Buying an electric or plug-in hybrid car has been on the rise for several years, particularly among individuals. For reasons related to the protection of the environment, but also because this type of vehicle allows savings in the medium and long term compared to thermal cars.
Opting for an electric vehicle necessarily implies recharging it regularly with energy to be able to drive in complete autonomy. Most French owners of an electric car opt for the purchase of a charging station which is very easy to install in their home. In terms of charging, enormous progress has been made to facilitate the use of electric vehicles. Thus, it is now possible, for example, to equip oneself with a mobile charging station which, as its name suggests, has the advantages of not requiring any specific fixed installation at one’s home and of be usable everywhere. In short, to benefit from a great autonomy.
What is a mobile charging station?
The charging station, also called wallbox, is the equipment most popular with individuals for charging their electric vehicle at home. It is, in fact, a small box that is easily installed on a wall inside or outside your home, which does not require major work for its installation (just a connection to the electrical network of the dwelling) and which only requires that the electricity meter has sufficient power to support its operation. Despite everything, a charging station has the disadvantage of only being able to be used at the place where it has been installed.
On the other hand, a mobile charging station, also called portable charger or mobile charging station, can work anywhere because it is portable and can be plugged into any suitable power socket, most commonly a type 2 socket, the standard adopted at European level for charging electric cars. But, to be used everywhere, mobile charging stations are generally sold with one or more adapters that allow them to be connected to a large number of different types of electrical outlets.
This type of charging system therefore makes it possible to charge your electric vehicle very freely and to be sure of being able to drive very many kilometers without having to come and connect your car to a fixed charging station at your home. This nomadic charging point is also a good alternative for those who do not have a garage or a parking space in a condominium, for example.
It is true that owners of an electric vehicle and a fixed charging station at home also have the option of charging their car at charging points available in the public domain (in car parks, service stations, etc. .) but, the fact of having a mobile charging station makes it possible not to be dependent on these charging areas which, moreover, are not distributed in the same way throughout the territory.
With a mobile charging station, you are guaranteed to be able to charge your vehicle at any time and anywhere, even those completely without public charging stations, provided you have access to an electrical outlet.
The mobile charging station has all the qualities of a fixed charging station in terms of performance, but also safety. This nomadic terminal effectively adapts to the type of electrical outlet to which it is connected by automatically detecting its power and thus avoiding the risk of overheating.
How much does a mobile charging station cost?
Like fixed charging stations, mobile charging stations offer different power levels, from 2.3 kW to 22 kW, to adapt to all types of electric vehicles, but also to the needs of their owners, particularly with regard to concerns the charging speed. In fact, the more powerful a mobile charging station, the shorter the charging time.
On the other hand, in the same way as fixed wallboxes, some mobile charging stations are said to be “intelligent”, i.e. they are equipped with technology that allows them to be activated remotely or to be programmed starting and stopping them most often using a dedicated smartphone application. The charging power of this type of mobile charging station, and therefore its electricity consumption, can also be set and adjusted via these applications, resulting in serious savings.
Given the existence of very many models of mobile charging stations which differ according to their power, their ability to be controlled remotely using a mobile phone application or not, accessories such as adapters for electrical outlets they are equipped, the prices of this type of nomadic recharge, very practical and very easy to use, are varied. They also depend on their distributor.
A “basic” mobile charging station can thus cost around 300 to 400 euros, while the most efficient are sold between 1,000 and 1,200 euros.