The first snow has not yet fallen, but everyone who lives in Sweden knows that it can come suddenly. And regardless of whether we have a winter with a lot of snow, thawing snow or bare ground, our Nordic climate imposes specific demands, particularly in relation to how we charge our electric cars.
From day one, we at Charge Amps have focused on coming up with solutions that are customized to our climate. This has affected everything from the choice of materials to intelligent functions. So we’d like to share our four best tips with anyone choosing a charging station for their electric car.
- Make sure that the equipment can withstand the temperature range that we have in Sweden. Remember that we’ve actually had winters in which the thermometer dipped down to -40 degrees Celsius. Just as we have in fact had a number of summers with bright sunshine and +30 degrees C. Not all suppliers can cope with this range, so it’s worth having a second look.
- Make sure that the charging station is constructed using robust materials. Some materials may look attractive but break apart when exposed to the weather. Ensure that the selected material can withstand both ice and snow. Also check that the selected material does not rust or let in dust or other particles into the unit. It will then be easier to clean the charging station too.
- Select a charging cable made of the right materials. It’s not a pleasant experience if the charging cable becomes rigid or even freezes and gets stuck when it’s a few degrees below zero. Also check that the charging cable is well seated in the holder when it’s not in use to prevent unnecessary wear.
- Make sure there is an option for load balancing. In winter, energy consumption in the home can rapidly escalate, so it’s important to choose a charging station that can optimize charging and adapt it to the rest of the residents’ energy consumption.
When electric cars started to make a breakthrough in Sweden, many people were worried as to how the batteries in the cars would withstand our cold Swedish winters. But nowadays this is rarely an issue, since vehicle development has progressed rapidly. As described above, you as a consumer don’t need to worry whether your charging station will withstand the winter – as long as you make a conscious choice of equipment. In other words, all the conditions for you to have a fantastic winter with your electric car are in place.
We at Charge Amps will continue to develop solutions for our Swedish climate. This entails a sustainable choice of materials and smart solutions that simplify everyday life, regardless of the season. So having said that, there’s nothing stopping us from wishing everyone some lovely snow and a really great winter!
