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elektrische volkswagen
21 Oct 2020

How to charge your electric Volkswagen

Lynn
By Lynn
  • Read time: 4 minutes
Over the last few years, there has been a continued push for automobile manufacturers around the world to manufacture and market much more high-quality electric vehicles. Just over the past years, Volkswagen has risen to the task and invented amazing VW electric cars, giving you the chance to buy a vehicle that primarily runs on electricity only. These vehicles depend on no petroleum products and emit zero CO2 into the environment. Although the cars are currently available, most prospective buyers have no idea what is needed to charge the car. Here’s some crucial info to assist you along.
volkswagen

The Volkswagen e-golf is one of the limited electric vehicles on the market. What may amaze you is that VW did not initially design it to be an EV model. This VW electric car takes after the conventional Golf. When it comes to the electric vehicle world, this Volkswagen electric car is now a favourite amongst the EV fanatics, thanks to the upgrade in equipment and battery. Currently, you can travel for up to 186 miles when fully charges

The charging options for all circumstances

It is now possible to charge your Volkswagen electric car wherever you need and whenever you need. Since it’s easy to install charging points, it is currently faster and easier to charge your EV (electric vehicle) from work or home than it was a couple of years ago. In fact, ZapMaps announced that the number of charging stations surpasses that of filling stations in the United Kingdom. All you need to have is an electric Volkswagen charger and professionally installed household socket.

There is nothing that should stop you from recharging your car since VW power sockets and cables are totally weatherproof and waterproof. In addition, to guarantee your peace of mind, Volkswagen utilises lithium-ion technology when manufacturing their batteries. What this means is, the batteries are incredibly useful when it comes to preserving

Finding the perfect charging point

Be it a Volkswagen ID 3, Volkswagen e-golf, Volkswagen Passat and Volkswagen Golf GTEs, Volkswagen XL1, or even Volkswagen e-up; you can fill it up at various charging stations you may come across. You only have to select your car model and find out the charging station that perfectly fits your electric vehicle. At the charging station, you will find an electric Volkswagen charger that suits your electric car model.

Volkswagen ID.4

AC or DC charging?

Does the type of charging utilised really matter? Yes, it matters! The advantage about AC (alternating current) is that it is what most UK plug sockets you come across utilise. Thus, in addition to finding it in most charging points, it’s the most prevalent method of EV charging. Nonetheless, there is a faster technology that exists.

On the other hand, by utilising DC (direct current) technology, it is possible to attain charging speeds of between 22kW and 50kW. The experts call this type of charging rapid charge due to the simple fact that it is 10 times quicker than the speed of the main powers found in typical homes.

You can refill your EV with DC power at Combined Charging System (CSS) stations. The good thing is, Volkswagen EVs like GTEs and Volkswagen ID 3 comes with the optional CSS socket for you to use whenever in a hurry.

What are the connection types in Volkswagen EVs?

Three types of connections exist in vw electric and hybrid cars. They include mains, CSS, and type 2.

Mains Charging – it is typically the conventional three-pin plug you use for the common electrical appliances in your house.

CSS – primarily used in rapid charge stations. It offers the speediest charge times.

Type 2 – it is what your house wall box utilises. Many public charge points prefer using this kind of plug.

Most charging applications will give you the chance to filter the connection type. Therefore, you can rest be assured to have the ability to assess public charge points that suits your car model before trying to connect.

Charging your electric Volkswagen at home

Charging is similar to the regular refuelling only that you have a couple of additional options. For instance, think of electric car charging at home. It’s essential to note that charging it from home does not demand fancy kit or significant investment and installations. You can either utilise the standard plug2, or install EV charger. With these features in place, you only need to plug in your vehicle.

Having an electric car charger in your house is similar to having a personal filling station in your homestead. The same way you charge your phone as you go to sleep, you can plug your car to charge when going to bed to have it charged by the time you wake up.

The main reason why you need to have an EV charger installed in your house is that it is more durable than the ordinary household socket. And the fact that the gadget is high-voltage necessitates the need to have it installed by a professional.

Just like the basic electrical socket, you have to connect one end of the charging cable to the power and connect the other end to your vehicle. After connecting to power, just lock the doors using the remote-control key. A green flashing light pops up, indicating that the charging process is underway.

Checking the range and charge levels

Just like when driving a petrol or diesel vehicle, it is always advisable to keep a close check at the vehicle’s energy levels to avoid running out of gas in the middle of a highway. In Volkswagen electronic Golf, GTEs, and the e-up, you can locate the charging status on the radio navigation system and the instrument cluster, or even on the maps + more display.

Additionally, you can launch the We-Connect application and find out about the battery status if you are not near your car. The app shows you everything you need to know about the vehicle.

In conclusion, the ideal way to recharge your electric car is to plug it in overnight to charge the battery fully at your house. This minimises the need to refill it now and then using motorway service station electric charging stations. All in all, Volkswagen embeds a Zap-Map on their electric vehicles. The feature helps you to find the nearest charging points. Besides, it gives you the charge stations which are compatible with both hybrid and electric vehicles.

Do you want the charging station mounted on the wall or on a pole?
Is the charging station for business or private use?

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Lynn

Written by Lynn

Writes blogs about EV charging and climate solutions for 50five.