Charging

VEHICLE CHARGING OPTIONS

Refueling your vehicle is a major advantage of driving an electric vehicle. Rather than wasting time at a gas station, EV owners can refuel their vehicle in the convenience of their own home. On average Americans drive 30 miles each day. With that mileage, a standard 3-prong (level 1) outlet can charge your EV overnight. Drive more? Nearly all level 2 chargers can accommodate your refueling needs. See below to find out the differences in charging your vehicle.

LEVEL 1 CHARGING
- Home charging
- Requires a grounded (three-prong) standard residential 120V outlet
- Suitable for low and medium-range plug-in hybrids
- Suitable for all-electric battery electric vehicle drivers with low daily driving usage
- Adds ~5 miles per hour
- Adds ~40 miles overnight (Based on 8 hours)
LEVEL 2 CHARGING
- Home and public charging
- Typically requires a charging unit on a 240V outlet, like one used to power an electric clothes dryer
- May require a service upgrade by a certified electrician
- The 240V outlet charges in about half the time it takes to charge at a 120V outlet
- Most common public chargers
- Public Level 2 chargers have a standard EV connection plug that fits all current vehicles, except for Teslas, which require an adapter and come with all Teslas
- Adds 20-60 miles per hour, depending on amps
- Adds around 160 – 480 miles overnight (Based on 8 hours)
LEVEL 3 DC FAST CHARGING (DCFC)
- Fastest charge currently available
- Commercial use
- Adds 60-100 miles per 20 minutes, depending on amps
- Charging at a DCFC station is only effective if your battery state-of-charge (SOC) is below 80 percent. After that point, charging will slow down significantly

GETTING YOUR HOME READY

This section will provide tips and tricks for installing a charging station in your own home.

Level 1 chargers typically come with the purchase of any EV, however when buying used EV’s it is good to ensure one will be provided. If you need a Level 2 charger those will cost around $350 – $900 for the station, and roughly $400 – $1700 for installation. It is recommended to determine how much additional electricity is needed for your EV before purchasing a new charger and installing it. Another thing to consider are the types of outlets available. Level 1 chargers can use any standard three-pronged outlet (the same one you charge your phone on), but this comes at the cost of a low charging rate. The Level 2 charger can not utilize the standard three-pronged outlet, rather they need a NEMA 14-30, 14-50, 6-30, or 6-50 outlet. These are the ones that bring power to larger appliances like your washer and dryer. If those outlets are available, your cost of installation will be significantly lower. If not, then one of those outlets will need to be installed by an electrician.

So, while Level 2 chargers can be more costly, they will always ensure that you start your day with a full charge. They also help reduce carbon emissions more than Level 1 chargers, due to their faster, more efficient rate of charge. Charging at night helps to ease the electricity demand by spreading it out past just the day time. Furthermore, night charging typically utilizes renewable sources of energy.

QUESTIONS FOR ELECTRICIANS

HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY WILL BE NEEDED?
If you are unsure about the amount of electricity required to effectively charge your EV, or unsure if your home can handle the required electrical output then ask an electrician to examine your home and determine what will be needed for the EV and the charger.
DO I NEED TO UPGRADE MY ELECTRICAL PANEL?
Many homes may not have the required output on their electrical panels to handle the needs for a charging station, or may not even have the space on their panel for the required upgrades. So, it’s very important to check with an electrician on the status of your panel and its output.
HOW WILL ELECTRICITY GET TO MY EV CHARGER?
The charger’s placement can be a factor in installation since homes have established electrical wiring. Determining load capacity on your electrical panel is an important consideration determined by your electrician.
IS THE ELECTRICIAN PROPERLY CERTIFIED AND TRAINED?
This may seem like a no-brainer, however since most electricians don’t advertise that they are certified for EV charging station installations it is always better to ask rather than assume. It would also be good to ensure that whoever is doing the work is properly trained.
GET MULTIPLE QUOTES AND CHECK FOR INCENTIVES.
Again, this one is pretty obvious, but should be stated. Doing this will decrease your own personal cost, so this will be essential to keep the installation affordable. There are also incentives offered by government entities and businesses that will pay portions of installation fees that could help bring down cost even further. To check if there are residential incentives for your area visit https://afdc.energy.gov/laws

Do you want to charge away from home? Find out more about the growing number of public stations in your state.

VEHICLE CHARGING OPTIONS

LEVEL 1 CHARGING

LEVEL 2 CHARGING

LEVEL 3 DC FAST CHARGING (DCFC)

GETTING YOUR HOME READY

QUESTIONS FOR ELECTRICIANS

HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY WILL BE NEEDED?

DO I NEED TO UPGRADE MY ELECTRICAL PANEL?

HOW WILL ELECTRICITY GET TO MY EV CHARGER?

IS THE ELECTRICIAN PROPERLY CERTIFIED AND TRAINED?

GET MULTIPLE QUOTES AND CHECK FOR INCENTIVES.

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