Flat Cable as the Ideal Foundation for EV Charging Stations in Residential Buildings
Text Lieke Bousema | Images Isolectra
At the end of Q1 2025, the Netherlands surpassed one million plug-in vehicles for the first time. This means that more than one in ten cars is now fully electric or plug-in hybrid. Where plug-in vehicles were previously mainly driven by business users, private owners have been in the majority since early 2025. As a result, the demand for EV charging stations in residential parking garages is growing rapidly. Hacar, an electrical installation company serving housing associations, property managers, and homeowners’ associations (VvEs), is responding to this demand, working with Wieland podis® flat cables from Isolectra.
Challenges for Homeowners’ Associations (VvEs)
Hacar regularly installs EV charging stations for property managers who designate one or more parking spaces for this purpose. “The installations can then be carried out relatively easily,” says Eric Stevens, Commercial Manager at Hacar. “Based on the available power capacity, we determine the number of charging points, and build the infrastructure with just a short section of cable.” In the case of VvEs and residents, the process is much more complex. “VvEs face several challenges. Not all residents benefit from the charging stations, so financing often becomes a point of discussion. A parking garage is a shared space, meaning that electricity consumption is typically distributed among all residents. How do you manage that as a VvE?” Residents who currently drive petrol cars may switch to electric tomorrow and request a charging station. This means new EV chargers must be installed regularly, at specific parking spots since each resident has their own designated space. When residents move out, the charging stations must also be easy to remove. In short: flexibility is key, and Wieland podis® flat cables from Isolectra deliver exactly that.
High Installation Speed, Maximum Flexibility
Installing a flat cable charging system may seem simple at first glance, but it requires the right expertise, emphasizes Cor-Hein Slobbe, Senior Product Manager at Isolectra. “For example, to ensure safety. We support this with ready-to-use systems that can be installed easily, safely, and with minimal training, instantly adding value to the parking space and the property.” Thanks to Isolectra’s decentralized Wieland flat cable, EV installers can quickly and easily set up EV infrastructure in parking garages, with flexible expansion options. “In the connection between the power grid and the distribution board of a residential building, there is often overcapacity,” Slobbe explains. “In apartment buildings, we frequently see 3x50A, 3x63A, or even more available. This makes it perfectly feasible to install one or more EV circuits.”
Just One Flat Cable
With Isolectra’s decentralized and waterproof Wieland flat cable system, up to twenty chargers can be connected to a single circuit. “For each circuit, only one flat cable is needed, which can be mounted quickly and easily against the wall or ceiling, no cable trays required,” Stevens emphasizes. “Tap-off points can be added at any time and location, without incurring high additional costs.” Slobbe adds: “Because the neutral, three-phase, and earth conductors are neatly aligned within the flat cable, piercings can be made directly into the copper core. This makes the concept both cost-efficient and highly flexible.”
Significant Savings
In addition to the Wieland podis® flat cable, Isolectra supplies matching round tap-off and connection cables, mounting brackets, junction boxes, and end caps for the circuits, including the necessary protections. Because all materials are 100% plug & play, they can be installed even faster on-site. According to Slobbe, installation is on average 66% faster than conventional systems. Expansions can be completed up to 88% faster, and with significantly less material required, cost savings of around 30% compared to round cable systems are not uncommon. Moreover, disruption to residents is kept to a minimum.
Dynamic load balancing
A dynamic load balancing function ensures that the charging current is continuously adjusted to the available power. This prevents the EV infrastructure from being overloaded even when multiple chargers are in use. If desired, the system can also be connected to sustainable energy sources such as solar panels or battery storage, further reducing pressure on the grid.
Comprehensive Engineering
Before installation, Hacar conducts a thorough engineering process to assess the available power capacity. “We also look at how best to route and supply the cabling,” says Stevens. “Are the existing distribution boards and circuit breakers in good condition? And what about the main switch, which must shut down the system in case of emergency? Based on our findings, we develop a custom solution.”
Hacar has already completed several installations using Wieland podis® flat cable systems in Amsterdam. According to Stevens, the choice for these systems is a logical one. “As a company, we’re very familiar with Wieland and Isolectra. And Cor-Hein really knows his stuff. He guided us through the engineering and installation of the flat cable systems until we were able to carry out our projects independently. A new system is always a bit daunting, but thanks to Isolectra, the implementation went very smoothly.”
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