging capacity of 20 kW. The calculation: 60kWh/20kW = about 3 hours charging time.

Online and offline charging points

The charging points that work offline are only connected to the car. As soon as the plug is connected, the charging point starts charging and it stops as soon as the plug is disconnected or the battery is full.

Most modern charging points are equipped with the latest technologies and are connected to the internet. They can be easily integrated into the home network via WiFi. This way you always have insight into the charging history and electricity costs and you can read the charging station via the app anywhere with an internet connection.

Public charging points vs. private charging stations

You have several options when charging your electric car. You can charge the car at a public charging station along the road, or at a charging point at the office or at home. People who charge their electric car at home usually do so with a charging station that can be mounted on the wall. The main advantage of a charging station is that it takes up less space and can still be moved if desired. A charging point is installed once and has a permanent location.

Charging points in public spaces often have multiple charging connections, which means that several vehicles can be charged at the same time. These charging points often do not have a fixed charging cable, so the user must use his own charging cable. Public charging points are often extra robust to withstand vandalism, rust and fire.

Plug types EV Wallbox

Type 1 plug (Yazaki)

The Type 1 plug hasn't made a fast entry in the Netherlands, since this is a 100V plug and it is mainly used in North America and Japan. Charging an electric car with the Yazaki plug is possible, but charging is much slower. This is caused by the fact that one of the three available phases is used with the Type 1 plug. This type of plug is found on cars such as the Opel Ampera, Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Chademo plug

The Chademo plug comes from Japan and is the standard for fast charging in the Netherlands. You can fully charge the car battery within half an hour with this plug. The disadvantage is that this plug only works with direct current.

Type 2 plug (Mennekes)

The Mennekes plug was designated by the European Commission as the standard for charging electric cars. The advantage of the Mennekes plug is that it is possible to use both 1-phase (power from the socket at home) and can be charged with 3-phase (power current). The Mennekes plug is found on car brands such as Tesla, Volvo V60 and BMW i3.

Combo Plug

Since 2017, the combo plug has replaced the Mennekes plug as the European standard plug. The big advantage of the combo plug is that it can charge with both direct current and alternating current.

Home charging cheaper than public charging

When you install a charging station at home, you pay the standard rate from the energy supplier, which is lower than at a public charging station. Depending on the location, you can easily pay twice as much compared to charging the battery at home with your own charging point.

What should I pay attention to when buying?

Can I charge my car at any charging station?

That depends on the type of plug that is suitable for your car. You can usually get by with a combo plug. Do you have a car with a type 1 connection? Then you can purchase an adapter plug, so that you can still charge it anywhere.

How long does it take to charge my car?

That depends on the maximum charging capacity of your car and the capacity of the charging station and your meter box. You can easily calculate the approximate duration yourself:

For this you take the power of the battery in your car, say 65 kWh, and that of your wallbox, say 22 kW, then it takes about 3 hours before the battery is fully charged. The condition is that your car and meter box can charge 22 kW.

What about charging my car with my own solar energy?

When you have your own solar panels, it becomes considerably more interesting to charge your car with your own wallbox. The green energy then goes directly into your car, without the intervention of the electricity grid. In this way, you are much closer to self-sufficient living.