Dozens of renowned brands that each in turn have dozens of different types of charging stations in their range and that you can all find on our website. Although a wide range is always nice, it also makes it difficult to find the right charging station that suits your situation. To make it a bit easier for you, we have listed the five most important points below that you should take into account when comparing the options.
Before you start: take enough time to make the right choice
Don't dive straight into the comparison, but save the page or send the link to yourself, so that you can look at it later in peace. The points below are all important and it is good to take enough time for this. For example, we have not included the obvious factors such as the budget in the overview, instead we have made all the space for the factors that you really need to look at carefully.
If you choose the charging station that suits you best and that will allow you to charge perfectly in the coming years, you can be sure that you will not have to compare again in a short time and that you will not have to have a new charging station installed immediately to meet the new requirements.
Point 1: How much power should and can the charging station have at your home?
The first point is also one of the most important points that you will spend most of your time on. Charging stations have different maximum charging speeds, which is solely related to the number of phases and amperes on the connection. The actual maximum charging speed is determined by the electric car, the charging station or the power connection. The lowest maximum speed of all three of these factors determines how fast you can actually charge.
This means that your charging station must have at least the maximum charging speed of your power connection, because otherwise it will extend the charging time. If you have an older electric car that you want to replace in the short term, do not let the maximum charging speed of the EV play a significant role, but look to the future.
We generally recommend charging stations with a charging speed of 11 kW or 22 kW charging stations . These are suitable for current electric cars and can also supply the electric cars of the future (with a larger battery pack) with power within a night. Keep in mind that you also need a solid (possibly even reinforced) power connection for this.
Point 2: a charging station with fixed charging cables or a model with sockets?
The second point is fortunately considerably easier. There are charging stations that are equipped with fixed charging cables, while other charging stations are equipped with a socket (or multiple sockets) where you can plug in a loose charging cable . A charging station with fixed charging cables seems the best option, because you never have to wonder where the charging cable is, but appearances can be deceiving in this case.
The charging cable is the part that suffers the most during daily use. This means that it has to deal with the most wear and tear, including pressure (and tensile force) on the connection. If the charging cable or connection of the cable in the charging station breaks, this means that the charging station must be repaired. This often costs considerably more than replacing a separate charging cable. A charging station without fixed charging cables is therefore the best option for most situations, because it allows you to save considerably on maintenance costs.
Point 3: the charging station model you need
The third point is also a relatively simple point, but at the same time a factor to take into account. There are various models on the market, such as the wallbox, a standard charging station and even very beautiful models (which mainly come from Scandinavia). Here the first question is what fits. If you want to place a charging station in a garage, in many cases you will end up with the more practical wallbox.
If the charging station is placed on an outside wall or along the driveway, you have more freedom of choice. In that case, think about what the charging station will look like when you are standing in front of your house. That way, in most cases you will know relatively quickly which model of charging station suits you best.
Point 4: Functions and features you want to use when charging at home
The fourth point is a bit more difficult, especially because it depends entirely on what exactly you want. For example, do you want to be able to fully lock and unlock the charging station, even remotely? Do you want to be able to read historical charging sessions or do you even need a charging station with a kWh meter to be able to settle the charging costs because you drive for business? There are numerous features and functions available. Most additions are useful, but in almost all cases they cost extra. Better designed charging stations simply have a higher price, but they do make charging easier and more fun.
Are you looking for a charging station with specific functions and features and can't find what you are looking for? Then please contact us, so that we can look together at the charging stations that meet the requirements and budget that you have.
Point 5: Should the charging station be able to communicate with other systems?
Do you have solar panels or a smart meter, or do you want a smart charging station and do you also want to have a smart meter installed for that? More and more people are opting for a smart home, where the systems must be able to communicate with each other in order to deliver optimal efficiency and make it even easier for us. If you also want this with your charging station, you need a charging station that is suitable for this. Therefore, look at charging stations with solar panel connection when the solar panels have to power the charging station and choose a smart charging station if you also want to use load balancing or want to be prepared for bi-directional charging.
Please note: are you already choosing a smart charging station, but are you not yet connecting it to the meter or solar panels? Then always have a data cable pulled along when installing the charging station. That way you can also connect the charging station to the other systems after a few months or years. Are you not pulling the data cable along immediately? Then everything must be opened again when connecting, because the data cable is needed for optimal contact.
Please add more points that you find important
We could have made a list of 20 or even 30 points here. However, your own situation and personal preferences are important when making a choice. Therefore, also look at what is important to you. This could be the lifespan of the charging station, the brand that stands behind the product or perhaps even the price in relation to similar charging stations. Therefore, add factors that you find important. Do you have no idea what to look for? Then take a look at the filters and categories on the page or our blogs, where you will find numerous possibilities, inspiration and ideas.
Finding the right charging station is a piece of cake at Accu-Machine.nl
Based on the above points, you can relatively easily find the charging station that suits your situation. All our products are provided with a CE quality mark and have of course been extensively tested so that we can guarantee safe and optimal charging. You can also see this in the warranty period that we give on our charging stations. If you also order before five o'clock today, we will send the products the same day. That is also why you choose Accu-Machine.nl!
