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    • Depending on its compatibility, an electric vehicle (EV) can be charged in two different ways...

      Depending on its compatibility, an electric vehicle (EV) can be charged in two different ways:  

      • via AC (alternative current); in this case the charger distributes the energy to the electric vehicle. This current is then converted in the EV by the vehicle's built-in converter, to supply the battery and be stored.  

      This charging method is currently the most common – it is estimated that 80% of charging is done on a daily basis at home and at the workplace. AC charging is the most adapted and the least expensive when the vehicle is parked for an extended period (more than 30 minutes). 

      • via DC (direct current); in this case, the station itself converts the network’s AC current into DC current before sending it to the vehicle to directly charge the battery. 

      This rapid charging mode is the best suited to ad hoc charging, limited to around 45 minutes.  

      To learn more about the different types of current and their use, read our article

    • There are two types of chargers...

      There are two types of chargers:  

      AC chargers deliver charging powers ranging from 3.7 kVA to 43 kVA and are suited to individuals or professionals wishing to charge their vehicle over a long period.  These chargers can be found mainly at home, at the workplace, in parking lots of public-access buildings and on public roads. 

      DC chargers can deliver higher charging powers than AC chargers, from 24 kW and up to 350 kW (the maximum power currently supported by only a few vehicles), and are also more suited to individuals or professionals wishing to charge rapidly. These chargers are found in TotalEnergies service stations, in high-power charging hubs and in certain public-access buildings.  

    • To choose the chargers best suited to your vehicle, several criteria must be considered...

      To choose the chargers best suited to your vehicle, several criteria must be considered :  

      • The maximum power accepted by your EV: it is the vehicle that dictates to the charger the power that it can accommodate in its battery, and not the reverse! So there is no point in charging an EV on a charger that delivers a higher power than the maximum power accepted by the EV. Remember to check the maximum power accepted by your EV to optimise your charging sessions. 
      • Location: an EV can be charged at various places (at home, at work, on the road). Opt for slow charging at home (between 3.7 and 7 kVA) to fully charge your EV. For ad hoc charging, choose a rapid or high-power chargers (from 24 kW to 350 kW) in a service station, a dedicated hub or in certain parking lots of public-access buildings.
      • The time you have available: if you have several hours to charge your EV, opt for an AC charger; it’s slower but less expensive. If the reverse is true and your charging time is limited (max. 45 mins), choose a DC chargers, which is faster, provided that your vehicle accepts the maximum power delivered by the charger. 
      • The use of your EV: the power needed to charge your EV depends more on your use of it than in its driving range. If you travel only 20 to 30 km per day, you don’t need to charge daily on a rapid chargers and you can use a normal chargers if your EV’s battery is under 20%. On the other hand, if you travel long distances daily, choose a rapid or high-power chargers.  

      To find out more about the type of charger suited to your vehicle, this article may interest you.. 

    • There is no fixed charging duration that applies to all electric vehicles...

      There is no fixed charging duration that applies to all electric vehicles.  

      The time needed to fully charge an electric vehicle depends on various factors:  

      • the power accepted by the EV battery: if your EV accepts a high power, the charging session will be quicker during the first minutes. On the other hand, if the EV accepts maximum power of 22 kVA, the charging session will be longer; 
      • the power delivered by the charger: this directly impacts the charging speed. In fact the higher the power delivered by the charger, the shorter the charging time (provided that the vehicle accepts the maximum power delivered by the charger).  
      • the EV’s battery level: you must consider the state of charge of the battery before starting a charging session. The duration of a charging session will be different for an electric vehicle with a state of charge at 15% or at 65% when the charging session begins.  

      To find out the maximum power accepted by your EV refer to its technical characteristics. 

    • The difference between the power received by the EV and the expected power can be explained in several ways: 

      The difference between the power received by the EV and the expected power can be explained in several ways:  

      • you are charging on a station that delivers power lower than the power level that your vehicle can accept. For example, you are charging your vehicle which accepts power greater than 50 kW on a 7 kVA chargers.  
        In this case the power delivered is less that the expected power and the charging time is longer. 
      • you are charging on a station that delivers power greater than the power level that your EV can accept; in this case the EV automatically restricts the power received.  
      • the level of charge of the battery; when the battery has reached 80%, the chargers automatically reduces the power delivered to charge the remaining 20%. 

      To find out the maximum power accepted by your EV refer to its technical characteristics. 

    • No, you don’t need to charge your EV to 100%.

      No, you don’t need to charge your EV to 100%.  

      If the charge flow rate, meaning the power delivered by the charger, is high at the start of the session, it will drop throughout the charging session.  

      Similarly, the slower the charge flow rate, the more constant the energy recovery by the EV, and the more it will drop when the charging level has reached its maximum limit, which is around 80%. 

      It is therefore recommended that you charge your EV to between 20% and 80%. When the battery level reaches 80%, charging speed drops considerably and the time needed to go from 80% to 100% will be similar to the time needed to go from 20% to 80%. 

      For more details on the factors impacting your charging session, this article may interest you.

    • Smart Charging is the management of electric vehicle charging with parameters involving time and/or resource limitation (typically in terms of power). It optimizes the charging profile by balancing the demands placed on the system...

      Smart Charging is the management of electric vehicle charging with parameters involving time and/or resource limitation (typically in terms of power). It optimizes the charging profile by balancing the demands placed on the system. 

      For example, the system may determine the period at which energy is cheapest, most readily available or from a renewable source. Simply put, whenever charging is not triggered immediately when the vehicle connects, we can say that this is Smart Charging, whether it is very simple (such as charging in off-peak hours) or a lot more sophisticated (involving dynamic power balancing). 

    • Our AC charging network (at home, on public roads, at the workplace or on the parking lots of certain public-access buildings) is equipped with standard European sockets (T2 and E/F) and offers charging power from 3.7 kVA to 22 kVA, for slow to accelerated charging...  

      Our AC charging network (at home, on public roads, at the workplace or on the parking lots of certain public-access buildings) is equipped with standard European sockets (T2 and E/F) and offers charging power from 3.7 kVA to 22 kVA, for slow to accelerated charging.

      Our DC charging network (in service stations, in dedicated hubs or on the parking lots of certain public-access buildings) is equipped with T2, Combo CCS and CHAdeMO sockets, suited to all EVs, and offers charging power from 24 kW to 350 kW.

      The TotalEnergies network is therefore suited to all EV brands and models.

      See all our sockets and connectors in our dedicated article.

    TotalEnergies Charging Solutions Deutschland treibt den Ausbau der Elektromobilität voran

    Elektromobilitätsangebot in Deutschland