ElectusHow to charge an electric car?
Discover the different charging options: at home, on public AC chargers, or on DC fast chargers.
There are three ways to charge your electric vehicle:
- Home charging
- Charging on a slow/accelerated public AC charger
- Charging on a public DC fast charger
Charging at home
If you can park on your property or in a garage with access to electricity, home charging will account for about 90% of your charges.
Your needs depend on your daily usage. It’s rare to empty the battery completely each day.
Household outlet
A household outlet lets you recover 80 to 250 km of range per night, depending on the outlet and off-peak hours.
The Green’Up outlet is a reinforced household socket for intensive use, recommended for EVs. It must be installed according to specific rules to avoid risks.
| Charging solution | Range gained (10 pm – 6 am) | Range gained (8 pm – 7 am) |
|---|---|---|
| Household outlet | 80 km | 120 km |
| Green’Up outlet | 180 km | 250 km |
Check that your CRO (Occasional Charging Cable) supports 16A (written on the back). It plugs Schuko on the outlet side and Type 2 on the car side.
If you don’t have a CRO, you can order a 16A-compatible model.
⚠️ Never use a CRO with a power strip or an extension cord.
Home wallbox
If a household or Green’Up outlet doesn’t fit your use, you can install a home wallbox. It’s more expensive but faster to charge, often with an attached cable for convenience.
Your choice depends on your electrical installation and your car’s onboard charger.
For single-phase homes, a 7 kW wallbox is recommended. For three-phase, prefer 11 kW.
Installing a 22 kW wallbox at home is generally not useful. It requires a very costly installation. Unless your car supports it and you absolutely need a full charge in 1–2 hours frequently, such a wallbox won’t be worthwhile.
⚠️ Some cars with a 7 kW onboard charger will only charge at 3 kW on a three-phase 11 kW wallbox. Check your vehicle’s sheet in the Electus app or website.
| Charging solution | Range gained (10 pm – 6 am) | Range gained (8 pm – 7 am) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 kW wallbox | 350 km | 550 km |
| 11 kW wallbox | 480 km | 750 km |
Public accelerated AC charging
Useful if you can’t install a wallbox at home or when traveling. It enables opportunity charging.
Find nearby chargers easily with the Electus app.
On most accelerated AC chargers, it’s recommended to have a Type 2 to Type 2 cable.
To start a session, tap your Electus card, then plug in your vehicle. If the charger has a door, close it before starting the charge.
DC fast charging
Fast chargers can refill most of the battery in 25–30 minutes. The cable is attached to the charger, so you don’t need to bring one.
Your car must have a CCS connector to use fast charging.
Use your Electus card, select the connector if asked, then plug the cable into your car.
It’s recommended to stop at 80%, because charging power declines above this point and charging becomes much slower.
The last 20% takes almost as long as 10–80%. To save time, leave at 80%.