How to Choose a Portable Charger for Travel or Rented Homes

For travel or a rented home, choose a portable charger by checking the available socket first. The dé European versions covered here use a Schuko plug, a 32 A CEE plug or a 16 A CEE plug. You must also confirm that your vehicle has a Type 2 AC charging inlet and that the cable can reach the vehicle.

Before choosing a charger

Check the place where you expect to charge. For a rented home, hotel, holiday property, campsite or shared parking area, ask the property owner or site manager whether you may use the available socket for vehicle charging.

Record the following information:

• The socket type
• The voltage and current shown on the socket label
• Whether the supply is single-phase or three-phase
• The distance from the socket to the vehicle’s charging inlet
• Whether the vehicle has a Type 2 AC charging inlet

If you cannot identify the socket or its electrical label, do not choose a charger from its appearance alone. Ask the property owner, site manager or another person responsible for the electrical supply.

Compare the European portable charger versions

Choose by the available socket

Choose the 3.7 kW version for a confirmed Schuko connection

The 3.7 kW Portable EV Charger with Schuko plug uses a 230 V single-phase supply. Its manual lists a maximum power of 3.7 kW at 16 A and an adjustable current range of 6–16 A.

Choose the 7 kW version for a confirmed 32 A CEE connection

The 7 kW Portable EV Charger uses a 230 V, 32 A single-phase CEE connection. Its manual lists the following current settings: 6, 10, 13, 16, 20, 24 and 32 A.

Choose the 11 kW version for a confirmed 16 A three-phase CEE connection

The 11 kW Portable EV Charger with CEE plug reaches its listed maximum power using a 400 V, 16 A three-phase supply. Its manual lists an adjustable current range of 6–16 A.

Important: “CEE” alone is not enough to identify the correct connection. Compare the socket’s voltage, current and phase information with the relevant product specification.

Confirm the vehicle connection

All three European versions covered in this article use a Type 2 connector on the vehicle side. Check the vehicle manual or the manufacturer’s official specifications to confirm that the vehicle has a Type 2 AC charging inlet.

Also check the vehicle’s maximum AC charging power. Do not use its DC fast-charging figure when choosing one of these portable AC chargers.

Note: A charger’s maximum power is a product specification. It is not a guaranteed charging power or charging time for every vehicle.

Check the required cable reach

1. Park the vehicle in the position you normally expect to use.
2. Locate the available socket.
3. Locate the vehicle’s charging inlet.
4. Measure the actual route the cable must follow between them.
5. Check the available cable-length option on the relevant product page before ordering.

Do not measure only the straight-line distance. The cable must follow the usable route from the socket to the vehicle’s charging inlet.

Make the final choice

Before ordering, confirm all five points:

• You have permission to use the socket.
• The charger’s power plug matches the socket specification.
• The voltage, current and phase information match the selected product version.
• The vehicle has a Type 2 AC charging inlet.
• The selected cable length reaches the vehicle’s charging inlet.

After choosing the product, review the Portable AC Charger user manual for your version. When you are ready to use it, follow How to Start Charging in Plug-and-Play Mode.

If you still cannot identify the correct product version, contact support@depow.com. Include your vehicle model, sales region, a clear photo of the available socket and the distance from the socket to the vehicle’s charging inlet.