Where can I charge up?
Electric mobility is set to play a growing part in our day-to-day lives. It could possibly change yours soon too. Then you can shake off old habits and you’ll find that many things have become easier. For instance, you can charge your electric car while you sleep, work or go shopping. The many charging stations available when you are out and about or options at home will supply you with power around the clock. And if you also use power that is actually being generated from renewable primary energy sources and is not just certified as renewable, you will be well on the road to a future with even more sustainability and even fewer emissions. Sounds good? It is!
Filling up at home.
Your electric car can charge while you sleep.
Imagine getting into your electric vehicle in the morning and starting the day full of energy. While you’ve been resting overnight, your car has also been recharging. All you need for this is a mains charging cable. This will already have been provided with your vehicle. It enables you to charge at any domestic/Schuko socket. It couldn’t be simpler.
A charging station in your own home.
- Charging from a socket: Charging your electric car at home is easier than you think. Simply plug the charging cable into the socket and plug the charging connector into your vehicle. Lock your car with the key and the charging process will start straight away.
- Charging from a Wallbox: If you have a house with a garage or car port, the easiest solution is to install an optional Wallbox. The charging process is just as simple, but it is much more convenient and faster than using a domestic/Schuko socket: simply take the connector, plug it in, lock the car, unlock again and you’re done. The power is of course taken from your domestic supply and billed as usual via your electricity provider. Greater convenience and speed – perfect for you.
If you are renting rather than living in your own house or if you own an apartment in a shared building and park on the street out front, charging may at first seem more difficult as we are certainly a long way from having a public charging infrastructure in every residential area at the moment. The easiest option is therefore to charge at work if there is a suitable charging infrastructure available in the car park. The advantage of this option is that if you are an average commuter (For example, travelling a total distance of around 50 km a day), you will only need to charge once a week. Ideally, you can do this is in the morning or afternoon while you are at work.
Do you own an apartment in a building with its own garage? In Germany, you currently need the agreement of all the owners in the apartment-owners’ association for the building in order to install a Wallbox. However, clear changes are being felt in this area too. The legislative authority has recently introduced changes to make it easier for people to take advantage of the benefits of charging points in shared buildings.
Charging at work.
Your electric car can charge while you work.
Increasing numbers of employers are gradually electrifying their vehicle fleets and company cars. Many employers are setting up charging infrastructures and are now offering their staff the option to charge their electric cars or plug-in hybrids at a company charging station. This is changing mobility. Perhaps your employer already provides charging points in the company car park? If you commute short distances of around 50 km a day, you will only need to charge your electric car once a week. The ideal solution is to do this during your working hours.
Go shopping while the car is charging.
Run your errands with peace of mind. In the meantime, your car is charging up.
Time is so valuable these days. Why not use the time spent charging to run some errands? You could go shopping, for example. Increasing numbers of supermarkets, shopping centres and even furniture stores are gradually setting up their own charging infrastructures. This means that you can not only cover the daily charging needs of your electric car (sometimes even for free), but you can also make good use of the time while your vehicle is charging.
Take the next exit to charge.
On the motorway.
If you drive long distances, you will need to charge your electric vehicle on the motorway. The good news is that there will be a great deal of change in this particular area within the next two years. The rapid charging infrastructure is being built and expanded. Among these efforts, the Volkswagen Group is working to build this kind of charging infrastructure as part of the IONITY joint venture that has been set up with other automotive manufacturers. Electricity providers are also making greater investments to expand rapid charging stations on motorways, which means that a large number of motorway service stations will have suitable charging options in the foreseeable future.
We Charge - Volkswagen’s new charging service.
Your perfect companion for every trip.
You are going on a getaway or planning your next vacation? No problem. We Charge is via Volkswagen’s We Connect app1 your connector to a dense and reliable charging network for a worry free driving experience across Europe. We Charge allows you to plan your trips comfortably along a public charging network and navigates you to a free charging station. Ideally to one of Ionity’s new fast chargers that provide fast charging across Europe. At once, simple handling while charging and a transparent payment process always ensure your safe arrival.
We Charge – Find. Charge. Go.
Meeting pressure, distracted by your kids or the never-ending construction site – there are many reasons for losing overview of your charging status. Fortunately, We Charge keeps an eye at all times on your charging options and displays available charging stations on your navigation system, via the app or web. HPC charging stations (High Power Charging) from IONITY are highlighted. Hence, long distance trips are easy to handle – at least from a charging point of view. Of course, you can plan your journey comfortably from home and send it with all stopovers from the app to your in-car navigation system. We Charge will take care of the rest – all you have to do is drive.
