Electric vehicles: we explain how to build a charging station at home
Engie Home Services announces the launch of a new service. An opportunity to take a look at the growing market alongside electric vehicles.
To be among the first in a market that will explode in the next few years… This is the strategy of Engie Home Services, a subsidiary of the industrial energy group Engie, which has until now specialized in heating and air conditioning units. , and announced the launch of a new activity: installing charging stations for electric cars at home. “Seven of our fifteen agencies in the Mediterranean now offer this service”, detailed regional director Grégoire Mahé. The Montpellier and Narbonne branches joined the Nimes branches in this niche.
A real need
“The need is real”he continues. “About 22% of vehicles registered in France in 20022 were either fully electric or plug-in hybrid. However, access to charging stations on public roads is very limited throughout the Mediterranean area, with one station for 12.8 vehicles”. However, in 2022, 82,107 charging points were opened to the public in France, an increase of 53% in one year. An increase of 8,264 was recorded in the Occitania region alone.
Between 2025 and 2030, between 2025 and 2030, 2 to 6 million electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles could be on the road, according to the National Association for the Advancement of Electric Mobility (Avere). “To support this development, we need between 175,000 and 215,000 charging points by 2025 and between 330,000 and 480,000 by 2030.”shows unity in its latest report, which makes it a major challenge for electricity development.
Wall outlet or terminal?
But there is a truth behind these numbers: “about nine out of ten charging is done at home on a private road”, Grégoire continues Mahé, so it trains technicians in line with the increase in registrations.
And for good reason, the activity is highly regulated … but lucrative. Because connecting your car to a simple socket at home is absolutely not recommended. Not only will the charging time be extended, it is neither practical nor financially beneficial, above all, such a connection can cause safety problems that can extend to a fire in the event of a short circuit. . There are then two solutions for the individual: installing a reinforced wall socket for a wall-mounted electric charging station (7 kW per phase) with an average price of €450 or more. usually around €1250. Depending on the electrical installation of the house, it is even possible to choose a terminal of up to 22 kW (for a bill of up to €2,500).
IRVE qualification
“This second option is the most cost-effective, as it offers at least three times faster charging time,” argues the regional director of Engie Home Services, even promising savings in the long run: “These terminals allow charging times to be adjusted to when the network is available, especially during off-peak hours”. According to EDF, knowing that the average cost of fully charging a car equipped with a 50 kWh battery is between 8 and 11 €, it is better to really follow these solutions.
In order to encourage individuals to invest in electricity, in addition to vehicle purchase assistance, the government has set a tax credit covering 75% of the total cost of the charging installation, in addition to VAT, which has been reduced to 5.5%. station (not for reinforced wall socket), limited to €300.
The only requirement: pass IRVE qualified technicians, “For Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure”Issued by Qualifelec or Afnor.
Competition
Avere currently listing 119 charging players in the country. “There’s quite a lot of scattered competition and a few big chains that are positioning themselves.”, Grégoire Mahé admits. In addition to Engie Home Service, the behemoths already include subsidiaries of Bouygues, EDF, Siemens, Legrand and Total Energies.
Manufacturers have also created their own structures, such as Mobilize power Solutions, a subsidiary of Renault. Equipment manufacturers such as Norauto also offer solutions. Specialized companies have also sprung up and many electricians are training alongside them. Often after the difficult choice of vehicle, you still have to choose your… charging station.
The right to collective housing
Condominiums granted construction permits after March 2021, if there are more than ten parking spaces, are now obliged to pre-equip all parking spaces with a charging solution (not install a terminal). In other residential areas, the “right to buy” allows any resident to install a terminal on their premises without seeking permission from the syndicate; he can take advantage of the tax relief, as in the case of a private apartment. If the co-owners decide to install collectively, he is entitled to substantial assistance from the Advenir de l’Avene program.
