Where to plug in so as not to be left behind?

by time news

In Spain there are currently 150,000 electric vehicles, between pure electric and plug-in hybrids. Given this situation, planning the route for a family summer trip based on the existence of recharging points is key to arriving and enjoying the summer without any worries.

According to data recently published by ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association), they show that the density of charging points per 100 kilometers is quite different depending on the region. Up to 10 countries do not even have a charger for every 100 kilometers on main roads (motorways, state, provincial and county roads), although most of these countries also have a market share of plug-in vehicles (pure electric and plug-in hybrids) that is lower than 3%. By contrast, 18 countries have fewer than 5 charging points per 100 kilometers of road, and only four have more than 10 chargers per 100 kilometers.

The recharging infrastructure in tourist areas becomes a priority factor to be taken into account by those who are going to enjoy their vacations aboard an electric car. According to data from the collaborative platform CargaTuCoche, around 60% of electric vehicles in Spain depend on public charging points to guarantee their operation, of which there are only 15,000 in the entire country, which means that the public infrastructure is only capable to supply 10% of electric cars.

In addition, according to ANFAC data analyzed by the company, this distribution is not the same throughout the national territory, since not all the autonomous communities have the same development.

The autonomous community with the best recharging infrastructure and which therefore occupies first place in the ranking is Catalonia, which has 3,896 recharging points throughout the region. In this sense, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE) it is one of the most frequented in the summer period, since it receives 14.4% of Spanish visitors, who should worry less if they want to travel there with an electric vehicle since that offers great guarantees so as not to run out of charge at any time.

In second place is the Community of Madrid, which has almost 1,700 recharging points in its territory. As far as tourism is concerned, despite the fact that national visitors opt for coastal areas in the summer period, Madrid is the fifth most visited destination by Spaniards with 9% of national tourists.

The Valencian Community is another of the regions that is home to a large network of recharging points, as it has more than 1,600 distributed throughout its territory and occupies the third position in the ranking, behind Madrid and Catalonia. In addition, according to the INE, it is also the third most visited city by national tourists, accumulating 10.4% of the total.

For its part, Andalusia is the fourth autonomous community with the best recharging network with almost 1,500 points distributed throughout its territory, which allows travelers to visit its beaches and towns by electric car without any problem. This great infrastructure is relevant, since it is the preferred Spanish community to spend the summer, it is the destination chosen by 16.4% of all national tourists.

As for the rest of the Autonomous Communities, none exceed 1,000 charging points in each territory, which makes it difficult for them to become tourist destinations that are easily reached with an electric vehicle, but after Catalonia, Madrid, the Valencian Community and Andalusia , the Balearic Islands are the fifth territory that has a better charging point infrastructure with 927 installed.

It is followed by Castilla y León with 764 charging points, and it is also the fourth most visited community by national tourists with almost 10% of visitors; the Canary Islands with 750 charging points, the Basque Country with 561, Galicia with 501, Aragón with 398, Murcia with 352, Castilla – La Mancha with 312 and Asturias with 264. On the other hand, the five Spanish autonomous communities with the worst charging infrastructure recharging points are Extremadura with 245, Navarra with 222, Cantabria with 152, La Rioja with 71 and Ceuta and Melilla that have only 15 points throughout the territory.

How to install a charger at home

There are numerous doubts on the part of consumers when it comes to installing an electric charger at home. According to those responsible for CargaTuCoche, it is not necessary to request permission from the community of owners of the building if a neighbor wants to have an electric charger in his garage, since prior written communication is only required to the president and the administrator of the property. ..

In addition, it should be noted that the different Moves plans of the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) contemplate the granting of aid and subsidies to cover the costs of this installation. Normally it is the installation companies, the charger manufacturers and even the car dealers themselves who process these grants.

The final price of this installation (another of the main doubts that are usually had) depends on several factors. For example, the distance between the parking space and the housing meter or the materials themselves.

Of course, the type of charger chosen and the cost of labor also make the amount of the total bill unpredictable. But, to get an idea, the calculations of this startup ensure that putting a recharging point in the home can involve an outlay of more than 1,000 euros, aid already included. For this reason, it advises against running away from supposed bargains: “if an installation is offered for less than €700, the consumer should be vigilant and make sure that the information is correct and that all guarantees are met,” says the company.

In addition, it is recommended to always go to the installation company in case you have a problem with it. Although, he recognizes that the normal thing is that they only dedicate themselves to the installation and not to the maintenance.

It should be remembered that not all chargers are the same and that not all plugs are suitable for all models, since there is no universal charger format. Likewise, there are different power outlets for this type of vehicle, although according to data from this startup, 90% of the models that circulate in Europe do so with a type 2 connector for alternating current charges.

In addition, when choosing it will be necessary to take into account the type of electrical installation that we have at home. Although the three-phase option is faster when it comes to charging the vehicle, not all vehicles accept it. In any case, most chargers have a power of 7.4 kW, which allows the vehicle to be recharged in about 7 or 8 hours.

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