Charger or socket: what do you really need?
Charger or socket: what do you really need?
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Voltaback adapts to your charging installation
Socket, dedicated socket or charger, all brands. Nothing to install, nothing to configure.
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Voltaback measures charging even on a standard socket (2.3 kW). Best kept for occasional top-ups.
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CEE 16 A socket on a dedicated circuit (3.7 kW). The best value choice for daily use.
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7, 11 or 22 kW wallbox. Voltaback works without any setup, whatever the brand.
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Socket or charger in a co-owned building, Voltaback works whatever the installation.
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Solar panels or wind turbines, with reimbursement based on your electricity tariff.
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Upload your electricity bill directly to the platform
Frequently asked questions
FAQ: dedicated socket or EV charger?
For many drivers, a simple dedicated socket is enough: if you come home every evening and charge overnight, even 3.7 kW easily covers a day of driving. A charger becomes useful if you drive a lot, have a large battery to fill often, or want to plug in 2 vehicles. In short: high mileage or need for speed → charger; normal daily use → a dedicated socket does the job for much less.
The risk is not the car but the socket: a standard household socket is not designed to deliver 2 to 3 kW for 8 hours straight, and it can overheat, especially on an old installation or with an extension lead. That is why charging is limited to ~2.2 kW. A dedicated socket (for example CEE 16 A) or a charger, on a dedicated circuit with the right circuit breaker, removes that risk. The real advice: avoid extension leads and have a dedicated circuit fitted by an approved electrician.
It is a real improvement, not just marketing, but on two conditions. It goes up to 3.7 kW (16 A) instead of ~2.2 kW, and above all it is designed for long charging sessions in safety. For that, it needs a dedicated circuit + the right circuit breaker, AND a Mode 2 cable with the right plug (CEE 16 A or interchangeable adapters). Without that cable, you charge as on a normal socket (~2.2 kW) and the extra cost is wasted. It is the most frequently mentioned trap on forums. Find the guide to the right cable in the resources on our website.
No, in the vast majority of cases. At home, a 7.4 kW single-phase charger is enough and already fills the battery overnight. 11/22 kW requires three-phase, extra works and a request to the grid operator, and above all many cars cap their AC charging at 7 or 11 kW: paying for a 22 kW charger will not make it faster. The consensus: choose 7.4 kW unless you have a very specific need.
A dedicated socket costs a few hundred euros installed. An installed 7.4 kW charger costs around €1,000 to €1,400 (more on three-phase), with 17 % VAT. As for grants: draft bill no. 8577 provides for 50 % of the costs excluding VAT for chargers above 3.7 kW, retroactive to 2026 invoices, but it has not been voted yet. Cross-border workers: the grants of your country of residence apply. The return comes mainly from charging at home, which is much cheaper than public charging, even more so if your kWh are reimbursed.
Yes, almost always. A PHEV has a small battery (often 10 to 20 kWh) that a dedicated socket fully charges overnight. Installing a charger for a hybrid is generally oversized: keep your budget for something else.
No particular installation is required. Whether you charge from a standard socket, a dedicated socket or a charger, in Luxembourg or in your country of residence, Voltaback measures your real kWh and generates a record per vehicle, with no box or connected charger to install. You choose the installation that suits you, Voltaback takes care of the reimbursement at real cost.
Still not sure whether to install a dedicated socket or a charger? Here is the test to find out in 2 minutes!