Glossary
kW (kilowatt)
The kilowatt (kW), equal to 1,000 watts, measures power: how much energy an appliance uses or delivers at any instant. It is used for your contracted power and for the charging speed of an EV charger.
What a kilowatt is
Power is energy per unit of time, obtained by multiplying voltage by current. A 2,000 W (2 kW) appliance uses twice as much energy per second as a 1 kW one. Each appliance’s rating plate shows its power in W or kW.
kW versus kWh
The most common confusion on a bill:
- kW (power): what an appliance draws at an instant. It is what your contracted power limits.
- kWh (energy): what it uses over time. A 1 kW appliance running for an hour uses 1 kWh. It is what you pay for consumption.
A simple comparison: kW is the speed and kWh the distance travelled.
kW in your contracted power
Your contract sets how many kW you can use at once. Usual values in Spain: 4.6, 5.75, 6.9 or 9.2 kW. If oven, hob and air conditioning together go over that figure, the ICP trips.
kW in an EV charger
The charger’s power sets the charging speed:
| Power | Current | Km per hour of charging (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.3 kW | 10 A, Schuko socket | 10 to 13 km |
| 3.7 kW | 16 A single-phase | 20 km |
| 7.4 kW | 32 A single-phase | 40 to 45 km |
| 11 kW | 16 A three-phase | 60 km |
| 22 kW | 32 A three-phase | 120 km |
At 7.4 kW, a 60 kWh battery goes from 20 to 80 % in about 5 hours. Check your contracted power before choosing a charger: see home EV charger for houses in Seville, Spain.
Related services
Increase contracted power
You need to increase your electricity power in Spain when the smart meter cuts everything off as soon as the air conditioning, the oven and the washing machine run together. We check what power your installation can take, upgrade the supply cable, main switch and fuse board if needed, and issue the boletín so the distributor approves the increase.
Home EV charger for houses
EV charger installation in Seville, Spain for your villa or townhouse is a one-day job: a dedicated circuit from your fuse board, its own protection devices, a 7.4 to 22 kW wallbox and a boletín registered with the Junta de Andalucía. In 2026 you can still deduct 15 % in your Spanish income tax return.
Need an electrician in Seville, Spain?
Call us or send a WhatsApp message with a photo of the job. You get a fixed quote before any work starts.