Can the Chery Ant be charged without a charging station?
4 Answers
Chery Ant can be charged without a charging station by using a 16A air conditioning socket, purchasing a 4-square three-phase wire, or buying a grounding device. Charging Station: The function of a charging station is similar to that of a fuel dispenser in a gas station. It can be fixed on the ground or wall and installed in public buildings (such as public buildings, shopping malls, public parking lots, etc.) and residential community parking lots or charging stations. It can charge various types of electric vehicles according to different voltage levels. Charging Methods: Charging stations generally provide two charging methods: conventional charging and fast charging. Users can swipe a specific charging card on the human-machine interaction interface provided by the charging station to perform corresponding operations such as selecting the charging method, charging time, and printing cost data. The display screen of the charging station can show data such as charging amount, cost, and charging time.
I usually drive the Little Ant, and I can tell you directly that you don't need a charging pile. The car comes with a portable charger, and you can charge it using a regular 220V household socket. My residential area doesn't have charging piles, so I just run an extension cord from the second floor, connect the charging cable, and it's fully charged overnight. The charging speed is a bit slow, taking about 8 to 10 hours, and a full charge can give you over 200 kilometers of range. But make sure the socket and wiring are reliable—once I used an old house's socket and it tripped the circuit. It's recommended to use a dedicated 16A socket like those for air conditioners, as regular sockets can overheat. For long trips, you'll still need to find a fast-charging pile for emergencies, but for daily commuting, a household socket is completely sufficient.
This question is quite frequently asked, and I've done specialized research on the charging methods for the Chery Ant. Besides fast charging at charging stations, its most convenient feature is the support for 220V household AC slow charging. The factory-provided charging cable is equipped with overvoltage and leakage protection, with a current around 8A and power approximately 1.5kW. As long as you have a three-prong socket, you can charge it in the kitchen or bathroom. I've measured it with a clamp meter, and it consumes about 15 kWh overnight, costing only around seven or eight yuan based on electricity rates. However, it's important to ensure proper grounding; when the socket in my garage had poor grounding, the charging light would flash yellow as a warning. In winter, charging efficiency drops by about 30% in low temperatures, so it's recommended to charge in an underground garage. In fact, long-term slow charging causes less battery degradation compared to fast charging. My car is two years old now, and the range has hardly decreased.
As a housewife who frequently drives the Little Ant to pick up my kids, not having a home charging station is no issue at all. When I bought the car two years ago, the salesperson mentioned that the portable charging cable supports standard power outlets, so I installed a waterproof socket under the awning in my yard. I usually plug it in to charge in the evening, and by morning it's fully charged—perfect for weekend grocery runs and shuttling the kids around. Once when visiting my mother-in-law in the countryside, I simply plugged into her kitchen socket and charged for two nights. However, electrical safety is crucial—make sure the wiring behind the wall is at least 2.5 square millimeters copper wire if using a standard outlet. My neighbor burned their plug charging with old aluminum wiring. On rainy days, I always cover the charging port with a plastic bag to prevent water splashes.
