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Knowledge

Mobility, hands on.

Simulate range and charging time, compare drivetrains, test your knowledge and look up terms.

Range Charging time Plugs Drivetrains Quiz Timeline Glossary

Range simulator

How far will I really get?

Speed, temperature, body shape and heat pump: see which factors determine range and where the energy goes.

km range

Consumption per 100 km

Same trip at 20 °C

Effect of temperature

Where the energy goes (kWh per 100 km)

Air resistance Rolling resistance Pulling away Drivetrain losses Cold battery Heating, air con, on-board power

Simplified physical model with typical values for mass, air resistance and efficiency. Not a manufacturer figure; real values vary with vehicle, route and driving style.

Charging time calculator

How long does charging take?

Wallbox or rapid charger, 400 or 800 volts: the charging curve decides. Set the battery, state of charge and charging point.

Charging time

Range added

Energy into the battery

Drawn incl. charging losses

Average charging power

Range per minute

Charging power by state of charge, with your charging window highlighted

Typical, simplified charging curve: full power up to about 50 per cent, decreasing after that. Temperature, battery chemistry and the charging station change the result. At rapid chargers it usually pays to move on at around 80 per cent.

Plug guide

Which plug goes where?

From the household socket to the rapid charger: the main charging plugs with their power, typical use and standard.

AC

Type 2

The seven-pin Type 2 plug is the European standard for charging with alternating current, single-phase or three-phase. 11 kW is common at private wallboxes; how much actually reaches the battery is determined by the car’s on-board charger. Public charging stations often have only a socket into which you plug your own cable.

Power: up to 22 kW (rarely 43 kW)
Typical use: Wallboxes, public AC charging stations in Europe
Standard: IEC 62196-2

Drivetrains compared

How much of 100 kWh of green electricity reaches the wheels

Every conversion step costs energy. The comparison shows why the direct route via the battery is the most efficient, and where hydrogen and e-fuels can still play a role.

Battery electric (BEV)

≈ 73 kWh

95%Power grid90%Charging95%Battery90%Motor and drivetrain

That takes a car around 490 km, assuming 15 kWh per 100 km at the wheels.

Hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV)

≈ 26 kWh

95%Power grid70%Electrolysis80%Compression and transport55%Fuel cell90%Motor and drivetrain

That takes a car around 170 km, assuming 15 kWh per 100 km at the wheels.

E-fuels in a combustion engine

≈ 13 kWh

95%Power grid70%Electrolysis70%CO₂ capture and synthesis95%Transport30%Combustion engine

That takes a car around 90 km, assuming 15 kWh per 100 km at the wheels.

Rounded orders of magnitude for each conversion step, based on analyses by Agora Verkehrswende and Transport & Environment. Real values depend on the plants, the vehicle and the study.

Mobility quiz

How much do you know?

Twelve questions on history, technology, charging and the market. Each answer comes with an explanation, and you get your score at the end.

Timeline

From 1886 to today

Electric cars are older than many people think. A short history of mobility in milestones.

1886

Benz Patent-Motorwagen

Carl Benz files the patent for his three-wheeled Motorwagen. This is considered the birth of the automobile with a combustion engine.

1888

Flocken Elektrowagen and Bertha Benz

In Coburg, Andreas Flocken builds one of the first four-wheeled electric cars. In the same year, Bertha Benz makes the first long-distance journey in the Motorwagen, from Mannheim to Pforzheim.

1899

“La Jamais Contente”

Camille Jenatzy becomes the first to break the 100 km/h mark in the electrically powered record car.

1900

Lohner-Porsche

At the World Exhibition in Paris, Lohner presents the electric car designed by Ferdinand Porsche with wheel hub motors. Later versions combine a combustion engine and electric motors as early hybrids.

1913

Assembly line for the Model T

Ford introduces assembly line production in Highland Park. The Model T becomes a mass product and affordable for broad sections of the population.

1959

Three-point seat belt

Volvo puts the three-point belt developed by Nils Bohlin into series production and releases the patent to all manufacturers.

1978

ABS in series production

Bosch and Mercedes-Benz bring the electronic anti-lock braking system into series production, initially as an option on the S-Class. The car remains steerable under emergency braking.

1992

Euro 1 emissions standard

The first EU-wide emissions standard comes into force. It effectively makes the regulated catalytic converter mandatory on new petrol cars.

1997

Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius goes on sale in Japan, the first hybrid car built in large series.

2008

Tesla Roadster

Tesla delivers the Roadster. It shows that electric cars with lithium-ion batteries can offer ranges suitable for everyday use and high performance.

2010

Nissan Leaf

Nissan launches the Leaf, one of the first electric cars to be built in large numbers for the mass market.

2014

Type 2 becomes the EU standard

The EU directive on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFID) sets Type 2 for AC charging points and CCS Combo 2 for DC charging points as the common standard.

2018

WLTP for all new cars

Since September 2018, all newly registered cars in the EU must be tested under WLTP. The procedure replaces the NEDC and provides more realistic consumption and range figures.

2021

Level 3 and Germany’s autonomous driving law

Germany’s Autonomous Driving Act allows Level 4 vehicles in defined operating areas. In December, the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt approves a Level 3 system for motorway traffic jams for the first time: Mercedes-Benz’s Drive Pilot.

2023

Deutschlandticket

On 1 May 2023 the Deutschlandticket is launched, a monthly subscription for local public transport valid throughout Germany.

2023

EU fleet target of 0 g CO₂ from 2035

The EU decides that the CO₂ fleet target for new cars will be zero from 2035, which effectively rules out new combustion cars. This reflects the decisions as of 2023; the rule is still being debated politically.

Glossary

Terms explained in brief

From AC charging to cell chemistry. Search for a term or filter by topic.

800-volt technology

400 and 800 volts

Most electric cars work with a system voltage of around 400 volts, some models with around 800 volts. For the same power, a higher voltage means less current flows, which reduces heat losses and allows thinner cables. At suitable rapid chargers, 800-volt vehicles can therefore take on particularly high charging power.

AC and DC charging

Alternating and direct current

With AC charging, the wallbox or charging station supplies alternating current, which the on-board charger in the car converts into direct current for the battery; its power limits the charging speed. With DC charging, the rectifier sits in the charging station and the battery is supplied directly with direct current. DC charging is therefore the basis of rapid charging.

Ad hoc charging

Spontaneous charging without a contract

Charging at a public charging station without a contract or charging card, for example by debit or credit card, app or website. The EU Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) generally requires this option at public charging points.

ADAS

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Umbrella term for driver assistance systems such as emergency braking assist, lane keeping assist or adaptive cruise control. They work with cameras, radar and other sensors and support the driver, who must nevertheless stay alert and remain responsible; this usually corresponds to Level 1 or 2.

BEV

Battery Electric Vehicle

Purely battery electric vehicle that runs exclusively on electricity from a battery and is charged via a charging plug. It has no combustion engine and produces no exhaust emissions while driving.

CCS

Combined Charging System

Charging standard that adds two extra direct current contacts to the AC plug for rapid charging. In Europe, CCS Combo 2, based on Type 2, is the standard for DC charging, and the car needs only one charging socket for it.

Cell-to-pack

CTP

Design in which the battery cells are fitted directly into the battery pack without the intermediate step of individual modules. This saves components and weight and increases the share of energy-storing cells in the pack. Cell-to-body goes even further, with the pack forming part of the body structure.

CHAdeMO

Japanese DC charging standard

Direct current charging standard developed in Japan, with its own plug, which supported bidirectional charging early on and was fitted, for example, in the first generations of the Nissan Leaf. CCS has prevailed in Europe, and CHAdeMO is losing importance there.

Charging curve

Power versus state of charge

The course of charging power depending on the state of charge. Typically, power is high when the state of charge is low and falls significantly as the battery fills up, to protect the cells. On the road, drivers therefore usually charge only to around 80 per cent at a rapid charger.

Controllable consumer device

Section 14a EnWG (Germany)

Under Section 14a of Germany’s Energy Industry Act (EnWG), wallboxes, heat pumps, air conditioning units and storage batteries with more than 4.2 kW installed since 2024 count as controllable. The grid operator may temporarily throttle their power draw if the grid threatens to become overloaded, but 4.2 kW remain guaranteed. In return, operators pay reduced grid fees.

EREV

Extended Range Electric Vehicle

Electric car with an additional combustion engine that does not drive the wheels but generates electricity as a generator (range extender). The car is driven electrically; the generator extends the range when the battery runs low.

FCEV

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Electric car that generates its electricity on board in a fuel cell from hydrogen and oxygen from the air; the only exhaust is water vapour. A small buffer battery also stores braking energy. Hydrogen is refuelled under high pressure in a few minutes.

Fleet CO₂ targets

EU fleet emission targets

EU requirement for the average CO₂ emissions of all new cars a manufacturer registers in the EU in a year. If the target is exceeded, penalty payments become due. Because electric cars count as zero grams of CO₂, they lower the fleet average considerably.

GHG quota

Germany’s greenhouse gas reduction quota (THG-Quote)

Statutory obligation in Germany for companies that place fuels on the market to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their fuels step by step. Keepers of purely electric cars can have the emissions saved by their vehicle sold once a year, via service providers, to companies subject to the quota.

Heat pump

Efficient cabin heating

Heating system that uses heat from the ambient air or waste heat from the drivetrain and battery to heat the cabin. It needs significantly less electricity than an electric resistance heater and so reduces the loss of range in winter.

HEV and mild hybrid

Hybrid Electric Vehicle, MHEV

A full hybrid (HEV) combines a combustion engine and an electric motor with a small battery that is charged by regenerative braking and the engine; short distances are possible on electric power alone. A mild hybrid (MHEV) usually uses a 48-volt system that supports the combustion engine and recovers braking energy, but as a rule does not drive the car on its own. Neither has a charging plug.

HPC

High Power Charging

Term for particularly powerful DC rapid charging, usually from around 150 kW. How much power actually flows is determined by the vehicle, battery temperature and state of charge.

kW and kWh

Power and energy

Kilowatt (kW) describes power, in other words how fast energy flows, for example when charging or in the motor. Kilowatt hour (kWh) describes a quantity of energy, such as the battery content or consumption. One hour of charging at 11 kW equals 11 kWh, minus charging losses.

Level 3

Conditionally automated driving

Level 3 on the SAE J3016 scale, which runs from 0 to 5: in defined situations, such as a motorway traffic jam, the system takes over the driving task completely. The driver may turn to other activities but must take over again in good time when requested.

LFP

Lithium iron phosphate

Cell chemistry with lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material, which does without nickel and cobalt. LFP cells are considered durable, safe and affordable, but have a lower energy density than NMC cells and are more sensitive to cold.

Lidar

Light Detection and Ranging

Sensor that scans its surroundings with laser pulses and creates a precise 3D image from the travel time of the reflected light. Lidar complements cameras and radar, especially at higher levels of automation.

Load management

Sharing the connection capacity

Control system that distributes the available connection capacity across several charging points, for example in underground car parks or company car parks. This allows more cars to charge without overloading the grid connection. Dynamic load management also takes the building’s current consumption into account.

Micromobility

Small vehicles for short trips

Umbrella term for small, light vehicles for short journeys, such as e-scooters, bicycles, pedelecs and cargo bikes. Many services are shared via an app and complement buses and trains on the first and last mile.

NACS

North American Charging Standard

Compact charging plug for AC and DC charging developed by Tesla and standardised in North America as SAE J3400. Numerous manufacturers are switching their vehicles for the North American market to it. In Europe, Tesla also uses CCS.

NMC

Nickel manganese cobalt

Cell chemistry with a cathode made of nickel, manganese and cobalt. NMC cells offer a high energy density and therefore long ranges at low weight, but require critical raw materials such as nickel and cobalt.

PHEV

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Hybrid vehicle with a combustion engine and a larger battery that can also be charged from a socket or wallbox. Shorter distances can be driven purely electrically; on longer ones the combustion engine steps in. Real consumption depends heavily on how often the car is charged.

Plug & Charge

ISO 15118

Process in which the car identifies itself digitally to the charging station via the charging plug, so that charging starts without an app or card and is billed automatically. It is based on the ISO 15118 communication standard with digital certificates in the vehicle.

Preconditioning

Bringing battery and cabin to temperature

The car brings the battery or cabin to a favourable temperature before a journey or before rapid charging. A prewarmed battery takes on more power when rapid charging. If the car is plugged in at the time, the energy comes from the grid instead of the battery.

Regenerative braking

Recuperation

When braking or coasting, the electric motor acts as a generator and converts kinetic energy back into electricity for the battery. This lowers consumption and spares the mechanical brakes. Many electric cars can be driven largely with just one pedal this way.

Roaming

Charging cards and charging networks

With the charging card or app of an e-mobility provider, you can also charge at stations run by other operators. This is made possible by agreements and platforms between charge point operators (CPO) and e-mobility service providers (EMP). Prices can vary depending on the provider and the station.

SoC

State of Charge

Current charge level of the battery as a percentage. It determines the remaining range and affects how much power the battery can take on during rapid charging.

Sodium-ion battery

Na-ion

Battery technology that uses sodium instead of lithium as the charge carrier. Sodium is plentiful and cheap, and the cells are considered resistant to cold; however, their energy density is below that of lithium-ion cells. They are therefore suited mainly to smaller vehicles and stationary storage.

Software-defined vehicle

SDV

Vehicle whose functions are largely determined by software running on a few central computers rather than on many individual control units. New features and bug fixes reach the car wirelessly via OTA (over-the-air) updates, without a visit to the workshop.

SoH

State of Health

Health of the battery, usually stated as the remaining capacity relative to its condition when new, as a percentage. The SoH is an important criterion when buying used electric cars and in warranty matters.

Solid-state battery

Solid electrolyte

Battery technology in which a solid rather than a liquid electrolyte conducts the ions between the electrodes. Higher energy density and greater safety are expected, because there is no flammable liquid electrolyte. In passenger cars, the technology is not yet in widespread series use.

TCO

Total Cost of Ownership

Total cost of a vehicle over the ownership period, in other words purchase and depreciation, energy, maintenance, insurance, taxes and repairs. The comparison is more meaningful than the purchase price alone, because drivetrains differ mainly in running costs.

Type 2

IEC 62196-2, “Mennekes plug”

European standard plug for charging with alternating current, single-phase or three-phase. It is used in wallboxes and public AC charging stations and forms the basis of the CCS Combo 2 connector. It is often called the Mennekes plug after its developer.

V2L, V2H and V2G

Vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-home, vehicle-to-grid

Forms of bidirectional charging in which the car releases electricity from its battery. With V2L it powers devices directly via a socket, with V2H your own house and with V2G the power grid. V2H and V2G require a bidirectional wallbox and a vehicle approved for this.

WLTP

Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure

Globally harmonised test procedure for consumption, CO₂ emissions and, for electric cars, range. In the EU it has applied to all newly registered cars since September 2018 and has replaced the NEDC. The figures are more realistic than before, but in everyday use driving style, temperature and route affect consumption.