Charging stations at a glance — from home charger to Supercharger

Four stations, one goal: a full battery

Whether an AC home charger at the parking spot, a fast charger at the rest stop, high-performance charging on the motorway, or the Tesla Supercharger — every station has a clearly defined purpose. This guide shows which station makes sense where, and how to handle it safely in everyday life.

1. Home charger (AC wallbox)

Area of use: at home, at work, and in multi-storey residential buildings.

The home charger is the everyday charging station par excellence. It supplies AC at up to 11 kW (single-phase) or 22 kW (three-phase), which your vehicle's onboard charger converts into DC. That is exactly why it charges leisurely, but on the other hand all round cheaper — typically around €0.35/kWh with your own electricity tariff.

Typical operation: connect the cable and start the charging session — most of the time the home charger starts automatically via an RFID tag (charging card), or remains free to use. Apps are optional and serve mainly load management, e.g. solar use or time windows.

2. DC fast charger (50 – 150 kW)

Area of use: shopping centres, supermarkets, park-and-ride facilities.

DC fast chargers bypass the onboard charger: the charging station converts the electricity directly into DC. That allows 50 to 150 kW — you get enough range for the next leg in 30 to 50 minutes. The price range is usually €0.59 – 0.89/kWh depending on the operator, and some stations charge additional idle fees or parking fees.

Typical operation: a charging card (RFID), the charging-network app with a QR code at the vehicle, or Plug & Charge. After charging, mind the no-parking restriction, and pull the connector out only when the station's LED indicates the authorised pull-out phase.

3. HPC — High Power Charging (150 – 400 + kW)

Area of use: the motorway corridors, high-performance charging stations.

HPC chargers are the turbo version of fast charging. At 150 and several hundred kW, modern EVs (800-volt architecture) charge from 10 – 80 % within 10 to 25 minutes. The price range of €0.79 – 1.29/kWh is correspondingly higher — just like the speed.

Typical operation: identical to DC fast charging (RFID tag, QR code, or Plug & Charge). The difference is in the charging profile: HPC stations detect, via the vehicle's communication system (ISO 15118), how much power your battery can currently handle.

Every operator has its own ritual

Unfortunately, virtually every charging provider and manufacturer has opted for its own operating workflow — app, RFID, Plug & Charge, QR code, or a combination of all of the above. But you don't need to memorise anything: the charging glossary in the FAQ explains the common terms and systems, and the charging-cards page shows, depending on the provider, which activation applies in everyday use.

4. Tesla Supercharger — v3 up to 250 kW, v4 up to 400 kW

Area of use: the own Tesla networks worldwide, increasingly open to other brands as well.

Tesla's Supercharger stations are the best-known high-performance charging infrastructure. Originally reserved for Tesla vehicles only, the networks are gradually being opened to other EV brands — mostly via a CCS2 adapter or directly via a CCS2 connection.

Typical operation: in the Tesla network, the charging session starts automatically (Plug & Charge via RFID). Non-Tesla vehicles charge, depending on the region, via a charging network or an adapter cable — the operating instructions are posted at the station and in the respective charging-network app.

5. What suits you? — The LadeGuide approach

🏠

Home charger for everyday charging

The home charger is your most important charging source: the cheapest electricity, everyday use, the highest efficiency. LadeGuide deliberately prioritises such destinations in the route plan.

🛒

Fast chargers for the shop stop

Shopping, eating, charging — DC locations can be optimally combined with the daily routine. LadeGuide suggests suitable charging stations along your route, from AC to fast charging.

⚡

HPC/Supercharger only when necessary

On long distances, HPC is more efficient — and more expensive. LadeGuide calculates when a longer stop at a cheaper point pays off.

LadeGuide automatically selects the right station for your situation

Home charger at home, fast chargers in everyday use, HPC/Supercharger only when truly necessary — LadeGuide calculates the optimal mix based on time, costs and the charging curve.

Learn more

Sources

  1. Mennekes e-mobility guide: Charging point marking — what do the symbols mean?
  2. Tesla Supercharger info: tesla.com/supercharging
  3. Charging types at a glance: AC/DC/HPC compared with their output ranges