What to know before installing an electric car charger

Low Emission Zones are delimited areas within a city where access to the most emitting and polluting vehicles is limited in order to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles -carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) or hydrocarbons (HC)-, as established by the
Ministry of Ecological Transition in its guidelines for the creation of LEZs.

The law aims to promote ecological urban mobility with the implementation of Low Emission Zones, before 2023, in the 149 Spanish municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants -according to official figures from the National Institute of Statistics-, in which more than 25 reside. million people (53% of the inhabitants of Spain).

In addition, cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants must also implement LEZs within the same period, if their air quality is poor.

Last Sunday the ‘Madrid Low Emissions Zone’ (ZBE) plan came into force in Madrid, which restricts access to passenger cars without an environmental label that are not domiciled in the city, prohibiting their access and circulation on urban public roads in the interior of the M-30, excluding the M-30 itself.

Considering the adoption of similar measures in the past, it has been observed that they encourage the purchase of hybrid or electric vehicles. In fact, in 2019, with the implementation of Madrid Central, sales of electric, hybrid and gas vehicles went from representing 8% to 32% of total vehicle sales in Spain, according to data from the Spanish Association of Automobile Manufacturers and trucks (ANFAC).

In this sense, according to data from the 2021-2022 Climate Survey carried out by the European Investment Bank, 78% of Spanish citizens willing to buy a car say they would choose a hybrid or electric vehicle in their next purchase, but still There are many doubts and insecurities about recharging and the installation of recharging points at home. For this reason the Spanish startup
ChargeYourCarhas answered the five most frequently asked questions that users have when installing an electric charger in their home:

Where is an electric vehicle charged?

It is the question most often asked by buyers of an electric car and, in fact, the lack of recharging places is the main reason why many users do not decide on this type of vehicle. Spain is last in the number of public charging points for electric vehicles, with only 245 per million inhabitants, in contrast to areas such as the Netherlands, which leads the ranking with 4,760 chargers per million inhabitants. These data make it necessary to install a personal charging point if you want to make continuous use of the vehicle, especially if you live outside the urban center and use the vehicle to access the city. In this way, having its own charging point, it is guaranteed to always have the electric vehicle ready.

Can I install a charging point at my home?

Yes, whether you live in a single-family house, a semi-detached house, or in a flat with parking, you can install a charging point. In the case of community car parks, it is not necessary to request permission from the community of owners of the building, only prior written communication to the president and the administrator of the property is required. In addition, the installation of your own recharging point has certain subsidies and public aid, which the installation companies such as CargaTuCoche help to request and manage, accompanying and advising users so that they achieve the greatest possible benefit.

How much does it cost to install a charging point?

The price of installing a recharging point depends on several factors, such as the distance between your parking space and the home meter; the installer himself, the quality of the service and the materials themselves. Despite what many users think, an electric vehicle cannot be charged with a normal plug, since the power, the cables and the charger itself are different, so having the best professionals when carrying out an installation it is also essential to create an optimal user experience. In this sense, the installation of a domestic charging point is an outlay that can exceed 1,000 euros, taking into account the fact that there are various state aids that allow part of this cost to be financed. If an installation is offered for less than €700, the consumer should be vigilant and make sure that the information is correct and that all guarantees are met.

What type of charger is suitable?

To know what type of charger is needed, you must know what types of electric cars exist. There is the pure electric car, which moves through the energy stored in its batteries; the one with extended autonomy that has a thermal engine as a generator; the plug-in hybrid that has a combustion engine accompanied by one or more electric motors; the hybrid that has a very limited autonomy because its batteries are small; and finally, the microhybrid whose energy is stored in a small 48V battery.

As for the charger, there is still no universal plug or charger format for electric vehicles, so knowing what type of plug the vehicle needs is essential to choosing the right charger to recharge its battery. There are different power outlets for this type of vehicle, 90% of the models circulating in Europe do so with a type 2 connector for alternating current charging, although there are also other models such as the CCS Combo that allows alternating current charging or continuous for fast charging; and the CHAdeMO connector, the Japanese charging standard that allows this time to be shortened for more comfort.

Another key to knowing which charger is the perfect one for a vehicle is the type of electrical installation that the home has, since it can be three-phase or single-phase. Depending on this installation, the charging time will vary, which is faster in three-phase, or the price of the invoice. In addition to the installation, it is necessary to know if the car can charge in three phases, since many do not. As for charging speed, it depends on the needs of each driver and the characteristics of the vehicle. Chargers with a power of 7.4 kW are the most common for domestic use, since the charging time usually ranges between 7-8 hours.

If I have a problem, who do I go to?

Many users go to independent electricians, but it is best to go to the company that has installed the charging point. Most of the companies that install them are simply dedicated to their installation and not to maintenance, although from others, the charging points have a full guarantee, both for the installation and for the charger itself. The important thing is to always contact qualified professionals who have the appropriate certifications that allow them to handle, repair and install these devices. That is why the companies that carry out these installations are usually the best choice, since their professionals are fully qualified.