Wallbox—the personal charging station

The private “charging point” is turning into a key element in the development of electric mobility. And, as is already the case for electric vehicles, government funding is leading to rapid distribution.

Since July 21, German citizens have once again been able to secure a grant of 900 euros from the government for their own charging box. Because of the enormous demand, the funding has had to be extended by a further 300 million. This was also a matter of urgency, as the development of public charging infrastructure remains sluggish.

According to the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Germany will need more than one million publicly available charging points by 2030. So far, however, there are only 44,000 slow charging points and 6,700 rapid-charging points in operation. In order to keep pace with the registrations of electric cars, there needs to be 20 times more fast charging stations available.

The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) will therefore make an additional 500 million euros available by the end of 2025 with the reissued “Publicly available charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in Germany” support program. Among other things, this will cover at least 20,000 DC charging points with a performance of more than 22 kW.

Funding for private charging

At home, however, the funding for AC wallboxes should solve this vexing problem. Household power outlets are not actually made for long periods of charging under high loads.

Wall-mounted charging stations, meanwhile, offer maximum security and high-performance charging—instead of the 2.3 kW offered by household outlets, they reach up to 22 kW. And thanks to the newly replenished grants from the BMVI, there is 900 euros from the state. The condition: The charging station must have a charging performance of 11 kW, it must be both intelligent and controllable in order to avoid critical situations in the network, and the electricity must come from 100% renewable energies.

Six ADAC tips for private wallboxes

This list from ADAC and E.ON clarifies what else to watch out for on the way to your own charging station.

Funding opportunities
The German government is extending the funding of private charging stations by 300 million euros. That’s 900 euros per charging point. There are also regional and communal funding programs. Funding databases such as E.ON’s show what conditions have to be met for financial support.
Wallbox
Most models fit electric cars with the standardized type 2 plug, but differ in terms of functionality. In the case of networked boxes, for example, the charging process can be controlled and viewed using a smartphone app. Publicly available wallboxes in underground garages or carports should be protected against unauthorized usage either with a classic key, app access or an RFID card. If installed outdoors, it must also be protected against the weather. Many boxes are also available in versions with or without a permanently connected charging cable.
Residual current circuit breaker
What’s important is the residual current circuit breaker, RCCB for short, which immediately disconnects the circuit in the event of an overload: Only a few wallboxes have an integrated RCCB. When choosing a wallbox, pay attention to whether you need the cheaper, upstream RC type A or the RC type B for the installation—you can find information on this in the data sheet of the respective product.
Charging performance
The standard charging performance is 11 kW, enough to fully charge an electric car overnight. Reloading for a distance of 300 km therefore takes about six hours. Naturally, it’s quicker with 22 kW wallboxes, provided the car is built for it. Don’t forget: Wallboxes with up to 11 kW charging performance must be registered with your respective distribution system operator. For wallboxes with a higher charging performance, you also need approval from your distribution system operator. In either case, this must be seen to before installation.
Placement and costs
The wallbox should be mounted in such a way that it matches the charging connection of the electric car. This way you avoid risking tripping on cables lying in the way. The consumer can receive a quote for the installation of the wallbox from an electrician directly or online, for example from ADAC.
Selecting electricity tariff
Electric cars are particularly environmentally friendly on the road if they are charged solely with green energy. Don’t forget: Purchasing green energy for the wallbox is a prerequisite for funding. There are also smart tariffs with which drivers of electric cars can charge their vehicle more cheaply with green energy on an evening and overnight.