Did you know the average car is parked 95% of the time? In Belgium, the average daily commute is just 40 kilometers, meaning you don’t need your car’s full capacity every day. For most daily trips, a single overnight charge using a household socket is more than sufficient. Planning a trip with more miles over the weekend? Then you can fully charge your car step by step during the week. Discover why #smartcharging is such an easy and cost-effective charging strategy.
The traditional idea of refuelling can be very expensive today
When it comes to charging electric vehicles, we often still think in very traditional terms. Is it really necessary to charge EVs the same way we used to fill up diesel or gasoline cars with a "full tank"? This habit can be very expensive for electric vehicles.
By charging slowly on a regular socket, you can save up to 40% on your electricity bill, extend the battery's lifespan, and reduce your ecological and societal impact.
Charging on a regular socket is known as #slowcharging. By charging slowly on a socket based on the required driving range and time available for charging, you're practicing #smartcharging.
Charging on a regular socket is cheaper
At night, your car stays stationary for over 10 hours. For most daily commutes, this is more than enough time to charge using a regular socket. This way, you can charge up to three times cheaper than at a (fast) charging station or home charging point.
Even more importantly, you avoid higher capacity charges on your electricity bill. Charging at a charging station causes a higher peak demand on the electricity grid, which means you'll pay a higher capacity fee. Keep in mind: this higher fee applies not only to charging your car, but also to all electricity use in your home. Once you charge at a home charging station, you’ll pay more for electricity used by your electric stove, oven, heat pump, and other household devices.
Smart charging on a standard socket is safe
Charging your car via a certified, grounded household socket is safe. You use a charging cable for this (which is sometimes included when purchasing an EV) or you can buy one from your car manufacturer or a third party. Make sure that the cable is CE-certified.
The cable connects a household socket to your electric vehicle. It features an EV connector, a standard plug, and built-in current protection. This protection, like a charging point, can exchange information with the car.
With a standard household socket, the charging current must be limited to 10A. The built-in current protection limits the charging current to 10A, which results in a maximum charging power of 2.3 kW. This provides a driving range of 10 to 12 km per hour or over 100 km overnight. This is more than enough range for most trips.
Charging on a socket is flexible and eco-friendly
In addition to avoiding higher capacity fees and extra costs at charging stations, charging on a socket offers other benefits.
Belgium is equipped with 1.5 million sockets that are suitable for charging electric vehicles. You can find a standard socket almost everywhere: at family and friends' homes, at work, on vacation, etc. This provides immense flexibility and freedom. You can charge wherever you want at the cheapest rate.
If we all choose #smartcharging, our environment will be less burdened. By charging slowly on a regular socket, no major work is required in our streets, such as installing new high-voltage substations and heavier cables. Additionally, fewer expansions of our power plants and high-voltage lines will be needed to distribute electricity. This saves enormous societal costs and is better for the environment.
The Belgian grid operator, Fluvius, also recommends smart charging.
Practical example: costs for 1 year of EV charging
Example: A user drives 15,000 km per year, which equals about 3,750 kWh of annual consumption:
- Fully charging on a socket: +- €1,150/year
- Fully charging at a public charging point: +- €2,600/year
- Fully charging at a fast charging station: +-€4,450/year
Conclusion: Smart charging is cheaper, better for your car, and more eco-friendly
Do you have an electric vehicle? Then consider #smartcharging by using a regular socket when possible. Since cars are often parked and the average trip is short, charging via a household socket is sufficient for most charging sessions.
By charging slowly, you avoid higher capacity fees, extend the life of your battery, and save up to more than 40% on your electricity bill. Additionally, this approach puts less strain on the electricity grid and reduces the need for extensive infrastructure work. With smart charging, you’re choosing both an affordable and sustainable solution.
