You have just bought an electric car, or you are seriously thinking about it. You know home charging will be part of your daily routine, and you want to get it right. You ask for a few quotes, you order a charger, an electrician comes to install it, and that is that. Simple, right?
In theory, yes. In practice, feedback from electric car owners in Belgium shows that installation mistakes are far more common than people think, and that some have consequences that do not show up straight away. Undersized wiring, the wrong power rating, a charger that is not compatible with your car or an installation that was not properly declared: these are problems that can lie dormant for months before turning into a real headache.
Mistake no. 1: plugging into an ordinary socket “for the time being”
Charging your EV from a 230V 16A household socket for weeks or months
This is by far the most common mistake. People tell themselves “just until I choose the right charger” or “it does the job for short trips”. The problem is that a household socket is not designed to handle a continuous electrical load for 8 to 10 hours every night. Gradual overheating of the cable and socket is guaranteed, with a real fire risk over time. Residential electrical circuits are sized for appliances that run a few hours a day, not to deliver a continuous load equivalent to several electric heaters all night long.
If you really have to charge from an ordinary socket for a transitional period, limit the current to 8A maximum through your car’s settings or your charging cable, and do not do it several nights in a row on the same circuit. It is not a long-term solution.
Mistake no. 2: choosing a 22 kW charger when you do not need one
Installing a 22 kW charger because “it is the most powerful”
Many people think the higher the power, the better. In fact, ORES says so explicitly in its Sustainable Mobility FAQ: “22 kW chargers are not recommended by our simulator, because most electric vehicles have an AC charging power limited to 11 kW and sometimes lower.” A Renault Zoé accepts up to 22 kW AC, but a standard Tesla Model 3 is limited to 11 kW, a Peugeot e-208 to 7.4 kW and many others to 11 kW. Installing a 22 kW charger for a car that can only use 7.4 kW means paying for power you will never use, and installing a charger that puts unnecessary strain on your electrical installation.
In the vast majority of homes, a 7.4 kW or 11 kW charger is perfectly sufficient. A car with a 60 kWh battery goes from 20 to 100% in about 8 hours on a 7.4 kW charger. That is exactly one night’s sleep.
Mistake no. 3: not planning a dedicated circuit
Connecting the charger to an existing circuit shared with other appliances
A wallbox must have its own dedicated electrical circuit, with its own circuit breaker and its own residual current protection. In Belgium this is a technical requirement of the RGIE (General Regulations on Electrical Installations), not a recommendation. Connecting a charger to an existing circuit that already serves other sockets or appliances creates a risk of overload, causes nuisance tripping of the breaker and, in serious cases, can start a fire. An electrician who offers to connect the charger to an existing circuit to save you a few dozen euros is simply not following the rules.
Mistake no. 4: choosing a low-end charger or an uncertified model
Ordering a cheap charger from a foreign website to save money
The temptation is real: a 400-euro charger on an Asian website versus 800 euros for a Wallbox, Alfen or Easee. But the feedback in Belgium is unequivocal. Chargers from unknown brands break down much sooner, their after-sales service is non-existent from Belgium, spare parts are impossible to find, and above all they are not approved for the declaration to your grid operator (ORES, Fluvius, Sibelga). If your inspection body finds an uncertified charger during the mandatory RGIE inspection, you will have to replace it entirely. The total cost invariably ends up higher than a charger from a recognised brand would have cost in the first place. 💡 Recognised brands on the Belgian market in 2026: Wallbox (best-seller in Belgium), Alfen, Easee and Smappee are the most widely installed brands with the best local support. They all offer warranties of 2 to 5 years and have after-sales service reachable from Belgium. They are also the brands for which it is easiest to find a certified electrician who knows the product.
Mistake no. 5: forgetting to declare it to the grid operator
Installing the charger without declaring the installation to ORES, Fluvius or Sibelga
This is the least visible mistake and potentially the most troublesome. In Belgium, every home charging point installation must be declared to the distribution grid operator for your area. In Wallonia, that is ORES. In Brussels, it is Sibelga. In Flanders, it is Fluvius. This declaration is mandatory and lets the grid operator check that your installation does not have a negative impact on the local grid. An undeclared charger can cause problems when you sell your house, during an inspection of your electrical installation, or in the event of a claim, where the insurer could cite a non-compliant installation to refuse compensation.
In practice, the declaration is often made as part of the mandatory RGIE inspection carried out after installation. A reliable electrician includes this step in their service. If your electrician does not mention the declaration to the grid operator, ask the question explicitly before the work is finished.
Mistake no. 6: not taking the existing electrical installation into account
Installing a charger without first checking the fuse box
In houses built before the 1990s, particularly in Wallonia and Brussels, fuse boxes are sometimes not sized for a 7 to 11 kW charger. Insufficient total amperage at the meter, ageing wiring between the meter and the fuse box, or outdated protection devices can make installing a wallbox problematic without preliminary work. This upgrade work can cost an extra 500 to 2,000 euros depending on the condition of the installation, and it is better to know before ordering the charger than after the electrician arrives.
Mistake no. 7: ignoring smart charging
Choosing a charger without smart charge management
A “dumb” charger that simply pushes maximum current as soon as it is plugged in works, but it is not optimal. ORES defines a smart charger as “a home charging point that lets you balance energy use between your charger and the other appliances in your home”. In plain terms: a smart charger can automatically shift charging to off-peak hours (between 22:00 and 6:00 with most suppliers), reduce power if other power-hungry appliances are running at the same time (oven, tumble dryer, cooker) and, if you have solar panels, prioritise charging when your production exceeds your consumption. Over a year, these features can easily save you an extra 200 to 400 euros compared with a basic charger.
What to check before signing anything
| Point to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| AC charging power accepted by your car | No point paying for a 22 kW charger if your car is limited to 7.4 kW |
| Condition and amperage of your current fuse box | Preliminary work may be needed |
| CE certification and RGIE approval of the charger | Mandatory for the RGIE inspection and the declaration to the grid operator |
| Is the electrician certified for RGIE? | Only an approved electrician can sign the certificate of conformity |
| Is the declaration to the grid operator included? | ORES, Fluvius or Sibelga depending on your region |
| Is the charger compatible with your car and its connector? | Type 2 is the standard in Europe, but check the specifics |
| Does the charger offer smart charge management? | Savings on your electricity bill and overload management |
Tax in 2026: what has changed
Many owners still ask us about the tax reduction for installing a home charger. The answer is clear: the federal tax reduction ended on 31 August 2024, as provided for by law. It is no longer available for installations carried out since September 2024. If you install your charger in 2026, you are no longer entitled to this federal tax incentive.
In Wallonia, there is no specific regional grant for home charging points in 2026, unlike the grants for insulation, heat pumps or photovoltaic panels. However, if you install a charger as part of a comprehensive energy renovation of your home, some overall grants may apply. Ask at your Walloon energy advice office (guichet énergie).
For professionals and the self-employed, chargers installed as part of their business activity remain tax-deductible under the usual rules for business expenses.
⚠️ What changes for employer reimbursements in 2026: if you have an electric company car and charge at home, the flat-rate reimbursement rate paid by your employer went up in the second quarter of 2026. It rose to 36.37 cents/kWh in Wallonia (compared with 35.23 cents in the first quarter). This reimbursement is exempt from social security contributions and tax, provided you have a certified charging meter that accurately measures the energy used by your company car.
The real cost of a complete installation in Belgium in 2026
To give you a realistic idea of the cost, here are the price ranges seen on the Belgian market in 2026, excluding tax incentives, which no longer apply. The charger itself costs between 600 and 1,200 euros for a quality model from a recognised brand. Installation by a certified electrician costs between 400 and 900 euros, depending on the complexity of the job and the distance between the fuse box and the charger location. If preliminary work on the fuse box is needed, add between 500 and 2,000 euros depending on the condition of the installation. The mandatory RGIE inspection after installation costs between 150 and 300 euros. In total, a standard installation in a recent, well-wired house in Wallonia comes to between 1,200 and 2,200 euros, all included.
✅ The smart first step: before choosing a charger and an installer, ask the electrician to come and assess your electrical installation. This preliminary visit, often free or charged at around fifty euros, will spare you nasty surprises on installation day and give you a truly realistic quote.
FAQ
It depends above all on the AC charging power your car accepts. The vast majority of current electric cars are limited to 7.4 kW or 11 kW on alternating current. A 7.4 kW charger can take a 60 kWh battery from 20 to 100% in about 8 hours, which is exactly one night. A 22 kW charger is only useful if your car really accepts it, like the Renault Zoé. ORES also explicitly advises against 22 kW chargers for most residential installations.
Technically yes, but it is not recommended as a regular solution. A standard 16A household socket is not designed to handle a continuous load of 8 to 10 hours every night. The risk of the cable and socket overheating is real. If you have to do it occasionally, limit the current to 8A maximum through your car’s settings and avoid repeating it several nights in a row on the same circuit.
Yes, it is a legal requirement. Every home charging point installation must be declared to the distribution grid operator for your area (ORES in Wallonia, Sibelga in Brussels, Fluvius in Flanders). This declaration is usually built into the mandatory RGIE inspection procedure after installation. A reliable electrician takes care of it as part of their service.