You probably also want to go abroad with an electric car. That is possible, but in most cases you have to prepare more. What is the best way to charge abroad?
The Netherlands now has a reasonable density of charging stations and fast chargers. And that is still growing. More electric cars are also driving abroad, but charging stations can be more difficult to find. Charging abroad definitely requires planning on a longer journey, but it is doable.
Plan the route along charging points along the way
If you are going abroad, it is best to plan the route with an app. Think of apps like PUMP, Plugsurfing or charge map. They let you plan the route along fast chargers. The latter has the option to save a route, which is handy in practice because you don’t have to enter the route every time you open the app. You will often deviate from the actual route to find the charging station, but that will also take you to surprising locations! And keep in mind that in hilly or mountainous areas the battery can also run out faster.
Charging the car at a charging station abroad
The charging stations abroad work broadly the same as in the Netherlands. You will often use a fast charger along the highways and en route. Although they sometimes look different compared to our country, the operation is broadly the same.
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Check your charge card
Many charging cards also offer access to charging stations abroad. Check it out. Request one or more other passes (in good time). Not all cards have agreements with all providers of charging stations abroad, so it is often useful to have one or more other charging cards at hand. You can often also charge online and with a credit card abroad via a QR code on the charging station. A charging card or app often works faster and with less hassle.
Local: find a charger nearby
When you are at your destination, you can of course find a charging station nearby (but in countries such as Belgium or France and certainly Spain or Italy) or further, use one of the apps to search for a charging station to top up. Here too, you should not wait until the last minute!
Bring your cord for the socket
With the car you usually also received a cable to simply charge via a socket. That takes (very) long, but you can also charge quite a bit in one night. Make sure you take it with you, especially if you go to countries where there are few other charging points!
Calculate margin when loading abroad
An important tip: make sure you recharge on time and don’t drive until the last kilometers. It is also possible that the charge point is broken, offline or that the charge card you have is not accepted.
Take the time for the journey
And the last tip: allow more time abroad. You have to count the charging time when driving and you often have extra travel time due to detours to a charging station. Sometimes it is useful to plan an (extra) overnight stay. In return you will also get to places you did not expect and sometimes you load at a castle (or an abandoned industrial area).
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl