Find electric vehicle charging stations in your area
Where’s the nearest charging station? Comparis shows you how to find nearby electric charging stations and offers tips for charging electric cars.
Where can I find charging stations in Switzerland?
Switzerland now has thousands of charging stations, run by more than a dozen network operators, where you can charge your electric vehicle.
Using the map of Energie Schweiz (not available in English), you can easily search for charging stations in your area. On the federal charging station website, you can also find details about the individual stations and see which ones are free.
TCS offers a useful app: in the TCS eCharge app (not available in English), you can find all the major charging networks in Switzerland and Europe. You can also use the app to unlock your charging station, charge the battery and pay at more than 382,000 charging points.
What should I keep in mind when charging my electric car at an e-charging station?
How long it takes to charge your car mainly depends on three factors:
The battery capacity: the larger the battery, the longer it takes to charge.
The power output of the electric charging station: the more kilowatts (kW), the faster the charging process will be.
The charging capacity of the electric car. Example: the maximum fast-charging capacity of the Fiat 500e is 85 kilowatts. By contrast, the Mercedes EQA can top up 100 kilowatts during this time (neither link is available in English). According to the manufacturer, both cars charge to 80% of their capacity in 35 minutes.
It’s best to keep your electric car’s charge level between 20–80%. This is because a completely full or empty battery damages the lithium-ion cells over time.
Direct current and alternating current
With charging stations, a distinction is made between AC charging and DC charging. AC stands for alternating current. It’s the slower way to charge. Here, the car converts the alternating current into the required direct current.
DC stands for direct current. In this case, the charging station converts the alternating current into direct current. This allows the car to charge faster.
Tip: use fast charging only when necessary. Excessive fast charging will damage the battery.
What if you have charged up to 100% to get the full range? Then it’s best if you set off right after the charging process. That way, you’ll reduce the full charge level quickly.
Charging the last 20% of the battery takes more time – like filling a beer glass (not available in English). Be careful not to occupy the charging station for too long if there are many other users waiting.
Essentially, you can charge your electric car at any opportunity you have. In the case of lithium-ion batteries, there is no memory effect. The memory effect refers to a loss of capacity due to frequent partial discharges.
Cold has a negative effect on the charging time. Therefore, in winter, you should ideally charge the battery in a garage or connect the charger immediately after driving. Then the battery will still be warm.
Always take a charging cable with you. This way, you can charge even when you’re out and about.
Pay attention to the charge level, also when your electric car has been parked unused for a long time. Here, 50–60% is optimal.
Some operators charge a fee for occupying the charging station if the car remains at the station after the charging process has been completed.
Charging stations for electric cars: what are the different types?
What else you should know about public charging
You should always have a charging cable with you. After all: not all charging stations are equipped with cables. However, you don’t need a cable with a fast-charging function. Fast-charging points are equipped with the necessary cable (not available in English).
The cost of charging your electric vehicle depends on several factors:
The provider of the charging station
The location of the charging station: many providers set their prices depending on their location. So the prices also vary for the same provider.
Your provider subscription: you usually pay less when you have a subscription from the provider. If you charge with a different provider, roaming charges are often applied.
The charging speed: fast charging with direct current often works out more expensive than slower charging with alternating current.
The charging time: some providers charge for the time you spend at the charging station.
The number of charges: you have to pay a start-up fee for charging with some providers.
Normally, you can charge your electric car at any public charging station. However, you will usually have to pay for this. In some cases, you may need to register with the provider.
Some supermarkets offer free charging during opening hours. There are also free charging stations in some multi-storey car parks.
You can find many free charging stations on gratis-laden.com (not available in English), for example . This is a site operated by a private individual that shows the locations of free charging stations.
Electric charging station at home: what do I need to keep in mind?
If you own an electric car, it’s worth purchasing a “wallbox”. This is because the standard domestic power socket is not designed to run at maximum capacity for hours at a time. There is a risk of overheating or fire.
Modern charging stations offer various functions:
Access management: this ensures that not everyone has access to your wallbox. Various forms of access management are available.
Load management: this ensures that the electronics in your house are not overloaded. It automatically throttles the charging power. This is especially important with several wallboxes connected to a mains network.
Charge management: the wallbox adjusts the charging power to the vehicle. For example, it charges the last percent more slowly than the rest. Charge management also provides protection against overcharging the battery.
Connection to solar installations or building systems
Automated billing options: this is particularly useful for apartment buildings.
The electricity of the wallbox is billed according to the domestic electricity tariff (not available in English). This is cheaper than the prices at public charging stations for your electric car.
There are various factors that determine which box is right for you:
The vehicle: how many kilowatts can your car and cable charge? The charging speed always depends on the weakest link in the chain. You should therefore choose a wallbox according to the charging capacity of your car in particular.
The price
The desired additional functions
If relevant, compatibility with solar installations
In many cases, car manufacturers offer suitable wallboxes. However, you can also install one from another provider.
The cost of an electric car charging station for your home depends on your preferences. In addition, prices vary from one provider to another.
Plus, there are the costs of installation. The costs vary depending on the existing network.
In a single-family house, the total costs for a wallbox and installation are usually between 2,500 and 3,500 francs. In the case of an apartment building, there are additional costs to consider. These include costs for the charge management and energy distribution system, for example. Moreover, the wallboxes are usually more expensive due to the required smart control.
Generally speaking, the higher the charging power, the more expensive the wallbox.
Do you want to install a charging station at a rental property? Then you need the consent of your landlord. If you have permission, there are four possible options:
The landlord installs and pays for the wallbox. Due to this value-enhancing investment, a rent increase is possible. Alternatively, the landlord can also lease the wallbox to you.
You install and pay for the wallbox. If you move out, you receive compensation for the added value.
You install and pay for the wallbox. If you move out, you have to remove the wallbox.
You install and pay for the wallbox. If you move out, it remains in place, but you don’t receive anything.
Normally, you have to pay for all the costs of operation and maintenance yourself. You are also liable for damage caused by the use of the charging station. Always keep a written record of all arrangements with your landlord. You can find more information in the Energie Schweiz guide for owners and property managers (not available in English), for example.