How can I charge up?
Electric mobility is going to have a lasting impact on how we refuel our vehicles. Ultimately, you may not need to visit your local petrol station. You can charge the battery in your electric car almost anywhere: at home from a domestic socket, from a Wallbox, at public charging points or rapid charging stations. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll soon find that it is almost as easy as charging your smartphone.
What you need to know about the hardware for your electric car.
A Wallbox is a type of "high-power socket" that is mounted on the wall for use at home. This is an optional extra and currently supplies you with a maximum charging output of 11 kW. If you charge your electric car with an optional Wallbox, you simply need to connect the plug of the charging cable to the socket on your vehicle and it will start to charge.
The plug goes in, energy comes out.
Charging at public charging stations is similarly convenient, but usually faster. If there is no permanently installed cable there, simply use the charging cable supplied, which you should always have in the trunk of your vehicle.
There are two different types of charging
Plug in, charge, unlock and plug out. That's how easy it is to charge your electric car.
AC Charging
With AC charging, the on-board AC/DC charger converts the power from the public AC grid into the required direct current. This process is enabled by a Type 2 connector. Most public charging stations are equipped with at least one Type 2 connector.
AC charging is possible with the ID. Family with 2.3 to 11 kW: So if you have a wallbox at home, you can charge with up to 11 kW.
DC Rapid Charging Plug
With the second type of charging – DC charging – the alternating current is converted into direct current before it reaches the vehicle – for example in the charging station. The advantage of this is that it enables a higher output during charging, which automatically reduces the time needed to charge.
Specifically for fast charging, the CCS (Combined Charging System) is the common worldwide standard connector. The corresponding charging plug is provided with additional contacts for DC fast charging and is permanently attached to all DC charging stations, e.g. Chargenet charging stations.
From a socket to a rapid charging station: How fast your battery charges.
Simple rule of thumb says: the higher the charging power, the faster the charging process. However, the time needed can vary considerably, depending on the battery charge state. When recharging the battery, conditions such as the ambient temperature or the battery temperature also play a role. If, for example, you charge your ID. at your household socket, you can cover your daily needs with a convenient overnight charge at up to 2.3 kW per hour. Charging is much faster with a wallbox with up to 11 kW, or at a public charging station.
The fastest way to charge is to use High Power Charging (HPC) stations with a charging output of 100 kW or more. In general, we recommend that you charge your electric car in daily operation in the state of charge up to 80%. This way you will preserve your battery.
This is how you charge up
It's just a few steps and a few simple moves to charge an electric car. Charging your electric car is much easier than you think.
