It takes 10 minutes tops to fill up a diesel or petrol car and you’re good to go for another 600 to 900 km, whereas it takes 10 hours to charge an electric vehicle with a driving range of 400 km – that’s quite a difference!

How can I find out if I qualify for an electric driving profile?
You qualify for an electric driving profile if you fully agree with the following three statements:
1. My electric vehicle’s driving range is more than sufficient for my day-to-day drives
2. I can charge my electric vehicle safely and efficiently, so I can always start my next drive with peace of mind
3. I can find an electric vehicle that checks all my boxes and is within my budget.

One of the key aspects of electric vehicles is often their driving range; i.e. the distance you can drive with a fully charged battery without having to stop to charge your vehicle.

Together with the charging solution and the available budget, the range is one of the determining factors in the choice of electric vehicle.

The range of your electric vehicle, depends on

• The usable energy capacity of the battery (in kWh)
• The actual consumption in (in kWh per 100 km), which depends to a large extent on driving style and driving conditions (for example, whether you have the heating or air conditioning on)

Table: the driving range depends on the usable battery capacity and the actual consumption

When you drive an electric vehicle, you want to be able to charge your vehicle safely and efficiently, so you can always start your next drive with peace of mind.

The perfect solution: a home charging station
A home charging station offers a number of benefits, such as charging at reasonable kWh rates, and being able to let your housemates, visitors and even your neighbours use it, whether in return for payment or free of charge.

If you are the tenant of a house or apartment, you will need to make clear agreements with the owner.

If you are the owner of a house or apartment, you will need to make clear agreements with the trustee.

Charging your vehicle at work and/or at public charge points
If your home is not suitable for the installation of a charging station, we recommend spending some time researching your options for charging your vehicle at work and/or at public charge points.
If that all checks out and there are sufficient alternative charging options available, go for it!

Be sure to factor in your day-to-day drives, battery capacity and actual consumption when choosing your electric vehicle.

Are there no or insufficient charging options available?
Or exceeds the cost of an electric vehicle your budget?
We recommend choosing a fuel-efficient fossil-fuel vehicle.

The third and final aspect – leasing budget – is where employee and employer both come into play. Your employer sets the budget, subject to a certain limit, which you can use to select a vehicle.

Check the rules on budget allocation in your employer’s car policy (fleet regulations) and/or in KBC Movesmart.

The concept of electric vehicles is actually fairly straightforward. We connect a battery to an electric motor, add four tyres and now we have an electric vehicle.

Electric motor
Electric vehicles are powered by one or more electric motors.
Electric motors are powered by electric energy supplied by the battery.

Battery
Electric vehicles are equipped with a battery which supplies and receives direct current, whereas the public electricity network uses alternating current. To be able to charge the battery of an electric vehicle off the grid, every electric vehicle is equipped with a converter, which converts alternating current into direct current.

Battery capacity
The energy is stored in the battery. The battery’s energy capacity (or battery capacity) is expressed in kilowatt-hour (kWh) and ranges from 15 kWh to over 100 kWh.

Consumption
An electric vehicle’s consumption is expressed in kWh per 100 km and ranges from
10 to 25 kWh per 100 km

Driving range
The average range of a fully charged battery is between 100 and 500 km, depending on the battery’s energy capacity and on consumption.

Combustion engines and electric motors
A plug-in hybrid vehicle has two engines: an internal combustion engine (generally petrol-driven) and a powerful electric motor.
A PHEV is very powerful because the internal combustion engine and electric motor can also operate simultaneously.
The vehicle has a low official fuel consumption (theoretically) and therefore also low CO2 emissions.

Battery
The battery can be charged in advance from the mains or at a charging station.

Battery capacity
Up to 34 kWh 

Driving range
Depending on the vehicle, up to 140 km can be driven entirely on electric power. Once the battery is empty, the petrol or diesel engine takes over.

To see which makes and models are available, browse the various car manufacturers’ websites
or check out the comprehensive database at https://ev-database.uk .

One of the key aspects of electric vehicles is often their driving range, i.e. the distance you can drive with a fully charged battery without having to stop to charge your vehicle.

As with fossil-fuel vehicles, the driving range of electric vehicles depends on two parameters:

• The amount of energy stored in the battery pack or fuel tank
• Actual consumption

If you know how full your battery is and how much energy the vehicle consumes, it is easy to calculate the actual driving range:

usable battery capacity / actual consumption = actual driving range

More info on driving range

Charging power is an important factor when it comes to electric vehicle charging. The higher the charging power, the faster the charging speed.

The following factors determine how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle at a charging station

• The battery charger/converter in the vehicle
  • How many phases can the converter process?
  • What is the maximum amount of current (in amperes) that the converter can supply?
• The charging station connection (number of phases and amperes) to the electricity grid
• The electrical home installation (number of phases and amperes)

The maximum power for charging an electric vehicle depends on the weakest link in the chain (in other words, you can only charge as fast as the weakest component allows).

Charging power is expressed in kilowatts or kW for short. 1 kilowatt = 1,000 watts.

Energy is power during a certain period of time and is expressed in watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh).

The energy capacity of an electric vehicle’s battery is expressed in kWh.
The battery capacity of today’s electric vehicles is between 15 and 100 kWh.

Example: the range of an electric vehicle with a real battery capacity of 60 kWh and an actual consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km is 400 km.

As with fossil-fuel vehicles, an electric vehicle’s consumption is expressed in ‘amount of fuel’ per 100 km, but instead of ‘litres’, the term used for electric vehicles is ‘kilowatt-hours’ (or kWh for short).

The average consumption of today’s electric vehicles is between 15 and 25 kWh per 100 km.

The charging time is the number of hours and/or minutes it takes to charge the electric vehicle’s battery from 0% to 100%.

The charging time depends on

• The battery’s energy capacity (in kWh)
• The maximum charging power (in kW)

How is the charging time calculated for fully charging an empty battery
(linear calculation)?

battery's energy capacity in kWh / (charging power in kW × efficiency of 90%)

Example

• 64 kWh / (2,3 kW x 90%) = 31 h
• 64 kWh / (7,4 kW x 90%) = 9 h 30 min

The charging speed represents the number of kilometres of range added to the battery’s capacity per hour charged.

The charging speed depends on

• The maximum charging power (in kW)
• The electric vehicle’s energy consumption (in kWh per 100 km)

How is the charging speed calculated?

(charging power in kW ×efficiency of 90%)/(consumption in kWh per 100 km)

Example

• (2.3 kW x 90%) / 15 kWh per 100 km = 14 km/h of 7 h 15 min. per 100 km
• (7.4 kW x 90%) / 15 kWh per 100 km = 44 km/h of 2 h 15 min. per 100 km

No car can run without energy. Conventional cars get their energy from petrol or diesel, while electric vehicles get theirs from the battery. And the battery is charged off the grid.

There are three charging methods – or modes – for electric vehicle batteries.

*AC charging = charging with alternating current                
  DC charging = charging with direct current

Mode 2 – AC charging means charging using a standard household socket via a separate charging cable with built-in protection.

• Mode 2 – charging cables
  • The charging cable supplied with the vehicle
  • A smart charging cable
• Maximum charging power = 2,300 W or 2.3 kW
• Charging time* for a range of 100 km = 7 h 15 min
• Charging speed* = 14 km/h

* based on electricity consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km

Important note: Never use an extension cord.

Mode 3 – AC charging means charging at a charging station that is integrated into the electrical home installation.

Mode 3 is used by public and semi-public charge points, home charging stations and charging stations at your workplace. 

• Charging power between 3.7 kW and 22 kW
• Charging time* for a range of 100 km = between 45 min. and 4.5 hours
•  Charging speed* from 22 km/h to 133 km/h

* based on electricity consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km

Tip
Always keep two charging cables in the boot of your electric vehicle:

1.  A Mode 3 charging cable for use at a (public) charging station
   
2.  A Mode 2 charging cable (with built-in protection) for charging using household sockets
   

The Type 2 sockets at a charging station and on an EV are not identical but complementary. As a result, the charging cable can only be connected on one end, even if both ends are Type 2.

Certain electric vehicles are designed for three-phase charging. To be able to charge an electric vehicle at home

• You must have a three-phase connection to the grid
• Your home charging station needs to have a three-phase connection
• You need to use a proper charging cable

Three-phase charging requires a 400 V supply. A transformer is required for a 230 V three-phase connection to enable three-phase charging (some electric vehicles can be charged using a three-phase charging station supplied with 230V, but then only two out of three phases will be used, resulting in lower power).
Whether you have a three-phase 3 x 230 V or 3 x 400 V+N is not an option you can personally select, as it depends on the electricity network in your street.

For instance, based on an electric vehicle with a battery capacity of 64 kWh and
an electricity consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km

¹ Provision: the charging station and electric vehicle must be maximally aligned based on

• The number of phases of the electric vehicle’s converter
• The amount of current that the converter can supply

² Time required to fully charge an empty 64 kWh battery (linear calculation)
³ Charging speed based on electricity consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km

There are three determining factors for the maximum power when charging an electric vehicle at a charging station.

1. The connection of the electrical installation to the electricity grid
   • Single-phase or three-phase?
   • 1 x 230 V, 3 x 230 V or 3 x 400 V? If three-phase, is there a neutral conductor (N)?
2. The connection of the charging station to the electrical installation
   • Single-phase or three-phase?
   • What is the current (in amperes) per phase?
3. The on-board charger or converter in the electric vehicle
   • How many phases can the vehicle’s converter process?
   • What is the maximum amount of current (in amperes) that the vehicle’s converter can supply?

The weakest link in the chain determines the maximum charging power (in other words, you can only charge as fast as the weakest component allows).

Example 1: You have an electric vehicle with a 25A single-phase converter

• Which connection provides the highest charging power?
  • A single-phase connection of at least 25A
  • The maximum charging power = 5.8 kW
• What if the charging station has a 32A single-phase connection?
  • The electric vehicle’s converter can only handle 25A
  • The maximum charging power = 5.8 kW
• What if the charging station has a 16A three-phase connection?
  • The electric vehicle’s converter can only handle single-phase charging
  • The charging station can only supply 16A per phase
  • The maximum charging power = 3.7 kW

Example 2: You have an electric vehicle with a 32A three-phase converter

• Which connection provides the highest charging power?
  • A 32A three-phase connection
  • The maximum charging power = 22.2 kW
• What if the charging station has a 16A three-phase connection?
  • The charging station can only supply 16A per phase
  • The maximum charging power = 11.1 kW
• What if the charging station has a 25A single-phase connection?
  • The charging station is suitable for single-phase charging only
  • That single phase is suitable for 25A only
  • The maximum charging power = 5.8 kW
    

* At a consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km

Open the 50five app

• Select the ‘Customer service’ menu
• Choose ‘AI Chatbot’
  • The chatbot offers different potential solutions and answers frequently asked questions
  • If your problem is not resolved, you will be given the option to be transferred to the helpdesk
  • The chatbot can also create a ticket for further support
    

In combination with an electric vehicle, KBC Autolease offers three charging solutions in the lease contract:

•  A comprehensive charging solution in the initial lease:
  This includes a home charge point, a subscription to the charge point and a charge card.
• A comprehensive charging solution in the subsequent lease:
  A subscription to the charge point from a previous KBC Autolease lease and a charge card.
• A charge card only

More info on charging solutions and prices 

KBC Autolease has partnered with 50five for charge points and Shell Fleet Solutions for charge cards. 

50five is a Charge Point Operator (CPO)The Charge Point Operator (CPO) is the party responsible for the management and operation of the charge point for the owner. The CPO monitors and manages the charge point transaction data, based on which it can offer a number of smart services. The owner of the charge point can use the CPO’s platform to determine whether the charging facility is private or public. The CPO can reimburse the consumer/employee for the home charging sessions and invoice the employer (through the leasing company if applicable).

Shell Fleets Solutions is a Mobility Service Provider (MSP)The Mobility Service Provider (MSP) is the charge card issuer. The charge card is used to start and end a charging session and also determines the billing process. If the charge card is used at a public or semi-public charging station, the MSP determines the amount ultimately billed to the end customer based on the applicable roaming contract.

For KBC Autolease's comprehensive charging solution – a charge point, a subscription to the charge point and a charge card – Shell Fleet Solutions is the MSP for the charge card (Network Fleet Card).

If you want to be able to charge your electric vehicle safely and efficiently, a home charge point is the ideal solution. 

Benefits

• Your vehicle charges much more quickly than when you simply plug it into a mains socket
• Charge points deliver more power than a mains socket
• Electricity at home is cheaper than at a public charging station
• Electricity consumption is measured and can be factored into what you pay
• A charge point has no risk of overheating

You can have a charge point installed in your garage, on your driveway or under your carport. You will need to ensure you have enough space for it. The garage can be adjacent to your home, but it can also be a separate or free-standing garage or an underground garage.

KBC Autolease offers Shell's hybrid Network Fleet Card. 

You can use the national ‘hybrid’ charge card in Belgium

• for electric charging
  • at your home charge point
  • at work, if possible
  • at 99% of public charging stations (AC chargers) and fast chargers (DC chargers) such as Ionity and Fastned, excluding Tesla Superchargers

Use the Shell Recharge app to find available public charge points near you and on the road

• for filling up with fossil fuel

If you opt for the international ‘hybrid’ charge card, you also have access to the Shell Recharge Solutions network, the largest network of public charging stations with 700 000 charge points across 35 European countries, and you can refuel at all Shell filling stations and most Esso, Eni and Avia filling stations throughout Europe. 

If your KBC Autolease lease includes a charge point, charge point subscription and charge card, and if your employer reimburses home charging sessions, it is possible to set up automatic reimbursement. The standard reimbursement rate (in euros per kWh) is based on the national CREG rate.

• The CREG rate is set automatically by 50five 
• The charge point records how much electricity is consumed at your home (expressed in kWh) and sends this information to 50five
• The driver will receive:
  • a monthly reimbursement document from 50five (delivered around the 15th of each month) detailing the previous month’s home charging sessions
  • monthly reimbursement of their home charging sessions from Threeforce B.V. based on how much they consume and the CREG rate set. Payment is made four weeks after sending the reimbursement document. 

Example: for charging sessions in May, you will receive the reimbursement document around 15 June and the amount being reimbursed will be paid into your account around 15 July.  

• These charging sessions are invoiced to KBC Autolease
• KBC Autolease sends an invoice for a monthly advance electricity charge to your employer and the actual costs are then settled on a periodic basis. 

• KBC Autolease
  • orders your electric vehicle from the selected dealer
  • notifies 50five of your charge point order
• 50five
  
  • will call you to schedule a video appointment
  • will take the necessary photos during the appointment, offer advice on the best location for the charging solution and inform you whether there are any additional installation costs on top of the price of the basic installation (e.g., for excavation work or mounting the charge point on a pole)
    If it is not possible to make an accurate assessment during the video appointment, a specialist from 50five will perform an on-site inspection (this costs 202 euros excluding VAT)
• KBC Autolease receives the quote from 50five for the standard installation and immediately approves it.
• 50five’s quote for any additional installation costs is sent to the driver, who must then approve it to proceed.
• 50five will call you to schedule the installation. Installation takes place about six weeks after the quote is approved. The installation is subject to inspection: 50five schedules the appointment with an AREI inspector.
•  An AREI inspector inspects the installation. Upon approval, you may charge your electric vehicle at your charge point.
• KBC Autolease
  • notifies you when your electric vehicle is ready for delivery at the dealership
  • gives approval to 50five to activate your charge point and link it to KBC Autolease's charge card
• 50five activates your charge point: you can now charge your vehicle with your charge card at your own charge point (your charge card was already activated for use at public charging stations).
  Your charge card is included with your vehicle’s documents or it will be sent to you.
• LastMileSolutions will send you an e-mail to register on their platform and/or log in to the 50five app.
• You make an appointment with the dealership to collect your electric vehicle.

That’s it! You can now drive with peace of mind and charge your vehicle anywhere. 

• Track transactions
• Check and download invoices (???) or reimbursement documents
• Check the status of your charge point

• Find nearby charge points
• Check rates
• Check the transaction overview
• Check the status of the charge card
• Block the charge card if it goes missing
• Get support, speak to an AI chatbot and monitor tickets 

Yes, it is. The initial inspection is required to determine whether it is safe to connect a charge point to the current electrical system, as well as to provide an accurate quote tailored to the specific situation at the end user’s home. 

This inspection is conducted by 50five during a video appointment. During the appointment, an employee from 50five will take the necessary photos, offer advice on the best location for the charging solution and inform you whether there are any additional installation costs on top of the price of the basic installation (e.g., for excavation work or mounting the charge point on a pole).

No.
KBC Autolease will only request an inspection from 50five after receiving a signed lease quote. 

Yes, though this will be at your own expense. 

Any request to relocate a charge point must be submitted through KBC Autolease and carried out by an installer approved by 50five. 

This requires KBC Autolease to submit two requests to 50five:

• Disassembly of the charge point at the current address (the device itself remains on-site) 
• Installation of the charge point at the new address – you will be contacted by 50five via video call to discuss the best charging solution 

Please bear in mind that costs include:

• Dismantling the charge point (202 euros) 
• Installing the charge point at your new home (you will receive a quote) 
• AREI inspection

These costs will be invoiced to the driver or customer. 

Yes, you can. Before installing a charge point for a flat, a specialist from 50five will always carry out an on-site inspection (this costs 202 euros excluding VAT). 

It is the driver's responsibility to obtain the correct information and permissions from the property managing agent, home insurer and fire brigade before installing a charge point. 

If you cannot have a charge point installed, you will have to charge your vehicle at public charging stations or at your workplace.  

• Charging your vehicle at public charging stations requires a charge card such as the one from KBC Autolease, which you can use at more than 99% of public charging stations in Belgium
• Your employer’s car policy should stipulate whether you can charge your vehicle at fast-charging stations

Make sure to carefully plan your charging sessions at work or nearby, especially if you’re planning a longer drive.

Take the test with the ‘Guide to Driving Electric Vehicles’. In a few steps, you’ll find out whether driving an electric vehicle is the right choice for you and which electric vehicle would suit you best.

Since not every home or flat is suitable for the installation of a charge point, and in some cases it can take up to several months to have the charging infrastructure set up, it’s best to start making the necessary arrangements as soon as possible!

• If you live in Flanders, you will find detailed information and a brochure on the Fluvius website.
• If you live in Wallonia, there are several network operators to choose from: ORES, Resa, AIESH, and REW. See the ORES website for more details.
• If you live in Brussels, you will find more information on the Sibelga website.

Tenants
If you rent a flat, contact the owner to discuss your options.

Lease car drivers
If you drive a lease car, check your employer’s car policy. A lot of employers offer the option to include a charging solution in your lease contract.

More information on leasing an electric vehicle with a charge point is provided at this link.

We highly recommend informing your insurance agent if you’re having a charging station installed at your home.
They can then include it in your home insurance policy.
This may involve a slight increase in your insurance premium.

No, the charging station is not covered under your car insurance.Damage to your charging station due to an external cause is covered under your home insurance. Please contact your home insurer about this matter.

Contact your insurance agent for help with filing the claim.

Yes, if you prepare properly, you can drive long distances in an electric vehicle.

But don’t forget: if you take the motorway to your holiday destination in a fully loaded vehicle with two bicycles on a bike rack and the air conditioning set to 20°C, your vehicle’s electricity consumption will be considerably higher than normal. In other words, make sure you plan to recharge on time.

A few key tips

• Map out your route well in advance
  • Install at least 2 route planner apps on your mobile phone such as ‘A Better Routeplanner’
  • Download apps from major charging networks such as Ionity, Fastned, Tesla, etc.
  • Make sure you are familiar with the built-in navigation system of your electric vehicle
  • Plan when you’ll stop to charge and give yourself enough flexibility
• Keep an eye on your car's driving range when you’re on the road, or better still, let your fellow passenger do this
• While travelling, charge at fast-charging stations with a charging power of at least 50 kW
  • Select fast-charging stations and minimum charging power in your charge card app
  • Some fast-charging stations are also set at 100 kW or even 350 kW, so check the maximum charging power of your vehicle
  • Remember that fast-charging stations only allow you to charge your battery up to 80%
• Carry at least 2 or 3 international charge cards, and make sure you have a physical version of them (i.e. not just the app)
• If you’re travelling and need to stay somewhere overnight, choose a hotel or B&B with the option to charge your vehicle there or at a fast-charging station nearby
• Don't travel during busy weekends as you’ll inevitably get caught in traffic jams and queues for fast-charging stations
• Bring two charging cables:
  • A mode 3 charging cable for charging at public charging stations
  • A mode 2 charging cable for charging from an ordinary socket (e.g., at your holiday home) in emergencies
  • The charging cable at fast-charging stations along motorways is permanently connected to the station itself, so you don't need a separate cable to use it
• Drive at a constant speed of 110 km/h while on the motorway

• A Better Routeplanner
• PlugShare
• Fastned
• Ionity
• Tesla
• Sygic
• Shell Recharge
• ANWB
• Google Maps

• 7 tips when driving an electric car on holiday - VAB-Magazine (Dutch)
• Can you drive long distances with an electric vehicle? 20 tips on holiday with your EV (reisroutes.be) (Dutch)
• 12 tips for holidays with an electric vehicle - ANWB (Dutch)

Download the 'Shell Recharge' app free of charge from the App Store or Google Play Store.

The answer to this question is provided by Shell Recharge Solutions.

• You do not need to provide any cabling yourself: the best preparation is to lay a waiting tube up to the location of the charging station.
• If you are doing your own cabling, we recommend that
  • You always use a three-phase cable with a minimum thickness of 6 mm² (5G6), or of 10 mm² (5G10) for cabling of 70 metres or more
  • The installer takes into account that the device can theoretically produce 22 kW and a future-proof cabling infrastructure is therefore recommended. We usually use a 5x6 mm² (5G6) YMvKas cable (or thicker, as required)
  • You install a CAT5 UTP cable that connects to the charging station
  • The power cable runs from the (main) fuse box to the location where the charging station will be installed. Make sure to add a metre on both ends of the cable for extra flexibility