These are the best places to charge your electric car or PHEV in Spain.
It is increasingly easier to charge your electric or plug-in hybrid car away from home
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The electric vehicles they are increasingly present in the streets. Saying goodbye to gasoline also means having to prepare an infrastructure to be able to charge the car at home or, failing that, park somewhere that is prepared to be able to recharge. This, added to the extra price that must be paid to get an electric, are the main negative points of these vehicles.
However, there is an intermediate alternative that offers us new possibilities, at the same time that it introduces us to new problems to solve. Plug-in hybrid cars are usually a more suitable alternative for the general public. The transition from to these new cars is not made as abruptly as with pure electric ones. However, we are going to have to solve a series of very similar problems on a daily basis. And it is that, although plug-in hybrids can work perfectly using only the heat engine, the ideal is to use the electric part most of the time. So… What can I do to recharge the battery while saving the maximum amount of money possible?
The main advantage of electric cars and plug-in hybrids
Shopping centers, supermarkets… you can charge your car in many places without having to pay
Buying an electric car or one with PHEV technology means spending significantly more money on the purchase of the vehicle than if we opted for a model with a gasoline or diesel engine. However, as these new cars are still in the rollout phase, drivers who are beginning to adopt this technology have certain advantages over others.
In addition to being able to benefit from the new Low Emission Zones (ZBE), these cars can also park in numerous points of the Spanish geography and recharge the battery for free.
Where can I recharge my car for free?
It may seem that having a car with an electric motor condemns you to planning each trip to the millimeter. However, moving sustainably is becoming easier. Almost all the chain stores that have parking for customers have set up electric chargers which can be used for free.
The free charger offer it is getting bigger. Currently, you can charge your electric car in Spain in the following types of establishments:
- Supermarkets and hypermarkets
- Big surfaces
- Malls
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- airports
Supermarkets and hypermarkets with free chargers
Mercadona is the supermarket with the most charging points in Spain Electrical Equipment
When you have an electric vehicle, you should make the most of every move. Hence, charging the car while we shop at a supermarket is a great idea.
Mercadona
The most notorious case is Mercadonawhich currently has more than 1,700 charging points in their establishments. are points of up to 7.4 kWso we can charge a fraction of the battery while we shop.
The recharge is totally freealthough in order to benefit from it, we will have to make a minimum purchase In the establishment.
lidl
Another supermarket chain that has also done its homework with electrification is lidl. The Germans already have 120 stores in Spain where we can recharge our vehicle for free and with a maximum power of 22 kW. Of course, the time limit per customer is 30 minutes.
Carrefour
Carrefour has also joined this trend, although they still have a lot of work to do. The French chain just started deployment of parking spaces with chargers, so they have not yet reached the hundred stations available. Of course, Carrefour chargers are powerful (22 kW), and in the future, they plan to enable stations with maximum powers of 300 kW.
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Finally, Ahorrams is also in the process of establishing parking spaces to recharge electric and hybrid cars. In this case, they are also 22 kW points, although it should also be noted that there are very few stores on the list.
Department stores and shopping centers
Almost all department stores and shopping centers already have areas set up for electric cars
Following the same formula as supermarkets, many department stores and shopping centers have set up parking areas with free recharge for customers.
The English Court
El Corte Ingls has done its job well in terms of electrification. Practically all establishments that have parking have areas set up for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Any client can benefit without having to pay as long as they meet the relevant requirements. Recharging at El Corte Ingls depends on the type of connector in that square. There are slow charging points, which work with Schuko, and those that go to 22 kW (Mennekes Type 2). In addition, some centers have spaces with exclusive chargers for Tesla.
Ikea
Regarding Ikea, many of its establishments have 7.4 kW charging sockets. These points are totally free and must be activated with the Iberdrola application.
Iberdrola points are also present in other chains such as Leroy Merlin. However, whether or not the points are free depends mainly on the power of the chargers themselves.
Restaurants with free car chargers in Spain
McDonald’s is the leading fast food chain with a charging point for electric vehicles El Economista
Recharging the car during lunch or dinner can be an attractive enough idea to make us choose one restaurant or another. Fast food chains in our country know this, so it is not surprising that they are also working to offer their customers points of charging for electric and plug-in vehicles.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s is working closely with Iberdrola and Endesa. These points are being installed in restaurants that are in open areas, which they call “free standing”. The only drawback of the Ronald McDonald’s house is that not all the points are free, since everything will depend on the charging power. In any case, the place must be reserved through the relevant applications.
Burger King and Popeyes
The same strategy is repeated with Burger King and Popeyes, which in Spain are under the umbrella of Restaurant Brands Iberia. The charging points are being set up in restaurants that are in open areas, and they work with Iberdrola. The minimum charging speed is 22 kW, while some points can supply 150 kW super fast charging.
Hotels with free car chargers
Large hotel chains are adapting to the transition to electric
A family that travels through Spain in an electric car will only stay in a hotel that offers them the possibility of recharging their vehicle. Hence the large hotel chains of our country have made a move to meet this requirement of many of their potential customers. In fact, already in 2021, a law came into force that obliges hotels, hostels and campsites to install charging points for electric cars.
iberostar
In the case of iberostar, more than half of its hotels already have charging points. are points of 22 kWh, but enough in most cases to be able to recharge the batteries during the night. The service is completely free for customers, and the group hopes to add more and more charging points, as they believe that the adoption of this type of vehicle will increase over time.
Barcelo Hotels
The Barcel Hotels have an agreement with Endesa. The charge at these points is 22 kW, and it is free for clients. On the other hand, in some hotels of this company, a parking and recharging service is also offered to drivers who are not hotel clients. It is priced for days and no additional supplement is charged for recharging.
Melia Hotels
Lastly, the Meli hotel chain has more than 100 charging points in its Spanish hotels. Meli Hotels signed their agreement with Wenea, and they have places of 7.4, 22 and 50 kW.
Other free charging points
Some dealerships and business parks have totally free charging points
So far, we have only mentioned places where they will let us recharge the car in exchange for making a purchase. But that doesn’t mean they’re the only ways to recharge an electric or hybrid car without going through the checkout. There are some extra points that we should also mention and that can help you both if you are looking to save a few euros, or if you do not want to run out of battery with your electric car in the middle of a city.
In addition to these points, it is advisable to install applications on your mobile phone to be able to locate charging points for electric vehicles. In this way, you can find new charging points that are being added in your city or the places you visit.
universities
Some college campuses in Spain they have places reserved for electric vehicles. Each one is different, so you may have to prove that you belong to said institution to be able to use the charging point.
business parks
In some large cities, it is possible to find charging points for electric cars in business parks. They are signed by the classics energy companies of our country. In these cases, the car can be loaded without paying or simply asking for an accreditation that guarantees that we work in that area.
Public Buildings
Some municipalities in our country are promoting the use of electric cars by providing parking spaces for this type of vehicle. In addition to park for freeit is also possible to recharge the car at these points, even at low speed.
These points can be found near tourist areas, conference centers and some public buildings.
Dealers
If you have a dealership of the same brand or house of your car nearby, you can use it for free. In this case, it is convenient that you consult with them the availability and the necessary requirements to use them. The good thing about these points is that they are usually faster than those you will find in shopping centers and supermarkets.
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