Sales of electric cars have been exploding for a decade, especially among individuals. This development is due to the fact that buyers are increasingly sensitive to environmental protection and are aware of the importance of turning to cleaner vehicles.
Buying an electric car means equipping yourself with a Wallbox or charging station for those who wish to charge their vehicle at home for maximum comfort. The choice of a charging station meets various criteria ranging from the type of electric vehicle, to the use made of it, to the desired charging time, or even to the characteristics of the electrical installation of one’s home. The market now offers a set of charging stations designed to meet the specific needs of each user of an electric car. Overview of the best Wallboxes or charging stations on the market.
What is a Wallbox or charging station? How to choose it?
A Wallbox or charging station is essential equipment for the owners of an electric vehicle, which has the function of recharging the battery of their car. This type of charging system is aimed at those of them who wish to be able to charge their vehicle at home and not at charging stations available on public roads, in service stations, in public car parks, shopping malls, etc. It is true that equipping your home, or your private parking space for residents of a condominium, with a Wallbox or charging station allows you to recharge your electric vehicle quietly at home and at the time of your choice. It is also the assurance of always having a car ready to go for miles without problems of autonomy.
We call Wallbox or charging station a small box that is very easily installed most often on a wall at home, indoors, for example in a garage, or outdoors, on a pole, on the wall of an alley , etc. This charging system simply plugs into the electrical circuit of the house.
The advantage of a Wallbox or charging station is that it offers much more charging power than a simple electrical outlet with which it is also possible to recharge your electric car. Who says higher charging power, says much shorter charging time, a good point most often sought by owners of electric cars.
In addition, a Wallbox or charging station guarantees its user maximum safety because its technology is made to avoid all risks of overheating of its electrical network and therefore the risk of fire.
The criteria for choosing a Wallbox or charging station
The Wallboxes or charging stations available on the market offer different powers (3.7 kW, 7 kW, 11 kW, 22 kW and even 50 kW for the most powerful).
The choice of power is determined by several criteria to be taken into account by owners of electric vehicles: the type of their vehicle (100% electric or hybrid, battery capacity, manufacturer’s recommendations in this area); the use of their electric car, i.e. the number of kilometers traveled regularly; and finally the characteristics of their electrical installation, and more specifically the capacity of their electricity meter.
Choosing the right power for your Wallbox or charging station is essential. The budget to be devoted to the purchase of this essential equipment is also another element to be taken into account. Indeed, the prices of these types of charging systems vary according to their power, the accessories with which they are equipped, their technological advance (programmable, remote adjustment, etc.), from 600 to more than 1,500 euros depending on the model.
Added to this cost is the cost of their installation by a professional holding the “Charging infrastructures for electric vehicles (IRVE)” qualification, which is around 600 euros.
Note however: the public authorities have set up aid to encourage the French to turn more to cleaner cars such as electric cars. Thus, a tax credit makes it possible to finance part of the purchase and installation of a Wallbox or charging station, as well as aid (ADVENIR bonus from the Association for the development of electric mobility, Avere) intended for residents of condominiums.
The top Wallboxes or charging stations available on the market
The term Wallbox has entered common parlance to designate an electric car charging station with which individuals can equip their homes. But “Wallbox” is first and foremost a brand for this type of charging developed by a company that has existed since 2015 and which is the market leader in so-called “smart” charging stations for individuals, but also businesses and communities. .
In the field of home charging solutions, the Wallbox brand offers two types of charging stations among the best on the market: the Wallbox Copper SB and the Wallbox Pulsar Plus. The first, available in different powers (up to 22 kW) adapts to all electric vehicles on the market and its high resistance allows it to be installed both indoors and outdoors. The second has the same characteristics with the added advantage of being ultra compact. These two charging stations from the Wallbox brand are “intelligent” in the sense that they are programmable using wifi or bluetooth and their users have the possibility of controlling their energy consumption via a dedicated mobile application.
Other brands also offer efficient charging stations. Thus, on its website avere-France.org, the Association for the development of electric mobility recommends, for example, that individuals turn to charging stations to be installed at home, and which give rise in particular to the ADVENIR bonus, such as the eNext, WB eHome or WB eVolve Smart charging stations from the Circontrol brand, the Homeline charging station from the EVBox company, the Eve Single S-line charging station from the ALFEN brand, or even, among others, the Ensto Chago eFill from the ENSTO brand.