Considering an electric vehicle (EV) but unsure how you‘ll keep it powered up? This comprehensive guide breaks down all the key factors around EV charging—encompassing standard connector types, costs, public infrastructure expansions, home installation considerations and more. Follow along as we decode the terminology and compare the pros and cons of various charging methods.
EV Charging 101
While specific charging times depend on complex factors (detailed later), it helps to understand the levels of charging generally available:
Level 1: Alternating Current (AC) charging using a standard household 120V outlet. Very slow, adding ~3 miles of range per hour. L1 cordset provided with every EV for overnight home charging.
Level 2: Faster AC charging via 240V connection (typical in laundry rooms, for electric dryers). Adds 10-20 miles of range per hour. Requires additional wiring by electrician.
DC Fast Charging (DCFC): Direct Current (DC) rapid charging standard for public stations. Adds up to 200+ miles of range per hour, allowing shorter charging stops on road trips. Uses different specialist connectors.
When considering EV ownership, it‘s helpful to understand this hierarchy of charging options balancing convenience, location, speed and costs. Now let‘s explore specifics around charges in more detail…
Charging at Home
Installing a dedicated charging station at home provides unparalleled convenience and the lowest costs per mile charged. All EVs include a Level 1 cordset for plugging into any ordinary household 120V outlet. While charging at just 1.4kW, this easily meets the needs of lower mileage drivers for overnight top-ups. For longer commutes though, upgrading wiring for a Level 2 station can substantially quicken charge times. Compare Level 1 and Level 2 home charging below:
| Charger | Speed | Miles added/hour* | Costs** | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Slow | 3-5 miles | $0 upfront + cost of electricity | Provided with EV; uses existing outlets | Up to 10 hours charge time |
| Level 2 | Faster | 10-20 miles | $500-$2,000 install cost*** + electricity | Fully charges EV overnight | Requires professional installation |
For typical EV battery
Based on national electricity rate of $0.14/kWh
Cost varies based on power rating and if wiring upgrades needed
Savings in "fuel" costs usually far outweigh charging expenses. However many variables impact monthly costs like charging hours, vehicle efficiency, utility rates and more. Explore an EV cost calculator here for complete operating cost estimates.
Public Charging Infrastructure
While home charging works for most daily usage, having public stations available also aids adoption by easing range anxiety. The Department of Transportation recently unveiled a $5 billion proposal to establish an interconnected EV infrastructure, aiming for convenient nationwide access enabling long-distance travel by 2030. This includes targets for an extra 200,000 Level 2 and 100,000 DC fast charger (DCFC) plugs within 5 years.
Early public charging pioneers like ChargePoint were essential in driving initial EV sales in partnership with policy incentives like EV purchase subsidies during the late 2000s. Since then, Chargepoint has organically expanded to operate over 200,000 public and workplace charging outlets. Meanwhile, new investments from private companies have also massively grown nationwide DCFC availability—like Electrify America and EVgo which solely focus on rapid charging for long journeys. As the growth charts below show, these public-private infrastructure expansions have successfully broadened access over the last decade:
[insert graph showing growth of Chargepoint stations vs increasing number of EVs in US 2012-2022] [insert graph showing growth of overall public charging plugs in US by type 2016-2022]Factors Affecting Charging Speeds
Given "fast charging" is a relative term, what determines the miles per hour added or total time required to recharge? There are a few key variables at play both regarding your vehicle and charging station that impact speeds:
Battery Size: The larger the battery (measured in kWh), the longer it takes to fill up. Compare times based on EV battery capacity:
| EV Model | Battery Size | Recharge Time (at max) |
|---|---|---|
| Nissan LEAF | 40 kWh | 40 mins (50kW DCFC) |
| Tesla Model 3 | 62 kWh | 30 mins (250kW Supercharger) |
| GMC Hummer EV | 200+ kWh | 1 hour (350kW DCFC) |
Onboard Charger Power: This refers to the maximum rate at which your EV battery can safely recharge, varying greatly between vehicles from ~7kW to 11kW for AC charging. Older EVs may charge slower on Level 2 or DCFC even when the station offers more power.
Charging Station Power Rating: Whether your vehicle can accept the maximum charging rate available also depends on the individual station. DCFC are rated from 50kW up to 250kW+ for cutting-edge stations.
State of Charge: Charging speeds slow down as the battery reaches ~80% state of charge. The final 20% often takes as long as the preceding 80% – important when planning longer charging stops.
Electricity Costs: Pricing is very inconsistent nationwide currently, with some DCFC networks charging per kWh consumed, time connected, or service fees. Cost savings vs gasoline still make EVs affordable to run in most areas though.
Supercharger Network Now Open…With Caveats
Tesla recently opened their proprietary Supercharger stations for usage by rival EV brands – a gamechanger offering the largest and most reliable nationwide fast charging network with over 4,000 plugs. For now though, access remains limited: Non-Tesla EVs require a special adapter and may face charging speed caps around 50kW depending on the vehicle.
Pilot programs are also offering business incentives for non-Tesla drivers to recharge at newly accessible stations. For example, restaurants located at Supercharger sites may give free drinks or discounts to attract customer flow. Ultimately, usage by non-Tesla EVs will homologize connectors and charging rates across brands for improved convenience.
The Future: Converging to CCS as Standard Fast Charging Connector
Currently, several connector types used for DC fast charging fragment the landscape and limit interoperability between vehicles and networks. However, there is growing consensus across the auto industry to uniformly adopt the Combined Charging Standard (CCS) used by European and several American automakers.
Reasons for coalescing around CCS include platform-sharing across brands, expanding Europe-wide charging standards using CCS, plus the connectors compact included-J1772 design for Level 2 charging. With Ford and GM recently announcing plans to utilize CCS-based Tesla connectors in upcoming models, we can expect the transition overtime easing use across charging stations.
The shift to EVs represents a paradigm change for drivers, so don‘t feel daunted by the evolving charging considerations covered here. Understanding the basics about charge levels, speeds, costs and existing infrastructure now simplifies the transition into an electric future! Reach out via comments below if you have any other questions.
