LE BO BLOG

Recharging your electric vehicle on holiday, which solutions at which costs?

Economic and ecological win-win situation for tenants and owners.

The electric car is increasingly popular and recharging solutions are a real problem for holidaymakers who must now take this constraint into account when organising their stay.

Going on ski holidays with an electric car
As a  landlord do I have to install a special electric vehicle charging point and how much does it cost?

As a non-professional landlord, you are not required by law to provide a charging point for electric vehicles. Moreover, an electric car does not need a special installation to be connected. The only difference will be the charging speed and the possible calculation of consumption per vehicle. Contrary to some preconceived ideas, there is no risk of overheating.

Some quick calculations to see the impact of charging an electric car on your electricity bill:

In 2023, the price of a kWh of electricity in France for private individuals is 0.2141 € TTC at EDF’s regulated tariffs for the most common meter powers (6kVA) in basic option.

A big electric vehicle will have a “high performance” battery with a total capacity of approximately 70 kW or 90 kW maximum.

A small electric vehicle will have a battery with a total capacity of about 40 kW.

To charge these batteries on a “normal” electricity socket (which has a maximum charging capacity of 2 kW/h), i.e. without a special charger, you will need :
– for a large battery (90kW) 45h, i.e. a cost of 90 x 0.2141€ (base rate) = €19.26
– for a “classic” battery (70kW) 35 hours, i.e. a cost of 70 x €0.2141 = €14.98
– for a small battery (40kW) 20 hours, i.e. a cost of 40 x €0.2141 = €8.56

The charge stops automatically when the battery is full.

In this example we do not take into account the fact that when you start charging a vehicle, it is usually never fully discharged because the risk of running out of battery is too high.

In practice you have about 20% of battery left when you think about charging.

Also not taken into account in this example are the off-peak rates which vary between contracts.

So we can reasonably assume that if on average it takes 35 hours to charge 70 kW, the cost of charging a good road is 70 x 0.2141 = €14.98

Finally, our experience in the field shows us that a renter who spends a week in the mountains will use his vehicle very little and that he will need to fully charge his vehicle before setting off on his return journey.

Our estimate of the weekly cost of charging an electric SUV is therefore around €20.

But what are the advantages of installing a special charging point for my electric vehicle ?

Faster charging: a special charging point for electric vehicles can charge your car faster than a standard domestic socket. The maximum power that can be installed in a private home is 22 KW/H on a three-phase installation and 11 KW/H on a standard single-phase installation.

Convenience and practicality: you and/or your tenants will not have to look for public charging stations and you will not have to travel to charge your electric vehicle. Nor do you have to wait for a space to become available (especially during holiday periods) to “tan” your vehicle.

Savings on charging costs: using a special charging point for electric vehicles can be cheaper than public charging points. You may also benefit from favourable electricity rates, depending on your energy supplier.

Increased property value: installing an electric vehicle charging station can increase the value of your property. More and more potential buyers are looking for houses or apartments* with electric vehicle charging points.

Environmentally friendly: by using an electric car and charging it at home, you reduce your carbon footprint and help protect the environment.

The cost of installing an electric vehicle charging point varies depending on a number of factors, such as the type of point, charging power, site configuration and local wiring and permit requirements. In general, you can expect to pay between €500 and €2000 for the installation of a residential electric vehicle charging point. However, it is recommended that you seek quotes from several installers to get an accurate estimate for your specific situation.

In summary, installing a special charging point for your electric vehicle offers a convenient, fast and cost-effective way to charge your car at home, while helping to protect the environment and increase the value of your property.

*Condominiums: the charging point for electric vehicles is an issue on the agenda of general meetings.

There are perfectly suited charging stations where the cost of charging is charged individually. Several installation methods are possible:

Connection to the personal meter: the charging point can be connected to the personal electrical panel of the user of the electric vehicle, but this solution is rarely chosen in condominiums because of the major work required and the costs involved.

Connection to common areas: if the charging station is connected to the power supply of the common areas, the energy supplier is identical to that of the condominium and an individual metering device is added, provided that the power available is sufficient to charge the vehicle. Nevertheless, this solution should be considered when the needs are limited, as the common areas do not allow for multiple personal connections or charging stations.

Individual connection to communal areas: if the power available on the communal area is insufficient, a new delivery point must be installed, leaving the user free to use the energy supplier of his choice. On the other hand, the costs are higher, which requires the association of several users to share the financing of the project. This solution is therefore reserved for condominiums where there are many needs or where several charging stations are to be installed.

Whatever the system set up, no invoicing will be made to the co-ownership. In fact, each charging station is equipped with an individual meter to measure the electricity consumed by its user, which makes it possible to invoice the user directly for the consumption made. In parallel, there are solutions that make it possible to secure the individual use bollards in a collective environment in order to avoid electricity theft.