FAQ electric driving

Frequently asked questions about electric cars, charging solutions and charging stations

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FAQ electric driving

Frequently asked questions about electric cars, charging solutions and charging stations

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Do I qualify for an electric driving profile?

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

driving range of your electric vehicle

Use the following rule of thumb when choosing your electric vehicle: driving range ≥ daily kilometres × 1,5

This way, your driving range will be sufficient for your day-to-day drives without you having to stop to charge your vehicle, even in winter when the heating is on or in summer when the ai conditioning is on.

  • If you drive 80 km every day, the range must be at least 120 km
  • If you drive 200 km every day, the range must be at least 300 km

Short-range electric vehicles are the best driving solution for urban environments, while long-range electric vehicles are perfect for longer motorway journeys, making them a viable alternative to petrol and diesel cars, even if you drive 50,000 km or more a year.

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.

Electric vehicles and ‘electric’ terminology

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 .

While you don’t need to be a tech expert to drive an electric vehicle and know how to charge it, it does help to know your way around some of the terminology.

terms electric vehicles

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

Charging of electric vehicles

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.

Charging method AC or DC* Electric Energy Source Number of phases Charging cable
Mode 2 AC charging Regular socket Single-phase Secured
Mode 3 AC charging Charging station Single-phase or three-phase Secured
Mode 4 DC charging Fast-charging station Three-phase
Secured

*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.

EV plug and EV connector

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

Charging power 1 Charging time2 Charging speed3
3,7 kW 19h 15 min. 22 km/h
5,8 kW 12h 15 min. 35 km/h
7,4 kW 9h 30 min. 44 km/h
11,1 kW 6h 25 min. 66 km/h
17,3 kW 4h 05 min. 103 km/h
22,2 kW  3h 15 min. 133 km/h

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

fast-charging station
Image of fast charging station

Mode 4 – DC charging means charging at a fast-charging station with direct current, in which case the battery is charged directly by the charging station, enabling significantly higher charging speeds than with alternating current; To be able to charge at a fast-charging station, the electric vehicle must be suitable for this purpose.

  • Charging power between 50 kW and +175 kW
  • Charging time* for a range of 100 km = between 6 and 20 min.
  • Charging speed* from 300 km/h to + 1 000 km/h

* based on consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km and on the vehicle’s converter

The charging cable at fast-charging stations is always permanently connected to the charging station. Many fast charging stations are equipped with three cables, each with a different EV connector:

  1. CCS (Combined Charging System) for fast charging in Mode 4
  2. CHAdeMO (Charge de Move) for fast charging in Mode 4
  3. Type 2 for charging in mode 3

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).

charging power

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
Electric energy source Maximum charging power*

Charging speed (based on consumption)

Charging time for a range of 100 km of 15 kWh per 100 km)

Socket (mode 2) 2.3 kW 14 km/h 7 h 15 min.
Home or public charging station (mode 3) 3.7 kW 22 km/h 4 h 30 min.
  5.8 kW 35 km/h 2 h 50 min.
  7.4 kW 44 km/h 2 h 15 min.
  11.1 kW 66 km/h 1 h 30 min.
  17.3 kW 103 km/h 1 h 
  22.2 kW 133 km/h 45 min.
Fast-charging station (mode 4) 50 kW 300 km/h 20 min.
  175 kW 1 000 km/h 6 min.

* At a consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km

Charging station for tenants, residents of a terraced house or apartment, co-owned property

As a tenant, you do not have the right to have a charging station installed at your own initiative. Such decisions are up to the owner.

If you do have a charging station installed, it becomes the property of the owner of the house or apartment you’re renting, even if you paid for it.

If you cannot have a home charging station installed, you will have to charge your vehicle at public charging stations or at work.

  • To charge your EV at public charging stations, you need a charge card, such as the NFC charge card, which you can use to charge your vehicle at more than 99% of public charging stations in Belgium.
  • Your employer’s car policy should stipulate whether you can charge your vehicle at work.

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’ (only in Dutch). In a few steps, you will find out whether electric driving is the right choice for you and which electric vehicle is the best fit for you.

Since not every home or apartment is suitable for the installation of a charging station, 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!

Tenants
If you rent an apartment, contact the owner to discuss the possibilities.

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 home charging station in your lease contract. Your charging station will then be connected to your individual electricity meter and you will pay the additional costs for installing the charging station (in addition to the price you pay under your lease contract) and infrastructure changes yourself.

More information on leasing an electric vehicle with a charging station is provided at this link.

You can use your charge card provided the charging solution meets a number of conditions:

  • The charging station must be equipped with a module that allows ‘guest usage’.
  • The charging station must have a card reader to swipe your charge card to start a charging session.
  • The charging station must be equipped with RFID technology to enable data exchange between the charging station and the charge card provider. RFID is an acronym for Radio Frequency Identification.

Charging costs are billed through the charge card provider.

  • You can have the charging station disassembled and reassembled at your new home.
  • Note that if the charging station is part of your lease contract, the disassembly and reassembly costs will be at your expense.

Charging solutions offered by KBC Autolease 

Ask your question via the Shell Recharge Solutions online form.

Please note: you will not receive an automatic confirmation of your message. Shell Recharge Solutions does receive your question and will answer it as soon as possible.

When you drive an electric vehicle, you want to be able to charge your vehicle safely and efficiently, which is why we highly recommend a home charging station. Using a home charging station has a number of advantages.

  • Your vehicle charges much more quickly than when you simply plug it into a mains socket
  • Charging stations deliver more power than a mains socket
  • Electricity at home is cheaper than at a public charging station
  • The electricity consumption is measured and can be set off
  • There is no risk of overheating with a charging station

You can have a charging station 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 a Charging Station Pack. That package includes

  • A charging station of Shell Recharge Solutions
    • 7.5 metres of fixed cable
    • Charging power* up to 22 kW
    • Colour: 1 standard colour: white
    • RFID reader
    • Weatherproof
    • Compatible with all electric vehicles
    • Certified safety
    • Connected online
    • Access to charging data and history
    • Universal Type 2 socket
  • Installation of the charging station at the driver's place of residence
    • Single-phase connection (with charging power up to 7.4 kW) or
      three-phase connection (with charging power up to 22 kW)
    • Including cable and/or manual excavation work (up to 10 metres from the fuse box to the charging station and including one drilling)
  • Installation of the charging station on a wall or pole
  • Dynamic Power Management – a module to optimally distribute the available power capacity between domestic appliances and the charging station
  • Legally required technical inspection (AREI)
  • A Carefree Charging subscription
    • Administration and access to data via a personal online user portal
    • Automatic reimbursement of electricity costs incurred at home
    • Setting up of guest usage
    • Remote control with Remote Charge Point Control
    • Automatic software updates
    • Helpdesk (via e-mail or over the phone)
home charging station

If the distance between the fuse box and the charging station is greater than 10 metres or a hard surface has to be dug up, additional installation fees will be charged.

  • Minimum price per running metre: 40 euros (excl. VAT)
  • Price per running metre depends on the type of work required, and – if digging is necessary – on the surface dug up (e.g., concrete paving slabs, asphalt, dolomite, etc.)

These fees are invoiced separately.

Example 1

  • 3-metre cable from the fuse box along the inside wall to the outside wall
  • 1 drilling through the outside wall
  • 4-metre cable along the outside wall to the charging station

There are no additional installation costs.

Example 2

  • 3-metre cable from the fuse box along the inside wall to the outside wall
  • 1 drilling through the outside wall
  • 2-metre cable along the outside wall
  • 5-metre underground cable to the charging station, which is mounted on a pole and base. Paving stones have to be broken up and re-laid.

There are additional installation fees for digging up a hard surface.

  • Minimum price per running metre: starting from 40 euros (excl. VAT)
  • Price per running metre depends on the type of work required, and – if digging is necessary – on the surface dug up (e.g., concrete paving slabs, asphalt, dolomite, etc.)
  • The charging station including installation costs 2.266 euros (excl. VAT)

After installing the charging station, the installation technician will connect it to the Internet. They do this by following the steps below:

1) 4G connection using a SIM card in the charging station

The charging station is equipped with a 4G SIM card to connect to the back office of Shell Recharge Solutions over the Internet.

2) Wi-Fi

If it isn’t possible to connect via 4G, the installation partner will bring the charging station online using Wi-Fi. This means that the charging station has to be near the Wi-Fi router transmitting the signal.

 3) Ethernet cable

A third option is to connect the charging station to the modem using an Ethernet cable. If there is no modem nearby, a UTP cable will be connected and a mobile router installed. This router costs 450 euros excluding VAT.

  • Log in to your account at https://account.shellrecharge.com/.
  • Select the cogwheel next to the name of your charging station.
  • Select 'Reset charging station'.
  • Wait 20 minutes for the charging station to completely reset and then try charging again.

Did the reset fail?

Go to the fuse box and switch off (= down) the fuse for the charging station. The picture shows the fuse in the ‘on’ position (= up).
Wait one minute and turn the fuse back on. Wait another 20 minutes for the charging station to completely reset and try charging again.

If the charging station is still not working, contact Shell Recharge Solutions’ technical support department on + 32 2 588 12 51 (option 1).

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 employer pays for home charging, you can set an automatic charge (= amount per kWh). You can find out how to set up this compensation in the step-by-step plan Getting started with the home charging station

  • The home charging station registers the electrical consumption at home (expressed in kWh) and sends this information to Shell Recharge Solutions.
  • Shell Recharge Solutions reimburses your charges monthly based on consumption and the set reimbursement rate.
  • Shell Recharge Solutions invoices these charging sessions via Shell to KBC Autolease.
  • KBC Autolease invoices a monthly electricity provision to the employer and periodically settles the actual costs, just like with fossil fuels.
free Shell Recharge app

Use the free Shell Recharge app to find available public charge points in your area and on the road.

  • Download the app free of charge from the App Store or Google Play Store
  • See real-time availability, charging speeds and pricing for specific charge points
  • Get notified when your favourite charge point becomes available again
  • Order a Shell Recharge card through the app. This card can be used for to pay for charging sessions outside of Belgium yourself, with the added benefit of having a ‘back-up card’ handy whenever you need it

Your quote and order, installation of the charge point and delivery of the electric vehicle

The electric vehicle and the Charging Station Pack are both included in the KBC Autolease quote:

  • Electric vehicle
    • Financial rental
    • Complete service package: repairs, maintenance, tyres, insurance, etc.
  • 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
  1. Open KBC MoveSmart
    Learn more about KBC MoveSmart
  2. Go to ‘Quotes’ and hit (‘Car Quote’) to work out how much your vehicle will cost
  3. Select your mobility plan
  4. Kit out your electric vehicle (packs, options and any accessories) using the codes on your dealership’s quote where possible
  5. Choose your charging solution. 
  6. Choose the colour and upholstery you'd like
  7. Check the vehicle price and selected options in the summary
  8. Save your quote by selecting ‘Save’
  9. If you're ready to order, select 'Approve'. KBC Autolease orders your electric vehicle and informs Shell Charging Solutions that you have ordered a charging station.

Request a quote from KBC Autolease for an electric vehicle including a Charging Station Pack.

  • 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 Autoleaseo notifies you when your electric vehicle is ready for delivery at the dealershipo 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. 

A preliminary investigation is indeed necessary. On the one hand, to make sure that a charging station can be safely connected to the current electricity installation. In addition, it is also the only way to provide an accurate quote for the end user's specific home situation. 

This investigation is carried out by 50five via a video call. During this video call, the 50five employee takes the necessary photos and advises you on the best location for the charging solution and on any additional installation costs. These are additional installation costs that exceed the price of the basic installation, for example excavation work or mounting the charging station on a pole.

No.
KBC Autolease will submit a request for online intake to 50five only after receiving a signed lease offer. 

Activation and use of KBC Autolease's charge point and charge card

As soon as the vehicle is ready for delivery, KBC Autolease will inform you and notify 50five that your charging station may be activated. 

50five will send you (via LastMileSolutions) an e-mail with clear instructions on how to register on their platform, log into the 50five app and link your charging card, among other things. 

You link your charge card (delivered by KBC Autolease) to your account. From now on, you can charge with your charge card at your own charging station. The charging card is already activated anyway for use at public charging stations. 

Yes, you can.

  • Download the 'Shell Recharge' app for free from the App Store or Google Play Store.
  • Make an account in the app
  • Order a Shell Recharge charge pass for this vehicle in the Shell Recharge app
  • Log in to your account at account.shellrecharge.com
  • Add the charge pass
  • Set guest usage to ‘Guests have to pay’
  • Set the preferred guest rate
  • Set charge pass access to ‘Charge with your charge pass’.

This allows three possibilities

  1. If you charge your company car with your NFC charge pass, these charge sessions are reimbursed by Shell Recharge Solutions.
  2. If you charge your personal vehicle with your linked Shell Recharge charge pass, this is not reimbursed. You pay for these charge sessions yourself.
  3. If a visitor charges their vehicle, they will pay the guest rate you have set and you will be reimbursed.

Whether your guests can charge depends on your 'guest usage' settings in your account.shellrecharge.com account:

  • Switched off
  • Free of charge for guests
  • Guests have to pay

If you allow guest usage, we recommend that you set charge pass access to 'Charge with your charge pass', which means your charging station will only charge using the charge passes you select.

Users of the electrical grid who have a charging station are required to register this with their distribution system operator. Those who fail to do so may face an administrative fine.  Charging stations for electric vehicles must be registered in Flanders and Wallonia, but this is not yet required in Brussels. 

This new requirement is intended to help predict the electricity needs of households and businesses, especially as the number of electric vehicles on Belgian roads is expected to increase. This information will allow grid operators to better anticipate changes on the distribution network and make targeted adjustments.
 

  • In the Flemish Region, the Flemish Regulator for the Electricity and Gas Market (VREG) introduced the mandatory registration of charging stations for electric vehicles in June 2021.All charging stations connected to the low-voltage grid with a load capacity of 5 kVA or more must be registered with Fluvius.
  • In the Walloon Region, the most recent electricity market decree came into force on 15 October 2022. This requires any grid user with a charging station to register this with the grid operator.
  • In the Brussels-Capital Region, charging stations currently do not have to be registered, but this is likely to change in the near future.
  • In the Flemish Region, you must register your charging station with Fluvius
    • Go to Fluviuso
    • Make sure you have the EAN code of your existing electricity connection to hand. Your EAN code can be found on the energy bills from your supplier.
    • What should you enter in the following fields if you have a Shell Recharge charging station?
      • Name of installer: Shell Recharge
      • Type of charging system: Single charging station
      • Access to charging system: Personal
      • Does the system use smart charging? Yes, the charging station applies an agreed limit on peak consumption
      • Charging station manufacturer: Enovates
      • Name of charging station model (manufacturer): Home Advanced
      • Number of charging stations (= number of plugs/sockets): 1
      • Maximum configured capacity per charging station: Single-phase: 7.4 kWThree-phase: 22 kW
  • There are five distribution system operators in the Walloon Region: ORES, RESA, AIEG, AIESH en REW
  • In the Brussels-Capital Region, Sibelga is the network operator but you are not currently required to register your charging station. 

If you have any questions, contact your grid operator.

  •  Log in to your account at account.shellrecharge.com
  • Set guest usage to 'Guests have to pay'
  • Set the guest rate to the rate for home usage reimbursed by the partner's employer.

Tip
Do not check 'Show on map to everyone' because the charging station will then become 'Public' in the Shell Recharge app.

  • Install the Shell Recharge app
  • Make an account in the app
  • Order a Shell Recharge charge pass in the app
  • Log in to account.shellrecharge.com
  • Add the charge pass
  • Activate your charge point

Charging station for tenants, residents of a terraced house or apartment, co-owned property

As a tenant, you do not have the right to have a charging station installed at your own initiative. Such decisions are up to the owner.

If you do have a charging station installed, it becomes the property of the owner of the house or apartment you’re renting, even if you paid for it.

If you cannot have a home charging station installed, you will have to charge your vehicle at public charging stations or at work.

  • To charge your EV at public charging stations, you need a charge card, such as the NFC charge card, which you can use to charge your vehicle at more than 99% of public charging stations in Belgium.
  • Your employer’s car policy should stipulate whether you can charge your vehicle at work.

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’ (only in Dutch). In a few steps, you will find out whether electric driving is the right choice for you and which electric vehicle is the best fit for you.

Since not every home or apartment is suitable for the installation of a charging station, 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!

Tenants
If you rent an apartment, contact the owner to discuss the possibilities.

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 home charging station in your lease contract. Your charging station will then be connected to your individual electricity meter and you will pay the additional costs for installing the charging station (in addition to the price you pay under your lease contract) and infrastructure changes yourself.

More information on leasing an electric vehicle with a charging station is provided at this link.

You can use your charge card provided the charging solution meets a number of conditions:

  • The charging station must be equipped with a module that allows ‘guest usage’.
  • The charging station must have a card reader to swipe your charge card to start a charging session.
  • The charging station must be equipped with RFID technology to enable data exchange between the charging station and the charge card provider. RFID is an acronym for Radio Frequency Identification.

Charging costs are billed through the charge card provider.

  • You can have the charging station disassembled and reassembled at your new home.
  • Note that if the charging station is part of your lease contract, the disassembly and reassembly costs will be at your expense.

Insurance for your home charging station

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.

Holidays

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

Other questions

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