Guide to Charging Electric Vehicles
Electric cars are quite similar to traditional cars in more ways than one. However, when it comes to refueling or recharging, it’s a totally different ball game altogether. While gasoline-powered vehicles can be refueled only in a gas station, you can recharge an electric car at home, at work, and even in many public places as well by virtue of a supremely engineered charging station.
Home Charging
Electric vehicles are mostly charged at home. Several studies have also shown that almost 90% of all electric vehicles are charged in a home. If you decide on home charging, you can leave your house with a full charge every morning. However, make sure that the charger of your electric vehicle can deliver adequate power, varying from level 1 and level 2 charging. Many people also use time-of-use electricity plans when available to cut down on charging costs.
Most electric cars on the road come equipped with a 3.4 kW level 1 portable charger. Now, the problem lies in the fact that these are very low-powered units and can fuel an electric vehicle at a crippling rate of only 15 to 18 km range per hour. If you have a BEV, expanded as a battery electric vehicle or even a plug-in hybrid, and don’t drive long distances, then a level 1 charger would suffice. However, if you want a superlative EV experience, you should install a 240-V / three phase / 11 or 22kW level 2 EV charging station at home. You might be left spell-bounded to know that a premium quality level 2 charging station ensures 3-6 times faster charging of your electric car when compared to level 1. A fully charged car is all you need during uncalled-for incidents so that you can travel with it, and level 2 chargers ascertain the same like none other. If you are someone who has to be always on the move, you just cannot afford to waste your precious time waiting for your car to charge.
Level 1 Charging Stations
- Small and Portable: Level 1 portable charging station normally weighs less than 2-3 kg, making transportation much easier. It is always a good idea to keep a level 1 charger in the trunk of your electric car at all times. This will be extremely handy if you need to fuel your car at an isolated location.
- These chargers are never hard-wired. All you need to do is plug the charger into a standard household 220-volt outlet, and the vehicle gets charged automatically.
- Level 1 charging station often comes with the electric car at no extra cost.
Level 2 Charging Stations
- These are larger than level 1 charging stations, usually stationary (not transportable) and can weigh up to 15 kg. However, you can also find small and light and portable level 2 chargers, which are thus easy to carry.
- Some level 2 charging stations are hardwired, while some are available as plug-in versions. Plug-in units are easier to install and remove and thus can be carried to other locations for charging if required.
- A level 2 charging station is capable of delivering up to 50-100km of range per hour. However, that would also greatly depend on the power supply at your location. Are you in the dark about how long it would take to charge your electric car fully? Well, here is a comprehensive of the charging points that would give you a clear idea of your car’s battery life.
- 16 Amps/one-phase / 3,6kW: 15-18 km of range per hour
- 32 Amps/one-phase / 7.4kW: 30-36 km of range per hour
- 16 Amps/three-phase/11 kW: 50-54 km of range per hour
- 24 Amps/three-phase/16 kW: 75-80 km of range per hour
- 32 Amps/three-phase/22 kW: 100-105 km of range per hour
Workplace Charging
Workplace charging is the second most common method of charging electric vehicles after home charging. In this type of charging, employers offer EV charging stations for their employees to take advantage of while driving to and from work. While EV charging is free in most workplaces as an employee perk, you might have to pay a small fee for using the charging stations in some places. If you are an EV owner who depends heavily on street parking and does not have the necessary infrastructure to charge your electric car at home, workplace EV charging can come in pretty handy.
Most of the workplace charging stations you find in Europe are equipped with level 2 fast chargers and can fully recharge an electric car when employees are at work. You should always move your car from the charging station once it is fully charged, thus allowing other co-workers to charge their vehicles before they drive back home.
Public Charging
As the name implies, public charging is available for anyone and everyone. Several studies have shown that public charging accounts for only about 5 % of EV charging. However, if you don’t have the infrastructure for EV charging at home or are going on a long trip, a public charging station can prove to be extremely useful. There used to be fast charging plug compatibility issue, however CCS2 standard has prevailed and all new EVs and fast charging stations support this standard. As a driver you no longer need to think about plug compatibility, or the type of connector used in your electric car. This question only remains for those who have imported US manufactured car to EU. Even though both US and EU support CCS standard it has different plug shape. US CCS is called CCS1 and EU CCS is CCS2. To be able to use fast charging on US car in Europe one needs to have CCS1 to CCS2 fast charge adapter.
Level 2 Public Charging
The connectors used for home or workplace charging are also used for public charging in commercial charging locations like universities, hospitals, municipalities, parking garage infrastructure, retail, etc.
Final Take:
So, these are the different ways to charge your electric car with renewable energy. If you want to charge your electric car faster, smarter, and cleaner, check out the internet for reputed companies offering EV charging stations for businesses and homes. These companies also offer different types of EV chargers at highly competitive rates. Choose a charger that complies with your electric car in the best way possible. Get in touch with them and let them take care of the rest.
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