Recharging batteries
Catalonia's network of electric charging stations are mostly in the Barcelona area although the Generalitat is promoting its expansion
Charging an electric vehicle overnight, when energy costs are lower, provides most users with enough for a day's driving. The range of electric cars is on average 130 to 250 kilometres, depending on the model and driving style, enough for most people for one day. Yet, there is also a network of charging stations around the country –both public and private– which do the same job as petrol stations, though most are in the Barcelona area. According to the Catalan energy institute, ICAEN, there are 1,062 charging points in Catalonia, most of which are in the Catalan capital.
Of these, only six are superfast charging points (120 kW) and can only be used by Tesla vehicles. Another 57 are fast charging stations, 40 are semi-fast charging points, and the majority, 959, provide normal charging speeds. However, electric vehicles can also be recharged at home, at work, in many public car parks and shopping centres.
Experts say the electric vehicle is a good option for reducing dependence on foreign energy sources, as electricity generation does not depend so much on imported oil. Energy production in Catalonia is based on natural gas (40%) and nuclear power (45%), but also on alternative sources, such as wind and solar.
Users of this type of transport generally charge their vehicles at home or in special parking places. In fact, electric vehicle users really need a charging point wherever they usually park. In May, Catalonia's Civil Code was modified so that electric vehicle users no longer need permission from their community of neighbours to install a charging point where they live, and informing them of their intention is sufficient.
There are different types of rechargers on the market, with prices from 700 to 1,400 euros, which allow car batteries to be recharged overnight. In an emergency, there are public charging points that are free to use and that, with fast charging points, allow batteries to be charged in a matter of minutes.
As for the different recharging points, conventional types use single-phase electric power of 230V with a maximum power level in the region of 3,7 kW, suitable for domestic installation. Charging by these devices takes some eight hours depending on the capacity of the vehicle's battery. Semi-fast charging points use three-phase electric power (380V) with a 43 kW power level and a charging time of one to three hours. Charging at power levels above 40 kW, between 50 kW and 100 kW, allows batteries to be charged to 65% in a quarter of an hour and to 80% in 20 minutes. Yet, charging at these levels was conceived for emergencies and battery manufacturers say abusing this type of charging can reduce battery life. Moreover, to charge at this rate requires special connectors.
“We are working to bring fast-charging points to more places around the country,” says Mercè Rius, director of the Catalan energy institute ICAEN, which recognises that the fear of batteries running out is a main reason why people are wary of adopting this technology.
However, the Catalan government has a range of subsidies on offer to encourage the installation of fast charging points: “Barcelona and its surrounding area are well covered, but there is still a lot of areas still to cover,” concludes Rius.
Prices
As price is a sensitive issue when it making important decisions, how much it costs to recharge an electric vehicle is key. For an electric car with a 24 kWh battery –with a range of some 160 km– the cost is between 0.81 and 2.13 euros for every 100 kilometres, depending on the time charging takes place. These prices are rough as it all depends on the charging system, the type of vehicle and energy prices. “It is a vicious circle,” says Rius. “There are fewer electric cars because of a lack of knowledge and because the charging network seems small, but it won't grow if electric vehicles are not used more,” she says. “We will have to make calculations and decide if it is worth it,” she concludes.