eMobility - charging electric cars with the power of the sun
eMobility is an upward trend - electric cars are the missing piece in the puzzle of autonomous photovoltaic systems.
More and more new cars in Germany have electric motors. But where do drivers go to recharge them when their power levels are low? The number of public charging stations in the country will increase several times over by 2030. Many drivers are still hesitant to buy an electric car because they believe there are not enough charging stations. However, the ratio of vehicles to charging stations right now, in 2022, is actually favorable to electric car owners.
It is predicted that by the end of the decade there will be twice as many electric cars per charging station as there are now. This represents a great opportunity for the solar energy industry. A huge number of charging options need to be created and the greenest way to power these is with a photovoltaic system. The EU has set a target to achieve a ratio of electric cars per publicly accessible charging station by 2030. The installation of charging stations through subsidies is therefore important.
However, this situation is not just an opportunity to install photovoltaic systems for charging electric cars - charging stations and wall boxes can also act as a guarantee of autonomy, especially in the private sector. It goes without saying that an electric car can only have a positive impact on our environment if it is charged using renewable energy - preferably electricity generated by the photovoltaic system on the owner's roof, of course.
Benefits of combining a photovoltaic system with an electric car charging station.
Intersectoral cohabitation | The combination of heat, mobility and electricity guarantees affordable, simple and convenient energy solutions. |
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Autonomy | Integrating an electric car charging station is the perfect way for drivers to increase their power range. Using your own electricity isn't just great - it also means you can reduce or even eliminate your electricity bills. |
Business | Providing facilities for charging electric cars makes businesses more attractive to potential customers and employees. |
Provision of an allowance | It's easy to get started in this area right now, thanks to subsidies for the installation of charging stations. |
The number of newly registered electric cars had almost quadrupled in 2020 compared to 2019! More than 190,000 new, fully electric electronic cars were registered in Germany. The electric mobility sector continued to grow strongly in 2021. Many new models from various manufacturers are contributing to the growing number of new fully electric vehicles spotted on the roads. The number of registered pure electric cars was around 687,200 on 1 April 2022. If plug-in hybrids are also added to the number of registered electric cars, the number of electric passenger cars in Germany already exceeded the one million mark in 2021 Together with Norway, Germany is already the most important driver for the development of European electric cars. This is also supported by purchase premiums and subsidy programmes for private and public charging points.
Frequently asked questions about how to install charging stations and wall boxes for electric cars and how they work
eMobility is a new concept for many people. Many of these people ask the same questions when they first learn about it, so we've prepared some answers for you here. First, let's clear up some of the main concerns that many customers have when deciding whether or not to buy an electric car with a compatible charging station.
- Why can't I charge my car using a standard wall socket?
Using a standard wall socket to charge your car is not recommended for two reasons. Due to the low power output of the outlet, it will take several hours to charge your car this way. In addition, the level of power transferred when charging an electric car is very high compared to that consumed by other household appliances, and standard wall outlets are not designed to handle this kind of load for long periods of time.
- How long does it take to charge an electric car?
The time required for a full charge depends on two criteria: the output power of the charging station and the input power of the electric vehicle. This also depends on whether you use single-phase or three-phase power for the charging process.
Other questions from customers and installers
Frequently asked questions about electric vehicles
- How do I choose the right charging station?
We can recommend 3-phase charging stations with 11 kW - ideally with a connected cable for home use. If you want to control them via smartphone or tablet, the wallbox or charging station should also have a smart backend. In addition, RFID cards can also be assigned to the wallboxes so that, for example, individual charging periods can be monitored by visitors.
- What is the best power rating to choose?
This initially depends on the car to be charged and the available network capacity on the home connection. Ideally, you should install a three-phase charging station directly so that the charging option is future-proofed. The charging capacity can be adjusted via the DIP switch to match the corresponding grid connection.
It should be noted that a 22 kW charging station requires approval, while an 11 kW charging station only needs to be registered.
If you select a single phase mains connection, an 11 kW wallbox charges with a single phase of 3.7 kW. A 22 kW wallbox, on the other hand, charges with 7.4 kW.
- Can I upgrade my existing charging stations?
It may make sense to plan a little more space for power and internet cables during installation, in case you decide to change something about the setup in the future.
Due to legal requirements for retrofitting charging stations, charging stations will need to be updated and future-proofed. Therefore, you should pay special attention to the intelligence of the charging station when choosing your wallbox. Theoretically, you have the ability to update the software of your wallbox via WLAN or LAN connection. Therefore, you should make your choice depend on your expectations of a wallbox.
- What safeguards do the charging stations have?
As a minimum, each connection point shall have a dedicated residual current switch of type A. The rated differential current shall not exceed 30 mA. This is defined in VDE 0100-722:2016. In addition, plug-in or vehicle-connected charging stations shall be equipped with safety equipment to protect against residual DC currents.
- What factors determine the size of the power cable?
The size of the power cable depends on the maximum charging current of the charging station and the length of the power cable.
We recommend using cables with a diameter of 5x10 mm.
Ideally, you should connect a LAN cable at the same time to ensure connectivity. - Can charging stations overheat?
Each charging station has a built-in temperature monitoring system to protect it from overheating. It does this by automatically limiting the charging current to a safe level. In addition, the system has electronic overcurrent protections to protect the charging cable from overloading.
- Can electric cars be disconnected from the power supply in the event of a power failure?
If a power failure occurs, the lock on the plug will release so that the footprint can be disconnected from the charging socket.
- What back-end solutions are available?
This depends on the choice of wallbox. Particular attention should be paid to the possibility of connecting a power management system.
See all ev-chargers for electric cars at PV-Webshop!