Which electric car if I can only charge at work?

Since my company installed four 11 kW chargers in the car park in January, the question every colleague asks me is the same: can you really only have that? No charger at home — just the office and the public network as a backup, on the days when it's not enough. The answer is yes. But the right vehicle makes all the difference.

The basic calculation is simple and often overlooked: 8 hours at 11 kW = 80 net kWh. That's the full capacity of a Skoda Enyaq iV80 (82 kWh), a BMW i5 (84 kWh), or a Tesla Model 3 (75 kWh), charged from zero to full in one working day. The problem is not the power available at the office — it's the range for the days when you're not there.

How much energy do you recover in 8 hours at 11 kW at the office?

The direct answer: 80 net kWh, enough to fully charge any electric car on the current market in a standard working day.

The formula: 11 kW × 8h × 0.91 (average AC/DC efficiency) = 80.1 kWh. In practice, efficiencies range from 88 to 93% depending on the EV model and charger quality. The 80 kWh figure is conservative and reliable for planning.

For small-battery cars (40-51 kWh) — Renault Mégane E-Tech, Peugeot e-208 — one working day far exceeds total capacity: they are full in 3.5 to 4.5 hours. For large batteries (75-100 kWh), one day is enough to fill almost the entire battery.

What maximum AC power do EVs accept in 2026?

All EVs on the market accept at least 7.4 kW AC. The vast majority reach 11 kW. A few models go up to 22 kW:

• 22 kW AC: Renault Mégane E-Tech (option), ZOE, certain BMW and Mercedes versions
• 11 kW AC: Tesla Model 3 (standard), IONIQ 6, Skoda Enyaq iV80, VW ID.4, Peugeot e-208
• 7.4 kW AC: Dacia Spring, certain entry-level BYD versions

In practice, if your company has 11 kW chargers (the current standard), accepting 22 kW offers no benefit. The 22 kW advantage only comes into play at public street chargers or car parks equipped with that power.

Which models suit this profile best?

Profile 1 — Large battery: serenity in the face of remote working

This is the most comfortable profile. An 8h office charge almost completely fills the battery. Real-world range covers 2 to 3 days without the office without any stress management.

Hyundai IONIQ 6 (77 kWh, ~480 km real range): the best real-world range in its category under €50,000. One office charge per week is enough to cover 5 days of travel on an average Belgian commute. The charge time-to-km recovered ratio is the most favourable on the market.

Tesla Model 3 (75 kWh, ~380 km real range): full charge in one working day, range covering 3-4 days of commuting without intermediate charging. The Supercharger network covers weekend top-ups with unrivalled reliability in Belgium.

Profile 2 — Small battery: viable with a regular office schedule

The battery charges fully in 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Every office day = guaranteed full charge. The constraint: weekends and extended remote working periods require a public top-up.

Renault Mégane E-Tech (40 kWh, ~230 km real range): full charge in 3.5h at 11 kW. For a 30 km return commute, the range covers 7 days of commuting on one charge — and you top up every time you go to the office. Weak point: weekend trips require a planned public charge.

Peugeot e-208 (51 kWh, ~290 km real range): full charge in 4.5h at 11 kW. Best size/range compromise for urban or suburban use. Its 100 kW DC charging allows quick top-ups at supermarkets when needed.

Days without the office: the critical point of this profile

A "charge only at work" strategy works well for regular schedules. It becomes fragile in three concrete situations:

1. Extended remote working. Three to four consecutive WFH days gradually drain the battery without compensatory charging. A large-battery EV (75+ kWh) absorbs these periods without any problem. A small-battery EV requires a top-up at a public charger or from a private individual (Wattpark, Recharge Plus in Belgium).

2. Holidays and extended absences. Car parked, battery not charging. Before leaving for several days, plan a full public charge — an equipped supermarket or a Lidl charger (free 50 kW in Belgium) is sufficient.

3. Weekends with unusual travel. Weekend trips average 60-80 km according to FPS Mobility data. For a Mégane E-Tech with 230 km real range, Monday often arrives with 60-70% remaining — manageable, but worth watching on a following week of remote working.

Charging only at work — I tested it for three months with my wife's IONIQ 6. The only tight moment: a full week working from home followed by a weekend in the Ardennes — 280 km of travel on the Friday. We arrived at 12%. The lesson: the large battery is your safety net. Not a luxury.

Verdict: the right choice for your weekly rhythm

For this profile, everything depends on your real-world situation:

At the office 4-5 days/week, commute < 40 km return: Renault Mégane E-Tech or Peugeot e-208. Small battery that charges quickly, sufficient range, accessible price. One 20-minute public top-up per week covers the weekend.

Mixed office/remote working, commute 30-60 km return: Tesla Model 3 or IONIQ 6. The 380-480 km real range absorbs days without the office without any management constraints.

Unpredictable schedule, variable travel: IONIQ 6. With 480 km real range and a full charge in one working day, it's the car that leaves the most margin whatever the week.