All about charging electric cars and wallboxes

Do you own an electric car or are you about to buy one? iServices clarifies some doubts.

Electric mobility has taken over our lives. Charging stations were emerging from north to south of the country, and on the roads there are more and more vehicles designed with less environmental impact in mind.

At iServices we are committed to bringing “green” solutions to our customers, namely in the technological context, providing a complete multi-brand repair service for smartphones or computers, in order to extend the life of their equipment, or even in the offer of Refurbished Apple, which save thousands of pounds of electronic waste.

More recently, we launched our Electric Car Charger cable, with a Type 2 universal plug, allowing it to be used at all charging stations in Europe.
Clarify your doubts about wallboxes and electric vehicle charging with iServices.

How to charge electric cars?

Charging electric cars, in a simple way, is similar to charging any electrical or electronic device. You must have a charging cable, and connect it to the car socket (located on the side of the vehicle or on the front logo) and to the charging station socket.

How to charge an electric car at home?

To charge your electric car at home, you must have a wallbox. They are simple-to-use equipment that avoids traveling to public stations or charging stations at gas stations.

What is a wallbox?

A wallbox is a home charging station. It consists of a box with a control system to schedule charges, manage power, and define charging profiles through a card system and an RFID reader. In the background, it is an electric car charger for home or garage.

How much power is needed to charge electric cars?

The power to charge an electric car depends on a number of factors, namely the power supported by the vehicle, the electrical power contracted at home, and the equipment you will use to charge it.

According to Hyundai, most of the power contracted in Portuguese homes is enough to support the charging of an electric car. When installing a Wallbox at home, make sure with a professional that the equipment is adjusted to your vehicle.

Check the wallbox wattage to determine if you need to change your electrical panel to a three-phase model. The single-phase model supports charging powers up to 7kW. If the power is 11kW or 22kW, you must make sure that you have an electrical panel and a three-phase wallbox. Please note that the contracted kVA must always be higher than the charging power value of your vehicle. The Chargeguru website points to the following powerhouses:

Wallbox Power Minimum Contracted Power
3.7 kW 4.6 kVA / 5.75 kVA Wallbox
7.4 kW 10.35 kVA single-phase Walbox
11 kW 13.8 kVA three-phase wallbox
22 kW 27.60 three-phase wallbox

How much does it cost to charge electric cars?

The cost of charging electric cars (especially at home) always includes the price of the wallbox, and the price of electricity contracts. Contact your electricity provider or get information from the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE) about tariffs available in the regulated market.

How long does it take to charge an electric car?

The issue of charging time for electric cars depends on the contracted power, battery capacity, or the type of charging. ACP offers a quick calculation formula for charging time for your electric vehicle's battery:

BATTERY CAPACITY ÷ CHARGING POWER = CHARGING TIME

At iServices we are committed to bringing more and more ecological solutions to our customers. Discover our range of Refurbished MacBooks, Apple Watches, iPads or iPhones. In the event of a breakdown with your cell phone or computer, visit one of our stores across the country.