{"id":1977,"date":"2026-04-27T14:41:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T12:41:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/certipower.be\/kennisbank\/ac-vs-dc-charging-when-do-you-truly-need-a-fast-charger\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T21:16:38","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T19:16:38","slug":"ac-vs-dc-charging-when-do-you-truly-need-a-fast-charger","status":"publish","type":"kennisbank","link":"https:\/\/certipower.be\/en\/kennisbank\/ac-vs-dc-charging-when-do-you-truly-need-a-fast-charger\/","title":{"rendered":"AC vs DC charging: when do you truly need a fast charger?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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AC charging and DC charging are two fundamentally different technologies. The difference is not only speed, but above all cost and use case.<\/p>\n

How it works, in one paragraph<\/h2>\n

An EV battery always runs on direct current. With AC charging, the car itself converts the alternating current from the grid into direct current. That happens through the on-board charger, with a power limit of usually 11 kW. With DC charging, the conversion happens in the charger itself, so much higher power can go straight to the battery.<\/p>\n

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AC charging, alternating current<\/span>Up to 22 kW<\/strong>Conversion through the car\u2019s on-board charger, usually up to 11 kW.<\/span>Enough in 90% of cases<\/span><\/div>\n
DC charging, direct current<\/span>From 50 kW<\/strong>Conversion in the charger: 50 to 350 kW straight to the battery.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Cost difference<\/h2>\n
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AC 11 kW<\/span>\u20ac1,500 to \u20ac3,500<\/strong>Including installation<\/span><\/div>\n
AC 22 kW<\/span>\u20ac2,500 to \u20ac5,000<\/strong>Including installation<\/span><\/div>\n
DC 50 kW<\/span>\u20ac25,000 to \u20ac45,000<\/strong>Including installation<\/span><\/div>\n
DC 150+ kW<\/span>\u20ac60,000 to \u20ac120,000<\/strong>Including installation, almost always with a grid upgrade<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

When does DC make sense?<\/h2>\n

In three scenarios:<\/p>\n

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01<\/div>\n
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Short stops, many kilometres<\/h3>\n

Taxis, courier services, courtesy cars.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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02<\/div>\n
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A customer-facing fast charging location<\/h3>\n

Hotels and restaurants along the motorway, retail using charging as a traffic driver.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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03<\/div>\n
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Operational continuity<\/h3>\n

A logistics fleet where 30 minutes difference per charge is crucial for planning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

When is AC enough?<\/h2>\n

In 90% of business situations. An employee who arrives in the evening and leaves in the morning has 12 hours of downtime. More than enough for 11 kW AC to fully charge the car.<\/p>\n

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Investing in DC in that case is throwing capital away.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Torn between AC and DC for your site?<\/strong>Our technical advisor calculates the right mix based on your usage pattern.<\/span><\/div>\n
Get the mix calculated<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The in-between option: DC 25 to 30 kW<\/h2>\n

A new category of compact DC chargers at around \u20ac15,000 to \u20ac20,000 fills a niche: fast enough for flexible top-ups over lunch, affordable enough for SMEs. For companies that occasionally need to charge quickly, it is an interesting compromise. When 50 kW or more does make sense is covered in a fast charger on your business site: 50 kW or 200 kW<\/a>.<\/p>\n

AC by default, DC only with a reason<\/h2>\n

Choose DC only when there is a demonstrable operational or commercial reason. An installer who recommends DC by default without that analysis is selling you margin rather than a solution.<\/p>\n

Whichever brand you choose, make sure it supports open standards. Why that matters: OCPP and interoperability<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Install<\/strong>AC and DC, on the company site, at the employee\u2019s home and on the road.<\/span><\/div>\n
Measure<\/strong>Consumption per user and per location, without estimates.<\/span><\/div>\n
Split billing<\/strong>Your employee pays nothing upfront and submits no receipts. How split billing works<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
My.Certipower<\/strong>Consumption and costs per user and per location, without Excel.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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No obligation<\/div>\n

AC, DC or a mix for your site?<\/p>\n

We review your usage pattern and give you a concrete proposal.<\/p>\n