Plugging in
One of the easiest ways to plug your EV is by recharging at home, that’s if you can place an electric outlet close to your a parking spot or you simply park close to an electric outlet.
Asides Tesla vehicles, all the options available for charging your vehicle at home uses a standard electric vehicle plug for adequate connection to the vehicle while the other end is either plugged to an existing electrical outlet or hardwired.
Most times, charging at home requires the use of a 120 or 240-volt outlet respectively. Considering most EV comes with a charging cord of 120 volts, you will likely find a lot of outlets with 120 volts. This definitely would be the easiest and cheapest option for an EV owner.
If you choose an outlet with 240 volts, you will need to purchase a charging unit for your home and possibly make a few modifications to the electric system in your home. One of the advantages of using the 240-volt charging cord is that it charges faster, saving you time spent on charging your vehicle. The charging speed of the cord is dependent on the amperage and your EV.
Types of EV charging
Level 1 (Home Charging) –The charging cords for Level 1 are standard accessories on new EVs. Charging on this level requires a 120V three prong outlet. For an overnight charge which is about 8 hrs, you can get as much as a 40-mile range added to your car. Home charging overnight is great for electric vehicle drivers whose daily commute do not involve driving several miles, and for fairly low and medium range plug-in hybrids.
Level 2 (Public& Home Charging): charging your EV requires the use of a 240-volt circuit. Here, the charging speed depends on how much current is available and the acceptance rate of your vehicle. For example, If you make use of a 30 amperes circuit, an 8-hour charge can add as much as 180 miles to your EV.
The most famous public chargers are Level 2 chargers, they are found in places like parking garages, offices, and big grocery stores. Level 2 charging cords for public station charging comes with a standard vehicle connection plug suitable for all modern electric vehicles, but if you own a Tesla, you’ll need an adapter.
DC Fast Charging (Public Station Charging): Presently, this is the fastest rechargeable method. For a 30 minutes charge, you can get as much as 45 to 95 miles added to your EV, although it is also dependent on the power capacity of the station and your EV.
Tesla has some fast superchargers which can add up a range of 160 miles in 30 minutes. If your commute involves really long trips, or your EV is used all day with you not having access to your home or charging outlet for a recharge due to the nature of your job, business or other possible reasons, these fast chargers are your best option. They make use of three different types of plugs, and the plugs cannot be interchanged. Automakers in Japan make use of the CHAdeMO standard while America and Europe use the Combined Charging System (CCS).
What is the cost of recharging?
Usually, the cost of recharging an electric vehicle varies. The cost of recharging an electric vehicle is cheaper than the average cost of refueling a gasoline car. On average, an EV driver would save as much as $800 yearly compared to a gasoline car driver.
However, your utility plan and locality can make the difference in your savings. For an EV driver, a time-of-use rate plan is best in other to see substantial savings. In a time-of-use plan, cheap electric rates are available during off-peak periods and higher rates during peak periods. The best fit for EV drivers are the TOU rates, as the vehicles are often parked at home all through the night.
In cities like California, your best bet is the TOU rate; this helps saves money spent on fueling. Recharging at public charging outlets also varies considerably, while some are free, others can cost twice as much as charging at home.
How much time is needed to charge your EV?
How much time it takes to recharge your electric vehicle depends mainly on two major factors:
- The output of the vehicle charger.
- The amount of energy that will be used.
- With a 120 volts Level 1 charger, you get a replacement of about 3-5 driving miles/ per hour charge while hybrid plug-in vehicles have a range of about 25 – 50 miles. This means that for a fully drained battery, an 8-hour charge would give a completely charged battery. A DC charger makes it possible for your vehicle to charge rapidly at public charging stations adding between 50 – 170 miles range in half an hour (but this depends solely on the vehicle capacity and the output of the charging station.)
Keep in mind that very few drivers usually go more than 45 miles daily, so as low Level 1 charger can meet the changing needs of most persons considering the switch from gasoline or fuel to an efficient electric vehicle that serves their purpose.