This is one of the most frequent questions at the quote stage. 11 kW or 22 kW? The instinct is often: "the more powerful, the better." The reality is more nuanced. For the majority of residential installations in French-speaking Switzerland, 11 kW is more than adequate. 22 kW only makes sense in specific cases, and some property owners purchase it entirely in vain.
This article is deliberately concise. It addresses the real questions: what need are you covering, what vehicle do you have, and how do you decide without making a mistake.
The practical difference between 11 kW and 22 kW
The figures speak for themselves for a typical overnight charge.
| Charger output | 36 kWh charge (20→80%) | 60 kWh charge (10→100%) |
|---|---|---|
| 7.4 kW (single-phase 32A) | 5h | 8h 20min |
| 11 kW (three-phase 16A) | 3h 20min | 5h 30min |
| 22 kW (three-phase 32A) | 1h 40min | 2h 45min |
If the vehicle is at home from 7pm to 7am (12 hours), any of these output levels allows a full charge. The 11 vs 22 question therefore only arises in specific situations:
- Midday charging (for example on solar surplus between 10am and 4pm).
- Multiple vehicles to charge in parallel (rare at home).
- An occasional need to charge quickly before setting off.
The core pitfall: vehicle capacity
Here is what we always remind our clients: the charger delivers at the power the vehicle accepts, not at its nominal output.
Many electric vehicles in 2026 are capped at 11 kW on alternating current (AC). The list of vehicles limited to 11 kW is long: Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.3 / ID.4 / ID.5, Skoda Enyaq, BMW iX3, Audi Q4 e-tron, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Polestar 2.
If you purchase a 22 kW charger for a car limited to 11 kW, the car will charge at 11 kW. You will have paid CHF 300–600 more for the charger and potentially CHF 1,500–3,000 more for the connection, with zero benefit.
A few models genuinely accept 22 kW:
- Renault Zoé (depending on version).
- Renault Megane E-Tech (three-phase option).
- Audi e-tron GT (on certain configurations).
- Mercedes EQS (depending on version).
- Smart EQ (depending on version).
- High-end company cars (option to select at order).
The practical rule: before paying for a 22 kW charger, check the vehicle's exact technical data sheet. If in any doubt, go with 11 kW.
The cost premium for a 22 kW charger
On hardware alone, the difference is modest. A Zaptec Pro can be configured from 11 to 22 kW without changing models. A Wallbox Pulsar Plus 22 kW costs CHF 200–400 more than the 11 kW version. In short, on the charger itself, it is not a decisive factor.
The difference comes with the connection. A 22 kW charger requires 32 A per phase in three-phase. On recent panels (post-2010), this is generally available. On older panels, the available capacity may be limited to 16 A per phase, which corresponds exactly to an 11 kW charger.
To upgrade to 22 kW in that case, you need to:
- Check the capacity of the building's main fuse.
- Check the cable between the panel and the charger (the minimum cross-section changes: from 5G2.5 mm² for 11 kW to 5G6 mm² or more for 22 kW).
- Check the rating of the dedicated circuit breaker.
- Sometimes request an increase in connection capacity from the network operator (additional costs and lead times).
On some older buildings, the total additional cost can reach CHF 2,500–4,000 — compared with a gain that may be zero if the vehicle is capped at 11 kW.
The solar coupling special case
This is one of the rare situations where 22 kW can make sense even if the vehicle is capped at 11 kW: charging on solar surplus at midday.
With a large solar installation (15 kWp and above) producing a peak of 12–14 kW, a vehicle accepting 22 kW would absorb all the surplus production, provided it is connected at that moment. But since virtually all mainstream vehicles are capped at 11 kW AC, the charger delivers at 11 kW maximum in practice. The remaining 3–4 kW of surplus is fed back to the grid or stored in a home battery.
For the rare vehicles accepting 22 kW (Megane E-Tech, Renault Zoé), solar coupling can genuinely justify the 22 kW charger. For everything else, there is no benefit in terms of solar coupling.
Future-proofing: valid argument or not?
A common question: "future vehicles will all accept 22 kW, so we may as well go with 22 kW now." The argument seems solid. It has two limitations.
The market is not moving in that direction. Manufacturers are focusing their efforts on fast DC charging (50–350 kW) on motorways, rather than on AC home charging. 11 kW AC is widely considered adequate for residential use, and an increasing number of 2026–2027 models maintain this ceiling.
Chargers are easy to replace. If in five years you change to a 22 kW-compatible vehicle and your charger is 11 kW, replacing it costs CHF 1,500–2,500 all in. Over-specifying today "just in case" can sometimes cost more than upgrading later if the need materialises.
A compromise option: choose a configurable 22 kW charger (Zaptec Pro typically), throttled to 11 kW at setup. Modest additional cost (CHF 200–400), no panel upgrade needed if you stay at 11 kW, and the option to unlock the full output later without changing hardware. This is our default recommendation when the panel permits it.
Typical profiles
Household with one standard electric vehicle, overnight charging: 11 kW. This is the standard, and it works very well.
Household with one long-range vehicle, high mileage (>30,000 km/year): 11 kW is still sufficient. An 80 kWh charge takes 7–8 hours at 11 kW, easily manageable overnight.
Household with two electric vehicles: 22 kW can make sense if charging both in parallel, provided the panel can handle it. Often the better approach is two 11 kW chargers with load balancing, which is more practical.
Household with one vehicle + remote working + significant solar: 11 kW. Daytime solar charging runs over 4–6 hours, sufficient to absorb the excess self-consumption.
Household with a 22 kW-capable vehicle (Renault Zoé, Megane E-Tech): 22 kW if the panel allows it. The gain is real.
Co-ownership with shared parking: see our dedicated article. The logic is different, with dynamic load balancing.
Our advice for 2026
11 kW for 95% of cases. This is our default recommendation. The hardware costs less, the connection is simpler, and the result is very satisfying for standard residential use.
22 kW only if:
- Your current vehicle, or one you plan to buy within 12 months, genuinely accepts 22 kW.
- Your electrical panel has the available capacity (or an upgrade is required in any case).
- There is a real need for fast charging (midday charging, multiple vehicles in parallel).
Intermediate compromise: choose a configurable 22 kW charger, throttled to 11 kW at startup, with the option to unlock it later without changing hardware. Moderate additional cost, maximum flexibility.
Do not be swayed by arguments such as "you'll regret not going with 22 kW." Of the hundreds of chargers we have installed, almost nobody has regretted their 11 kW choice. Many have, however, regretted paying for 22 kW that was never used.