Check before buying an electric car: the maximum power of the terminal and the effective charging power

Dealers are not always very clear with customers when it comes to talking about charging in public spaces.  kW of power.

It is a mistake to believe it, because everything depends on the on-board charger(s). Many EVs designed for fast charging will, apart from this possibility, have to make do with slow charging on type E/F sockets (possibly reinforced). Others, having an additional 7 kW charger, will be able to use the accelerated terminals , but not beyond approximately 6.6 kW.

car and fast charging: how does the charging curve work?

1. Carriers that promote roaming

It might seem difficult to cross France with a classic electric car (excluding Tesla) by paying for the recharge with only a bank card or by using the badge of only one operator. The situation has evolved thanks to the principle of roaming by which it is possible to pay on a network using a card from another network or from a charging operator, for example the Chargemap Pass card.

badges to access the charging stations?

Hotels, restaurants, campsites and shopping centers are equipped with terminals

More and more establishments that welcome the public are equipped with terminals, some taking advantage of the destination charging that Tesla is developing in particular in hotels, restaurants, casinos and well-located commercial areas. The equipment can also be designed to accommodate electric cars from other brands.

If this is not the case, it is often doubled with other infrastructures for the supply of electricity to a larger number of connected models. Before a tourist stay or for holidays, consulting the Chargemap  site can be very interesting to find establishments that help with electric mobility.

Power failure: tens of millions of sockets to help you out

One thing to never forget: in the event of an imminent risk of power failure with an electric car, a simple power outlet can be used to help out . Admittedly, it may be necessary to wait one or more hours, – not necessarily in a lost way -, but it is possible to solicit a merchant, an administration, a farmer, an amusement park… and even an individual if he necessary, in order to regain enough energy to go to the next terminal or arrive at your destination. What is not possible with a thermal car!

Right to take

In France, regulations on the right to hold are progressing. When there is no installation available in a parking lot for residential use, it is necessary to go through the general meeting of co-owners. Service companies offer offers that facilitate the operation and set up a dedicated billing system.

Overall, article 41 of the TECV law n°2015-992 of August 17, 2015 sets the minimum objective to be reached by 2030 at 7 million charging points for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. -dedicated equipment is set as a percentage for the car parks of buildings primarily used for residential, tertiary, industrial, hosting a public service, constituting a commercial complex, or hosting a cinematographic show establishment.

Towards increasingly clean electric cars

The environmental impact of an electric vehicle is conditioned by the supply chain of raw materials, the manufacture of vehicle components, the electrical source for charging, the use of the vehicle, its recycling at the end of life. Cobalt, which is used in the composition of batteries, is a potentially black spot, because of the inhuman work sometimes inflicted on children to extract it.

Under pressure from NGOs, EV manufacturers have made convincing commitments for a more acceptable supply. BMW showed how to make an electric car using recycled and recyclable materials, renewable sources of energy, and much less water. By practicing eco-driving, we manage to limit the share of abrasion particles (tyres, floor coverings, brakes) which is not negligible.

Traction batteries can have a second life for storing electricity.  Signals come from everywhere to testify to what it is possible to do and what is concretely put in place to make the EV more virtuous throughout its life cycle.