Owners of an electric vehicle, who are more and more numerous, have the possibility of recharging their car at the recharging terminals available in the public domain or at service stations. But most of them choose to equip themselves with a charging station at home.
A comfortable solution that allows you to recharge your electric vehicle at night, moreover, by saving money if their electricity supplier offers them suitable contracts, “green electricity” offers in particular. But how to choose your charging station? The wallbox is one of the most suitable equipment, especially the one whose power is 7 kW.
What is the 7 kW wallbox charging station?
Individuals who wish to charge their electric vehicle at home can use a simple (or reinforced) household electrical outlet. Nevertheless, this solution does not make it possible to charge this type of car in an efficient manner as regards in particular the charging time. In addition, in terms of safety, a household outlet presents risks.
Opting for a wallbox type charging station is much more suitable because this equipment is really designed to recharge an electric vehicle in a minimum of time (defined according to the power of the wallbox), and in complete safety. The wallbox is also recommended by the majority of electric vehicle manufacturers.
It is very simple for an individual to install a wallbox at home because it is concretely a charging box which is very easily fixed on the wall of a garage for example, or on a private parking space for residents of apartment buildings, and which is easily connected to the electrical panel of the house.
Why choose a 7 kW wallbox?
There are several types of wallbox charging stations which differ in particular in their power, which is generally between 3.7 kW and 22 kW. The power defines in particular the charging time of an electric vehicle according to its model.
The wallbox with a power of 7 kW represents a good compromise for owners of an electric vehicle. In particular because this type of charging station is much more efficient than a simple household electrical outlet and even than a less powerful wallbox in terms of charging time. For example, for an electric car equipped with a 20 kWh battery, a 7 kW wallbox can recharge the vehicle in 3 hours, while a less powerful wallbox requires more than 5 hours of charging time.
In addition to its limited recharging time, the 7 kW wallbox also has the advantage of being compatible with most electric vehicles available on the market, and in particular small electric city cars, whose charging capacity is, in most cases, cases, precisely limited to 7 kW. However, this type of wallbox can also be used to charge electric vehicles equipped with more powerful batteries. The recharge time is just a little longer with a 7 kW wallbox in this case.
What is the cost of a 7 kW wallbox?
In general, the price of an electric vehicle charging station varies according to its power. This also applies to the different types of wallboxes. Logically, the more powerful it is, the higher its price.
The 7 kW wallbox, which represents a good compromise for owners of an electric car whether in terms of charging time or compatibility with different types of electric vehicles, is also a good solution in terms of cost.
The price of a 7 kW wallbox, like that of most different types of charging equipment, also depends on the brand that distributes it, but also on the features it offers which may be optional in certain cases such as, for example, additional safety equipment to be installed or charging management modules. However, there are wallboxes sold with this whole pack. Thus, you find wallboxes of this type on the market whose price is between 700 and 1,500 euros.
You should also know that it is necessary to have charging stations with a power greater than 3.7 kW installed by a professional, and not to set them up yourself, mainly for safety reasons. It is even an obligation to be able to benefit from public aid to help finance the purchase and installation of a charging station for your electric car like the one offered by the ADVENIR program of the Association for the development of Avere-France electric mobility, the “Aide Solution Individuelle” bonus. Note: this bonus can be combined with a tax credit of an amount representing 75% of the expenses devoted to the purchase and installation of a wallbox within the limit of 300 euros per charging station. This financial assistance is not subject to any income condition.
Consequently, in addition to the purchase price of a 7 kW wallbox, an additional cost must be provided for the intervention of a professional installer. This cost is on average 900 euros including material, but it can vary according to different criteria and in particular the extent of the work to be carried out for the installation of this charging station at home.