How to Equip Your Garage if You Buy an Electric Car?

The simplest system, if you have a closed garage, is to use the charger provided with the vehicle. Keep in mind that if you need to increase the car's range by 100 miles, using the manufacturer's charger, you will need 2 kW for 10 hours, provided you do not have other loads running simultaneously.

Remember that for this use, the installation must be perfectly compliant, as a load of 2 kW for so many hours "could" generate issues. Otherwise, there is the world of wall boxes, which can be portable or fixed: portable ones are convenient but very expensive and tend to wear out quickly.

Fixed ones are much more reliable. Wall boxes start from 3.6 kW and go up to over 11 kW; the choice depends on how far you need to travel: with a 3.6 kW wall box, you can charge the famous 100 miles in 6 hours; with a 7.4 kW one, you can charge it in 3 hours.

If I want to increase power further, I need to switch to a three-phase system and reach up to 22 kW, but vehicles can receive a maximum of 11 kW, and to charge 100 miles with 11 kW, it takes 2 hours. Therefore, also consider the maximum charging capacity of your vehicle.

A plug-in reaches a maximum of 3.6 kW, so it is pointless to install an 11 kW wall box. Charging stations can be managed via smartphone applications or online portals, as well as through a home automation system, depending on the household consumption.

So the question is: do we need to change the meter? The answer is no, as fixed stations have intelligence that allows charging when the grid is free - and there are incentives for a certain period.

But how much do these devices cost? A portable wall box costs around £1,000, while a simpler fixed one depends on the installed power: prices start from £600/800, and those with a MID screen range from £800 to £2,000.