Electric Car Charging for common representatives and condominium managers
As the number of electric cars increases, charging at home is becoming increasingly important. In family houses, this can be solved relatively easily, but apartment residents do not have to give up the advantages offered by charging at home either.
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Among the advantages is the convenience, since there is no time limit for charging. In addition, this is the most cost-effective solution for electric car charging: it is four times cheaper than street charging.
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There are several types of apartment car charging. On the one hand, we can group them based on those authorised to use them, according to which network they are connected to, and whether charging is done individually or in groups.
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The ability to install electric car charging in apartment buildings is always a point of question. This depends on the state of the condominium's electrical network and the available capacity in the private/shared meter.
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In order to install an electric car charging station in the apartment building, it is inevitable that you, as a joint representative, get to know the different solutions, options, and the aspects of a safe installation.
What is condominium electric car charging?
Condominium electric car charging is home charging implemented for condominium residents. With this type of charging, an electric car charger is placed ins the apartment building, which can be used by one or more residents. The advantage of charging a car in a condominium is that you don't have to wait for street chargers and pay the price of street charging, which can be up to four times higher.
Why is it important to charge an electric car in a condominium?
In the past year, there have been many changes that prioritize electric car charging in condominiums. The number of electric cars is increasing every year, and public charging will become significantly more expensive in January 2023.
For these reasons, home charging will be increasingly prevalent in the future, so it is worth preparing as soon as possible for the increase in car charging needs in apartment buildings as well.
In many apartment buildings, the need has already arisen, which in most cases the residents solve themselves. This will most likely result in different brands of chargers in the garage, which is not a problem in the initial period.
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In a year or two - when all residents will no longer have the opportunity to request a charger - it will be necessary to introduce a unified system. For this, the chargers need to be of the same brand, need to be suitable for energy management, and need to be able to communicate with each other (this is often cloud-based, one element of which is the modbus meter). This would mean that the residents who have already bought a car charger would have to replace it, which would be a big expense for them.
In order to avoid this, it is worthwhile to assess the medium and long-term needs in advance, and start implementing the electric car charging in the apartment building accordingly. As a joint representative, it is worthwhile to find a solution that ensures the charging of electric cars in the apartment building in the long term.
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Why is it worth expanding the condominium with an electric car chargers?
Providing an electric car charging option increases the satisfaction and comfort of residents with an electric car. In addition, the presence of electric car chargers increases the property's value and appeal to potential buyers and tenants. More and more potential buyers or tenants are looking for suitable charging options for electric vehicles, which can be a differentiating factor between apartment buildings.
How do I know if the current electrical infrastructure of the building is suitable for electric car charging?
The adequacy of the current electrical infrastructure to supply electric car charging depends on the condition of the mainline electrical network .
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An on-site survey by an expert company is required to check the adequacy of the electrical network.
However, there are factors that are necessary for the installation of chargers, such as the parking lot only being used by residents. The lack of certain conditions, such as the minimum capacity available in the common meter, prevent the installation.
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An on-site survey by an expert company is required to check the adequacy of the electrical network and to establish the possibility of installation.
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Under what conditions can the apartment building's electric car charging network be installed?
The condominium electric car charging network can be installed if the following conditions exist.
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The electrical network is in good condition
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Fire zone boundaries are properly established
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The parking lot/garage can only be used by residents
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There is a minimum capacity in the community clock (at least 3*16 A)
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Under what circumstances can the apartment building's electric car charging network not be installed?
The condominium electric car charging network cannot be installed if the following conditions exist.
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The apartment building's mains network is outdated
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Fire zone boundaries are not properly established
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The parking lot/garage may not only be used by residents (e.g. in the case of panels)
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The capacity in the community meter is low (less than 3*16 A)
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How is the on-site survey carried out before the installation of the charging station for the electric car in the condominium?
The on-site survey consists of the following steps:
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Contact
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Scheduling an appointment for the on-site survey
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Assessment of the capacity of one's own meter or a shared meter
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Assessment of wiring length
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Parking lot viewing
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How much does the preliminary on-site survey cost?
The cost of the preliminary on-site survey ranges from 0 to 60,000 HUF .
Most companies provide this service free of charge before bidding, including Evergy Kft.
There are companies that charge a drop-off fee based on distance.
What types of apartment electric car charging are there?
There are two main types of electric car charging in condominiums, the shared charger and the private charger.
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One option is to install a shared charger that can be used by several residents in turn. This is a good solution if there are no private parking spaces in the apartment building.
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In the other case, the resident's own charger will be built in his own parking space, which only he can use. This solution can be used if there are designated spaces in the parking lot.
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The types of electric car charging in the apartment building can be broken down even further in the case of a private charger, based on the following criteria.
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Uniformity of solution
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Connection point/ network used
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Based on the uniformity of the solution
One of the most common questions regarding the installation of an electric car charging station in an apartment building is individual installation or a unified infrastructure. It's best to let the residents choose.
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The individual installation of the electric car charging in the apartment building means that the residents solve the installation of the charger separately.
In the case of a unified infrastructure, a central system is built connected to the common meter, which allows all residents to install an electric car charger, optimally distributing the available energy.
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The condition for this is that chargers of the same brand are installed and that subsequent new entrants also connect to this system.
We have prepared a summary of the details, implementation, and financing of the various solutions, which can serve as a guide for choosing the right type of electric car charging for apartment buildings.
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What are the advantages of having your own meter?
The advantages of your own meter.
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Easy to track consumption
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Construction is a one-time cost
With your own meter, monitoring consumption is easy, and the cost will be included in the electricity bill. In this case, the construction is a one-time cost for the resident. A good solution is if the meter and the parking lot are close to each other, i.e. on the same level.​
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What are the disadvantages of having your own meter?
Disadvantages of own meter:
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It is expensive if the parking space is far from the meter
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Limited charging speed
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Possibly the need to extend the meter
This solution can be extremely expensive (even in the order of millions of HUF) if your meter and the parking space are far from each other.
If the apartment is on the 4th floor and the parking space is on the -2nd floor, then the standard installation is impossible at this level.
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In addition, the capacity of the meter usually only allows for a lower charging speed (3.6 kW or 7.4 kW), for faster charging speeds it is often necessary to expand the meter. The latter problem can be eliminated by using energy management .
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Based on connection point/network used
Individual construction can be done from the resident's own meter or from the community meter of the apartment building. The third option is to open the new meter, which means that the resident requests a new meter from the service provider, which he uses exclusively for electric car charging.
This is a long and time-consuming process, so we primarily recommend connecting to the existing network.
The own meter means that the given resident connects to his own consumption meter, which also powers the other electrical equipment. Cabling to the resident's own parking space starts from here.
A second possibility is the common meter , when the resident is connected to the communal meter of the apartment building. Cabling to the resident's own parking space starts from here.
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What are the advantages of a joint meter?
The advantages of a joint meter.
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A quick and cost-effective solution
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Simpler design
Connecting to a shared meter can be a quick solution, and the implementation is also simple, because in most cases the meter and the parking lot are on the same level. In this way, there is no need to break through the walls between the levels and to restore the fire section, which also reduces the costs of the installation.
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What are the disadvantages of a shared meter?
Disadvantages of the joint meter:
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It is difficult to monitor consumption
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It causes a lack of capacity in the long term
When connecting to a shared meter, it is difficult to monitor individual consumption and the energy used to charge the car.
It is worth creating submeters for each charger, which need to be read manually.
If too many people connect to the common meter, they overload the system, which leads to power outages.
What permits are required to install the electric car charging system in the condominium?
The following permits may be required to build an electric car charging network in a condominium:
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Owner's approval (if the tenant requires the charger)
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Joint representative's permission
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General Assembly approval
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If the building is done individually on the resident's own meter, no separate permit is required , only if the tenant wants to install the charger himself. In this case, the permission of the owner of the apartment and its parking lot is required.
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If the installation is done individually from the common meter or a shared charger is implemented, then the approval of the common representative is required.
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In the case of a unified infrastructure, since this affects the entire apartment building, the solution must be approved at the general meeting , with a simple majority.
Szükséges engedélyek | Tulajdonos jóváhagyása | Közös képviselő engedélye | Közgyűlés jóváhagyása |
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Saját óra | Szükséges | Szükséges | Nem szükséges |
Közös óra | Szükséges | Szükséges | Nem szükséges |
Megosztott töltő | Szükséges | Szükséges | Nem szükséges |
Egységes infrastruktúra | Szükséges | Szükséges | Szükséges |
About Evergy - Why choose us?
Evergy is a company specializing in the installation of electric car chargers, and has its own construction team.
We provide a fast and safe solution for building charging at home.
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Advantages of Evergy.
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A long-term solution
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Comprehensive service
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Zero cost to the condominium
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Increases property value
Long-term
solution
Our system can be expanded, so it solves the charging of cars in the long term, sparing you the extra work.
Zero costs for the condominium!
The installation of the car charging system does not cost anything for the condominium and the residents who do not require charging.
Comprehensive
service
We will help you every step of the way, from the initial request, to implementation and operation.
Increase in property value
Electric car chargers increase the value of the building and makes it more advantageous in the eyes of potential tenants.
Such offers require the approval of the general assembly.
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If requested, we will be happy to go to the assembly to present the offer and answer any question they may have.
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You can find answers to frequently asked questions on our FAQ page.
Once the previous steps have been completed, the (central) system can be set up.
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Depending on the type of offer, either a backbone network is built from which the chargers are branched off, or a radial system is set up.
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On average it take 2 to 10 days to set up the system
Based on the on-site survey, we will prepare an offer for you!
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When making an offer, we take into account the available capacity, the length of the wiring between the meter and the charger, and the type of car.
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For more information on our services you can read our services page
What does the process of installing a condominium electric car charger look like?
Let us know your request and we will help you in the next steps of the process!
Request our free on-site survey!
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Our technical colleagues will go to your apartment at a time agreed with you and assess the available capacity.
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More about the on-site survey in our blog article you can read.
After accepting the offer, we will conclude a contract with you!
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To draw up the contract, you will only need your data and a mutually agreed installation date.
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Together with the contract, we will also send you a fee request for half of the installation fee.
We help you asses your residents' charging needs!
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We send out a needs assessment form and place information materials about charging options in the condominium.
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This will make the needs management process smooth and easy.
Residents who have requested a charger have it installed in their parking place.
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The installation is carried out by our qualified electricians in accordance with the standards.
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The installation of the charger take on average half a day to one day.
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After installation, we can also take over the operation of the chargers if required.
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Operation includes billing, maintenance, and technical assistance.
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Please contact us if you have any questions!
How much does it cost to install an electric car charging system in a condominium?
The apartment building's electric car charging system is free of charge for the apartment building and for those who do not use the service.
We designed our electric car charging installation service in a way that only costs for the users , the value of which depends on the chosen solution.
Evergy Kft. offers several different solutions for the construction of electric car charging in condominiums:
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Individual installation from your own meter or community meter
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Package offer
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Service offer
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The cost of installing an electric car in a condominium depends on the chosen solution.
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You can read more about each solution on the electric car charger installation pages.
How do you bill condominium car charging?
The method of accounting for the charging of an electric car in a condominium depends on whether it was built with a private meter connection or a community meter connection.
In case of an own meter connection, the used energy is settled together with other consumers, so the cost of this will appear on the electricity bill. Thanks to this, the joint representative has no extra work.
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In the case of community meter connection, the joint representative reads the consumption of the car charger from the sub-meter and invoices it to the resident as part of the joint cost.
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Why is the RFID card useful for electric car charging?
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Advantages of the RFID card.
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Identification and authentication
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Comfort
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Billable
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The RFID card enables identification and authentication of the car owner at the charging station. This provides security measures and access control to the charging network, allowing only authorized users to charge their electric cars.
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Using RFID cards is a convenient and fast way to start and finish charging an electric car. Just touch the card to the reader and charging starts or stops with minimal interaction.​
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RFID is also one of the easiest tools to use for billing the charging of the electric car in the apartment building. With the help of RFID cards, charging operations can be easily tracked and users can be billed for the charging service.
The joint representative gets access to an online interface, which shows for each card who consumed how much during a given period.
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How is charging of an electric car in an apartment building accounted for in the case of a shared charger and a unified infrastructure?
In the case of a shared charger or unified infrastructure, charging of the electric car in the apartment building is charged per RFID card.
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An RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) card is a technological device used for identification and data storage. RFID cards contain a small radio frequency chip that contains information such as a unique identifier. This data is transmitted wirelessly to an RFID reader, which communicates with the card using electromagnetic waves.
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These cards are often lightweight, portable, and relatively inexpensive, making them widely used in both industry and everyday life.
How is the charging of the condominium electric car billed?
There is no need for separate invoicing in the case of an own meter connection .
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In the case of a community meter connection, with a shared charger and uniform infrastructure, electric car charging is billed as part of the common cost.
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Evergy informs the joint representative of the amount of electricity (kWh) used by the apartment's electric car chargers per RFID card, and the joint representative puts together the invoicing based on this.
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What references do we have for the works completed so far?
We have already installed more than 50 electric car chargers in apartment buildings.
What wall chargers are available for charging electric cars in condominiums?
Wallbox Copper SB
Power: 22 kW
RFID
Energy management
Mobile app
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Fixed cable
Besen
Power: 11 kW, 22 kW
Fixed cable
RFID identification
Mobile app
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Energy management
Moon ID.Connect
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Power: 7.4 kW, 11 kW
Fixed cable
Mobile app
RFID identification
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Energy management
ABB Terra AC
Power: 7.4 kW - 22 kW
Energy management
RFID identification
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Fixed cable
How many electric cars can be charged at the same time in the condominium?
On average, 2-12 cars can be charged at the same time in apartment buildings where 3*50 A is available.
The number of cars that can be charged in the condominium depends on the energy absorption capacity of the cars, the performance of own/shared meters, the chosen technical solution and the usage of energy management .
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If 3*50 A is available in the apartment building and the energy absorption capacity of the cars is 11 kW (3*16A), then 3 cars can be charged by connecting to a common meter. If we apply energy management, this number increases to 12.
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Based on this, connecting to your own meter may seem like a better solution, but if every resident chooses this solution, after a while it will overload the condominium system, since the network in older buildings was not designed for electric car charging.
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What is energy management?
Energy management systems include intelligent technologies that aim to use energy resources more efficiently and optimize system performance. The application of these principles is also crucial in the charging process of electric vehicles.
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Why is energy management important?
Energy management is a solution that allows several cars to be charged at the same time, without any problems. In this way, the number of cars that can be charged can be increased, even in properties where there is little energy available for car charging.
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How does energy management work?
The energy management can monitor the consumption of the apartment building at every moment. Thanks to this, it is possible to measure how much energy the elevators use, how much the lighting uses, and how much energy "remains free". In other words, the system analyzes the charging needs of car owners and the free capacity on the spot, in real time, and distributes it accordingly.
What are the advantages of energy management?
One of the advantages of energy management is that the charging infrastructure can be expanded through its use, since the distribution of energy is more efficient. In addition, this smart device allows the system to intelligently adapt the charging performance of each vehicle to the available electrical grid capacity. Another advantage is the possibility to set charging priorities.
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What are the disadvantages of energy management?
Disadvantages of energy management.
There are costs associated with its installation
Limited charging speed
Longer charging time
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to install the system?
In case of individual installation and package offer, the installation takes half a day to two days.
In the case of a service offer, it takes 2 months for the infrastructure to be installed after the first request for the charging device, and 45 days for the installation of the additional requested chargers.
How do I know that the system will not be burdened by charging an electric car in the condominium?
If an expert company carried out the installation of the apartment building's electric car charging, it was designed in such a way that the charging does not overload the apartment building's system.
That's why we use energy management, which prevents overloading due to charging the apartment's electric car. Car chargers are always considered secondary consumers, which means that primary systems such as elevators have priority over charging. Energy management only uses the remaining energy for car charging.
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Who has to do the authorisation?
It is the responsibility of the resident to obtain the permits in the case of personal and community meter connections.
In the case of a package and service offer, we will obtain the license with the joint representative.
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Who should perform the maintenance of the apartment electric car charging?
The maintenance of the apartment car charging is carried out by the operating company, i.e. Evergy, in the case of a service offer and a package offer supplemented with operation.
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Can the capacity of the existing apartment building's electric car charging system be further expanded later?
It is possible to expand the capacity of the shared meter, and if there are several community meters available in the apartment building, then to include another community meter.
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How safe is it to charge electric cars in a garage?
When designing electric vehicles, manufacturers take into account all the safety regulations that must also be met when designing a conventional car. Accordingly, the cars are designed to be suitable for charging in closed garages, which is internationally approved.
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Accidents, fires and short circuits during charging can be avoided if a professional performs the installation in accordance with the standards, taking into account the fire section limits .
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Are electric car chargers in the garage safe?
Electric car chargers are designed so that they can be used safely even in a garage.
Charging with a socket or extension cord poses a greater risk, since household sockets are not designed for the continuous, high load that a car charger is. Therefore, it is important to use a properly designed and designed charging infrastructure that is suitable for safe and efficient charging of cars.
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Which electric car chargers are the most suitable for charging an electric car in a condominium?
For charging an electric car in a condominium, chargers with a wall or column design are the most suitable.
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