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Household electric vehicle charging set to boom in Germany.

PlasticsToday Staff

August 27, 2021

2 Min Read
wallbox
Image: Romira

In 2020, more electric vehicles (EVs) were registered worldwide than ever before, a record that looks like it will be broken in 2021. Meeting growing demand requires that charging stations are available not only in public spaces, but also in proximity to end users. Wall charging stations — so-called wallboxes — are a core technology for charging via a domestic power connection.

German compounder Romira GmbH has been addressing the issue of private charging for some time and has developed a material from the Romiloy PC+ASA range tailored to the specific demands of wallboxes.

One challenge in product development is the range of operating temperatures. Depending on where the wallbox is installed — a garage or a protected outdoor area of the carport — it must withstand temperatures ranging from –30° to 85°C. High impact strength and weathering resistance are also required properties. Tailor-made PC-ASA compounds can satisfy all these points and meet REACH and RoHS requirements.

There is no risk of fire or other potential hazards such as electric shocks with Romira compounds, which can be produced in black and white as well as in a variety of colors.

After all necessary requirements for the wallbox have been met, it will receive CE marking, a prerequisite for supplying energy to an electric vehicle in Europe.

Since November 2020, German bank KfW has offered a subsidy program for the installation of wallboxes. The grant amounts to a flat rate of €900 ($1,060) per charging point. The following basic requirements must be met for this subsidy:

  • The wallbox must have a charging capacity of 11 kW.

  • The charging station must be permanently installed.

  • The electricity for the wallbox must come exclusively from renewable energies.

  • The charging station must be named on a list of KfW eligible wallboxes.

Romira is also currently conducting customized development work in this future-oriented field with the aim of meeting the special requirements for wallboxes.

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