Electrolineras: What they are and how they work

The development of electric cars brings with it the incorporation of new terms that are becoming more frequent in people’s speech, such as charging stations. We explain what they are and how they work.

An electrolinera is nothing more than a station provided with several recharging points for electric cars, where users can connect the electric charger to their vehicle to recharge the battery.

In other words, it is an electricity supply station for refueling batteries, both for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

Currently, the network of charging stations in Spain is still quite scarce, although this will change in the coming years. As with gas stations, these stations have other services such as rest areas, cafeterias and food stores.

These types of services are even more necessary in the case of charging stations, since waiting times for refueling are longer. In addition, some charging stations have various adapters for charging plugs, as well as advice during the process.

What differences exist between refueling an electric car and a gasoline car?

The only thing they agree on is that when the energy runs out, regardless of what it is, you have to go to the specific place to refuel. From here, there are some differences between reporting an electric car and a gasoline car.

Logically, the first difference is that in one case electricity is supplied and in another fossil fuel. But, beyond this obviousness, the big difference between one and the other is in the refueling time.

Filling up a tank with petrol or diesel can take a few minutes, while recharging a battery to 100% can take much longer, up to hours, depending on the type of charger used.

Using a domestic AC charging socket, recharging time can be up to 24 hours. The most common is to use a Wallbox system, either at home or in a public point. In this case, the estimated time ranges between six and eight hours.

Using a fast charging point with direct current, the time is considerably reduced, up to one hour, depending on the charging power. In one 20 minutes you can recharge a range of more than 100 kilometers.

Another important difference is the price. Currently, both gasoline and electricity are through the roof. However, the cost per kilometer is lower in an electric car.

Just as, to calculate how much it costs to fill the gas tank, you have to multiply the price per liter by the capacity of the tank, to know how much it costs to recharge an electric car, you have to take into account the capacity of the battery and the price of electricity.

The formula is: battery capacity (kWh) multiplied by electricity price (euros/Kwh). According to the website Tarifaluzhora, the average price of electricity today is 0.35556 euros/kWh. If we take as an example the best-selling car last July, the Citroën ë-C4, whose battery is 50 kWh, we get that recharging the battery costs 17,778 euros.

On the other hand, the gasoline version of the C4, whose fuel tank is 50 liters, taking into account the price of gasoline today, at 1.903 euros / liter on average, it comes out that reaching the tank costs 95.15 euros.

Of course, the difference in autonomy is also important: the electric C4, with 100 kW (136 hp), homologates a range of 357 kilometers, while the 130 hp gasoline C4 can exceed 900 kilometers, based on its average consumption homologated 5.4 litres/100 km.

How does an electric station work?

Nowadays, in addition to the charging stations themselves, there are recharging points distributed throughout different places in the cities, such as restaurants or supermarkets. They are usually slow or semi-fast charging points, but usually free.

In an electrolinera there are no slow charging points, since it would not make sense. In this case, we find semi-fast (22 kW), fast (50 kW), super-fast (150 kW) and ultra-fast (350-400 kW) charging points, which allow the battery to be recharged in a time that varies between 20 and 30 minutes. Although this will depend on the power that the vehicle can withstand.

To recharge, simply bring the electric car close to the charging point, just as you would at a gas station, making sure that the vehicle’s charging port is close by.

Then you plug in the hose and you’re good to go. After recharging, you only have to pay by any method or, in some cases, also through mobile applications that also allow you to locate, book and pay for recharges in advance.

How much does it cost to refuel at an electric station?

The price for refueling at a gas station varies depending on the cost of electricity and the charging power, but, on average, prices range between 0.20 and 0.79 euros/kWh.

For example, the Endesa X network has recharging points with powers of 22, 43 with Mennekes connectors and 50 kW, the latter using CCS and CHAdeMO connectors. The recharge price is 0.35 euros/kWh in AC current at powers from 22 kW to 43 kW and 0.40 euros/kWh in DC current at powers from 50 kW.

Iberdrola, for its part, has points with powers from 22 to 43 kW in the Mennekes Type 2 connector, 50 kW in the CCS and CHAdeMO connector and 150 kW in the CCS connector, with prices of 0.25 euros/kWh at a power of up to 22 kW, 0.45 euros/kWh at powers of up to 50 kW, 0.45 euros/kWh at powers of 150 kW and 0.69 euros/kWh at powers of up to 350/400 kW.

On the other hand, the Repsol network has recharging points with powers from 22 to 43 kW, 50 and up to 350 kW, with prices starting from 0.35 euros/kWh to 0.45 euros/kWh at powers of up to 350 kW.

Another of the most widespread networks is Ionity, whose charging points have a minimum power of 150 kW with a CCS connector, at a cost of 0.79 euros/kWh. However, the company offers a subscription service that can lower the cost, between 0.29 euros/kWh and 0.35 euros/kWh.

load types

Currently, there are four charging modes available in Spain. They are the following:

mode 1

This is a type of generic charge intended for multiple uses, in which there is no communication between the electrical outlet, which is a domestic Schuko type, and the vehicle.

It is slow (it can take more than eight hours to complete the recharge), single-phase, alternating current and with a maximum intensity of 16 Amps (A) and a voltage of 230 V. Thus, the maximum charging power is 3.7 kW.

mode 2

Same as above, but includes a cable equipped with a protection system and a differential switch to avoid network connection problems.

This is also a slow recharge with the same properties as Mode 1.

mode 3

In this case, we are already talking about a type of semi-fast charging, known as Wallbox, which uses a Mennekes or SAE J1772-type connector, depending on the vehicle. It incorporates various protection systems necessary for the safety of the electrical installation and the vehicle.

The current is alternating and, normally, single-phase, with a usual intensity of 32 A and a maximum power of 7.4 kW. However, if the load is three-phase, the intensity can be up to 63 A and up to a maximum of 43 kW.

mode 4

Finally, Mode 4 is fast charging in direct current. To do this, it uses a transformer and it is the usual one in the charging stations in Spain and in some public places.

It has a connection cable and the power is at least 50 kW, although it can also be ultra-fast, up to 350 kW. Suitable connectors are the CCS Combo and the CHAdeMO.

The estimated charging time to complete 80% is usually about 30 minutes, depending on the type of vehicle and battery.