The topic of electromobility in business and multi-family buildings involves many technical challenges. Investors, property managers, and fleet owners look for concrete, proven information before making a purchase decision, which will allow them to optimally plan their budget.
Below we have collected the 5 most important questions about electric vehicle chargers that most often arise during the analysis of such investments.
1. Will a 22 kW charger always charge a car twice as fast as an 11 kW one?
Not always. The speed of energy replenishment depends not only on the power of the station itself, but primarily on the parameters of the so-called onboard charger (OBC), with which a given car is factory-equipped.
Many popular electric car models have an onboard charger with power limited to 11 kW. If you connect such a vehicle to a 22 kW station, it will draw a maximum of 11 kW.
So why is it worth investing in 22 kW stations? They are fully future-proof, support cars equipped with more powerful AC charging systems, and allow for effective power sharing when two vehicles are connected to one device simultaneously.
2. We have a limited connection in the building. Do we have to buy more power from the power plant?
Increasing the connection power with the distribution system operator (DSO) is often associated with high costs and long waiting times. In many cases, however, this can be avoided by using modern technological solutions.
Advanced electric vehicle chargers have a DLM (Dynamic Load Management) function. This system continuously monitors the current energy consumption of the entire facility (e.g., office, machinery, air conditioning). When the building is running at full capacity, the charger automatically lowers its power. During hours of lower load or at night, the station immediately boosts charging parameters to the maximum. This protects the installation from overload without the need for costly connection expansion.
3. Plug with a cable or just a socket? What works better outdoors?
The choice depends on the nature of the parking lot. Both solutions have their bright sides:
- A station with an integrated cable ensures higher comfort of use in private parking lots – the driver simply pulls up and plugs in the connector without taking out their own cables.
- A station with a Type 2 socket is a solution recommended for public, company, and residential parking lots.
The lack of a permanently attached cable drastically reduces the risk of mechanical damage caused by running over it with a wheel or careless maneuvering. The socket version ensures that when the station is not in use, there are no elements hanging on it that are exposed to external factors or vandalism.
4. How to effectively protect the station against unauthorized power consumption?
Operating a station in an open area requires full control over energy distribution. Leaving the device in open mode (“Plug & Charge”) in a semi-public space could generate uncontrolled costs.
The most effective and proven solution is authorization using RFID proximity cards. In such a system, the station will provide power only after bringing the assigned card close, which only authorized employees, guests, or tenants have. Additionally, devices integrated with mobile applications (e.g., in the common Tuya/Smart Life ecosystem) allow the administrator to remotely view the session history and immediately block access from the phone.
5. Charging in the rain or during a storm – is it completely safe?
Yes, it is completely safe. The architecture of Type 2 connectors has been designed in such a way as to exclude any risk of electric shock. Current in the cables appears only when the plug is correctly locked in the car’s socket, and both devices pass the digital communication protocol and confirm the tightness of the connection.
Furthermore, professional outdoor chargers are characterized by a high tightness class (minimum IP54) and have advanced, internal residual current protection (RCD), which cuts off the power supply in a fraction of a second in case of detecting any network anomalies or moisture on the main contacts.
Investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure does not have to be complicated or generate unforeseen costs. The key to success is matching the station’s parameters to the real needs of the facility, the type of parking lots, and the expected traffic intensity.
By choosing safe solutions equipped with RFID authorization, intelligent power management (DLM), and high resistance standards, you gain the certainty that the station will serve employees, customers, or residents without failure for many years.