Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about EV charging
Ladestrategie & Akkufreundlichkeit
The current fundamentals: how much to charge when, what role the app plays — and how to care for the battery along the way.
The LadeGuide app analyzes your planned route taking into account vehicle data, current range and battery temperature.
Main functions:
- Route planning (A to B): The app computes the optimal route based on charging infrastructure, available charging stations and your vehicle type.
- Forward-looking cost calculation: Makes use of current price data from various providers for economical charging stops (off-peak hours, cheaper passes).
- Battery-state integration: Takes into account the current state of the battery. At 80%+ ACcharging at the destination takes priority, DC only when urgently needed.
- Subscription strategy: Forecast for when a subscription (e.g. IONITY Passport) pays off, to minimize long-distance costs.
Battery life: A charging window between 20 and 80 % significantly extends the lifespan of the battery.
Charging phases explained:
| Battery charge | Speed |
|---|---|
| 0 %–50 % | Fastest phase (maximum output) |
| 50 %–80 % | Still quite fast, but the charging curve flattens |
| 80 %–100 % | Clearly slower – the last tenth can take twice as long as the rest |
The charging curve in detail — what influences it and how you can use it for your charging planning.
Exception: Before very long journeys the battery can be charged to 100 % without any problems.
Action-based optimization:
- Battery temperature management: Use pre-conditioning via the infotainment to reach the ideal temperature of 20 to 25 degrees. This maximizes charging speed!
- Charging-window optimization: LadeGuide computes the optimal charging window for each electric vehicle based on the charging curve of the specific vehicle model.
- Automated route planning: Specialized platforms automatically plan the necessary charging stops along your route based on the current state of the battery.
What is tapering?
The technical term for the phenomenon of why the charging process at ~80 % becomes much slower — and what you can do about it.
Tapering (from the English "to taper" = to level off, to gradually decrease) denotes the targeted reduction in charging power by the battery management system (BMS), as soon as the state of charge reaches about 80 % of the battery capacity.
The BMS gradually reduces the output — that is, it further slows down — to avoid overheating, lithium plating, and cell damage. The closer the battery gets to 100 %, the slower the charging process becomes. The last 20 % can take as long as the first 80 %
More about the charging curve: phases and influencing factors →
Charging technology, charging speed & connectors
AC vs. DC, fast chargers, HPC and megawatt: the technology behind every charging power — plus the standards and protocols in the vehicle.
For long distances, primarily High-Power-Charging (HPC, DC fast charging above 150 kW) is considered, as it can top up several hundred kilometers of range in just 10 to 30 minutes.
At a glance:
| Ladetechnologie | Duration (10 %–80 %) |
|---|---|
| AC charging (wallbox, 3.7–22 kW) | 4 to 8 hours |
| DC fast charging (50–150 kW) | 30 to 50 minutes |
| HPC (High-Power, 150–400+ kW) | 15 to 25 minutes |
For overnight stays, AC charging is very effective – here you can top up conveniently at home.
The onboard charger sits in the vehicle and converts the alternating current (AC) from the socket, wallbox or AC column into the direct current the battery needs. It sets the maximum for AC charging: depending on the model, usually 3,7 – 22 kW. A more powerful wallbox will not bring any additional benefit in the first place.
In the case of DC fast charging (CCS, HPC) and in the case of Megawattladen (MCS) the onboard charger is bypassed — the rectification takes place in the charging column. That is exactly why 50 – 400+ kW or even several megawatts are possible there.
ISO 15119 (also V2G) is the communication protocol between vehicle and charger. It controls Automation, identification and billing — and is thereby the foundation of Plug & Charge.
CCS2 (Combined Charging System, also Combo 2) is the EU standard for DC fast charging: a Type-2 connection (AC) with two additional DC contacts below it — up to 350 kW and beyond.
NACS (North American Charging Standard) is the North American connector standard from the Tesla network. In Europe CCS2 is dominant; NACS is gaining ground with international models.
Ein Adapterkabel connects two different connector standards — e.g. a CCS2 connection with NACS (North American standard).
Charging standards & connectors compared — Type 2, CCS2, NACS and megawatt.
Charging cards, payment & roaming
From ad-hoc to subscription: how to unlock and pay for charging stations — and how roaming makes your card usable at other operators' stations.
Charging cards (also mobile billing providers, abbreviated MBS) are the digital access method for charging at public charging stations. They replace the awkward path via individual provider apps at each charging column.
How they work:
- Digital key – One card, a QR code or an app as access to tens of thousands of charging stations.
- Roaming technology – the charging card connects various operator networks (CPOs) via a single contract (what e-roaming is and what it costs).
- Central billing – all charging costs on a single monthly invoice, clear and easy to plan.
| Driving profile | Recommended solution | Cost (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Home + everyday use | ADAC e-Charge | from €5/month |
| High-mileage / long-distance | IONITY Passport (subscription, monthly cancellable) + EnBW mobility+ | from €20/month |
| Tesla drivers (out-and-back) | Chargemap Go Pass (freemium option) | Free with limits |
| Ad-hoc users | Credit card / QR code (Aral pulse, Shell) | Pay as you go |
Ein RFID tag (charging card) is a small RF badge that you hold at the reader point of the charging column — the station uses it to enable the charging function. Depending on the provider, free of charge or paid.
All charging cards compared — which one fits the driving profile and what a subscription costs.
There is a QR code is affixed. With the charging network's app, you scan it — and the charging session begins, often without an RFID tag.
QR code, RFID & Plug & Charge at the charging column — the three access paths in detail.
Plug & Charge is the comfort standard (ISO 15119): connect the cable, the charging process starts automatically. Identification and billing are handled in the background — no app password, no terminal click.
Roaming platforms (e.g. Hubject WAVE, Gireve) connect eMSPs and CPOs: they mediate the contractual connections, the activation of your card at other operators' stations, and the data exchange — this is how a single charging card works at many different stations.
Costs & fees when charging
The energy price is just one factor: the charging curve, standing and parking fees, and the roaming surcharge — and what the THG quota brings you.
Die Charging curve describes how the charging power falls as battery charge progresses. Up to about 80 % the charging is fast, then clearly slower — in the protection phase that is meant to preserve the cells.
Charging curve in detail — influencing factors and how it feeds into the charging planning.
Roaming means: your charging contract works not only with your own provider, but through partnerships at the stations of many other operators — including billing through your contract. Prices and terms vary by network.
Roaming costs in detail — surcharges, subscriptions and AFIR rules.
Die Standing fee is a per-minute charge that is incurred at the station after the charging has ended, if you keep the column (continuing to) occupied. Not charged everywhere — check it in advance in the charging conditions.
In addition to the standing fee and energy price, a separate charge can be incurred at parking areas (e.g. at Supercharger spots) Parking fee for the parking duration become due — independent of the charging process.
THG premium is the payout you receive as an EV driver when your vehicle saves CO₂ and you market these savings as a certificate in the THG quota trade. Owners of pure battery-electric vehicles (M1/M2, German registration) can have their savings certified by the Federal Environment Agency; plug-in hybrids are excluded. Once per vehicle and quota year.
Good to know:
- Tax: Tax-exempt for private individuals, but taxable when used commercially.
- Amount: Today, approximately 300 euros per year per vehicle — depending on the quota year and market conditions.
- Who sells: you can sell it yourself (laborious) or use a marketer such as LadeGuide, which bundles the certificates and pays out to you.
Simply explained: THG quota & THG premium — the complete mechanism, the rights of the owner, and how LadeGuide pays out the amount directly to you.
Actors & infrastructure in the charging area
CPO, eMSP, PSP, clearing house: the roles behind the charging column — who does what and how payment and billing work.
Ein CPO (Charge Point Operator) is the charging-point operator: It operates, monitors and maintains the charging column, resolves faults, sets the prices at the charging point and provides ad-hoc payment (terminal or QR code).
CPO = the operator of the charging infrastructure (hardware, maintenance, price at the charging point). eMSP (E-Mobility Service Provider) = your contract partner — it provides access via app and/or charging card with a contractually agreed tariff. A single company can take on both roles simultaneously.
Ein eMSP (E-Mobility Service Provider) is the charging-power provider: It enables you, via app and/or RFID charging card, to access the charging stations of various operators (CPOs) — via roaming platforms — and handles billing with you.
The owner is whoever purchased and installed the station — a real-estate company, a supermarket, a parking-area operator or a municipality. Operational responsibility is often held by another role: the CPO. Ownership and operation therefore do not always coincide.
Ein PSP (Payment Service Provider) is the payment service provider behind ad-hoc card payment at the charging column (e.g. Visa, Mastercard). The backend of the CPOs communicates with the PSP, in order to function without a contract with your credit or debit card.
The Clearing-Haus (in Germany, among others, e.clearing) technically settles the charging sessions: which station was used by whom, under which contract — and who pays whom what. For you as the driver this runs completely in the background.
Ad-hoc charging means: you charge without a prior charging contract — directly at the station with credit/debit card at the terminal or QR code. An ad-hoc charging service provider makes exactly that possible. Since the AFIR regulation it must be available at public charging points above 50 kW everywhere; prices are usually higher than the subscription price.
Reference values & AFIR obligations in the German charging network
The You are the End user — who charges the vehicle (themselves or someone commissioned), who starts the charging session and who receives the invoice. Depending on the path (ad-hoc or charging card), between you and the charging column a varying number of roles are involved.
OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) is the open communication standard between the charging column and the backend, operated by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA). Via OCPP, authentication, remote control, firmware updates and fault reporting are handled — so that stations from different manufacturers can be integrated into a uniform backend.
Charging glossary — the most common terms around the charging station
The terms that appear at charging stations, in apps and in contracts — every typical "what is …?" question in a nutshell.
Ein Lade-Hub (fast-charging park) bundles several — often HPC — charging points together with infrastructure (toilets, kiosks). Commonly on motorway corridors, often with different operators under one roof.
LadeGuide calculates your personal charging strategy
No more manual guesswork! Enter your vehicle model and get exact values for every charging curve.
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