How, where to charge your electric vehicle and how much you will pay for it – EQ Mag Pro
Depending on which car model you have, how big the battery is and how fast the charging point is, it can take anywhere from around 60 minutes to 8-9 hours for an electric car to charge up to 80%. Here are 7 FAQs on charging an electric car.
How long does it take to charge the car? How often do I need to charge it? Moreover, is it costly? Potential buyers often have these questions before buying an electric car. Here are 7 FAQs on charging an electric car.
Can I charge my electric car at home?
Yes, you can charge it at home. With Type 1 AC charger, you can charge from an AC socket, but at 3 kWh it is too slow. The Type 2 or wallbox charger is usually installed by car companies (for free currently) at home and is faster. Besides these, there are other faster chargers too.
Where else can I charge it?
You can also charge it at your office in the same manner with a wallbox charger. Besides, like the petrol pump network, a public electric charging station network is being established by various companies like Tata, EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Ltd), BOLT, Indian Oil Corp, EVRE, Kazam, among others, across the country. This is a cheaper and faster way to charge.
How often do I need to charge the car?
While most of the current electric cars run for 220-280 km on a single charge, the more expensive ones with bigger batteries offer a range of 400 km, as per the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP).
How long does it take to charge the car?
Depending on which car model you have, how big the battery is and how fast the charging point is, it can take anywhere from around 60 minutes to 8-9 hours for an electric car to charge up to 80%. However, with rapid chargers, you can reduce this time to 30-40 minutes.
How much will charging cost at home and at public stations?
The battery capacity usually ranges from 20-45 kWh. If you charge at home, the cost will depend on the power tariff in your state, which ranges from Rs 8-10 per unit. In Delhi, the cost at charging stations is Rs 4-4.5 kWh, while domestic rate varies from Rs 3-8 per unit. This means you will spend Rs 80-202 to charge your EV at a charging station, but the cost will be higher at Rs 160-450 if you do it at home. In Mumbai, the cost is Rs 15 per unit at charging stations, so you will end up spending Rs 300-675.
How long does a battery last?
Since most electric car batteries are lithium ion-based, they will degrade over time. Currently, most electric cars are coming with a battery warranty of 8-years or 1.6 lakh km.
How can I find a nearby public charging station?
There are several mobile apps and websites that can help locate EV charging stations closest to you. Some of the aggregator websites include Tata Motors and Charge-List, while apps include Kazam, EV Plugs, Tata Power EZ Charge, Battre, Zeon, among several others. Some of these apps are by companies who have established a network of charging stations across the country.
Source: ET Bureau
