There are several types of sockets and charging methods for The battery of your electric vehicle. Among them, the Flexi-Charger, developed by Renault. It is a simple solution for a home connection. However, this charging cable has its limits and there are other more efficient solutions to quickly charge your electric car at home.
Flexi-charger: the alternative charging solution at home
The Flexi-Charger is a charging cable developed by Renault to allow you to charge your Zoé at home. Thanks to it, you can carry out an additional recharge on a conventional 220-volt household outlet (necessarily connected to ground), in 10 amps.
The charging time depends on the exact nature of the plug used, but it is possible to gain 25 km of autonomy in about 3 hours of charging. Are you going to dinner with friends and the autonomy of your car is a bit tight to go home? You can take advantage of your meal to gain a few kilometers by connecting your vehicle to the network, with the Flexi-Charger.
Alternatives to Flexi-Charger
The Flexi-Charger is specific to the Renault brand. There are alternatives from other manufacturers. Today, all electric cars are supplied with a cable that allows them to be charged on a standard household outlet, with a current of 8 or 10 amps. You will therefore necessarily find a cable adapted to your vehicle, for recharging at home.
Before charging your car for a long time, it is still recommended that you have your electrical installation checked by a professional. In fact, if you plan to charge your electric car continuously for hours, it is better to make sure that there is no risk of overheating the line.
The disadvantages of charging with the Flexi-Charger
Charging with a Flexi-Charger cable is practical on an occasional basis, to gain a few kilometers of autonomy. On the other hand, the cable alone is not a suitable solution for recharging your vehicle in full and on a regular basis. This use is not recommended by most car manufacturers for safety reasons.
If you want to recharge your electric car on a daily basis with a Flexi-Charger cable, the installation of a reinforced socket installed by an IRVE (Infrastructure for Charging Electric Vehicles) certified electrician is essential. However, it will take around ten hours to fully recharge your Zoé vehicle.
For comparison, the Qovoltis charging station can charge your car for a trip of 30 km in fifteen minutes. Charging can be completed in 2 hours and 30 minutes for a car equipped with a 50 kWh battery.
When should I use a Flexi-Charger cable?
To summarize, Flexi-Charger charging cables are above all emergency solutions. They are very practical for charging your car occasionally, when traveling for example, but are not designed to be used every day at home.
The use of a charging station is recommended by major manufacturers, for safer charging. The terminal also allows you to charge your car more quickly thanks to a higher intensity current.
The smart terminal developed by Qovoltis adapts its charging power according to the power available on your installation. It also allows you to choose at any time between optimized charging or fast charging, from your smartphone, using the Qovoltis application.
