The Shift To Electric Cars : Adding a Car Charger to Your Home
More and more people are looking to move away from gas-powered vehicles for the more sustainable electric vehicle (EVs) alternatives. One of the biggest questions that many people have with EVs is how the charging process works compared to filling up a tank of gas for a traditional gas-powered car.
Well, like with every other electronically powered item in your home – such as a cell phone or computer – EV charging works largely the same way. As with your computer, to charge your EV, you simply plug it into a power outlet where it charges the battery. EVs use large battery packs that store DC energy.
Now, if you were expecting to plug it into your local outlet at home, you may be in for a surprise. Most homes only supply AC power. And while all EVs are equipped with AC-to-DC energy conversion, the process is not short. In fact, in some models, it can take almost a full day to fully charge an EV’s battery to full power. This is one of the more inconvenient tradeoffs that all EV owners just have to come to grips with in exchange for the many tremendous benefits that they are receiving.
Many public charging stations already provide DC power, resulting in a faster charging experience compared to at home.
The most important factor in determining an EV’s charge time comes down to the size of the onboard charger. This ultimately determines how fast your EV will charge the battery. As an example, a Chevy Bolt’s onboard charging capacity is 7.2 kW. This means, no matter what charger is used, it can only charge up to around 40 kilometres of range every hour of charging.
Different Charging Options Explained
As mentioned earlier, the charging process for an EV is one of the more inconvenient trade-offs that come with the car. This topic has become so hotly talked about, you’ve most likely heard more than a few conflicting accounts on just how long the process can take. Many on the critical side of EVs say it can take between 20 and 24 hours to fully charge the battery, while fans will bring up Tesla’s Superchargers, which are noted for adding 172 miles of range in roughly 15 minutes.
You might be wondering then, “exactly how long does the charging process take?”. There are a few different factors that determine how much is going to be charged: the EV’s charging equipment, the power source, as well as the onboard charging capacity.
There’s onboard charging capacity as well as the power source. Let’s go over some of the different charging equipment options available.
Level 1 Charger (120V)
Level 1 charging can largely be seen as the default setting for most EVs. It works for all EVs as well as any
location with a standard power outlet. It is also included when purchasing an EV. These work by plugging
them into any 120V wall outlet you’d normally use for any standard form of charging. Despite its convenient use, you can imagine just how slow it would be to charge your EV using the same power outlet as you would for your laptop. Often known as “trickle charging” this is the method most people cite for taking 20+ hours to charge, as the amount being powered at any time is between 12 and 16 amps. This results in the car getting charged only 3-10 kilometres every hour.
Level 2 Charger (240V)
A faster charging experience for homeowners, level 2 charging equipment requires a 240V outlet to charge. These are the same outlets as those used for AC units. They are easily twice as fast and offer between 22 – 56 kilometres of charged range every hour.
Some of the drawbacks to the 240V charging option come by way of it being an “add-on”. It doesn’t come with most EVs, meaning you are going to spend between $500 and $2,000 on charging based on the quality and brand. Similarly, you’ll have to check your home to see if you even have a 240V outlet. If you don’t, you’ll have to work with your electrician to have one set up. You will also need to make sure that, even if you do have an outlet, the circuitry can support a high enough amount of amps in order to take advantage of the faster charging times.
Level 3 Charger (480V+)
The third option for charging an EV is a DC charger. As mentioned before, electric vehicles run natively on DC current and have to convert AC current into DC current when charging, extending the overall process of charge time.
Using a DC-based current bypasses that process and allows for faster charging times at increased rates. A level 3 station can charge over 160 kms worth of range every hour. Level 3 chargers are not perfect: they have their own fair share of issues.
Due to the high amounts of energy and setup costs (along with many of the other permits and hardware required) Level 3 chargers are not feasible for the vast majority of homes. This means you’ll likely have to use public areas for any of their benefits. Level 3 chargers can actually reduce your car’s battery health and shorten its overall lifespan.
This means, even if you could set up a charging station in your home, you’d potentially be reducing your battery’s overall lifespan every time you charged it. In fact, it is recommended that you only use DC chargers (Level 3) when expecting to take a long-distance trip or in emergency scenarios where you need to quickly recharge the battery.
While Level 1 and 2 chargers are compatible with virtually all EVs, the same is not true for Level 3 stations. Depending on the station, they can use 1 of 3 different chargers for electrical vehicles: The Tesla Supercharger, SAE, or the CHAdeMO connectors.
The Tesla Supercharger connector is often seen in areas where Teslas are most prevalent. These chargers
work exclusively with Tesla models and Tesla-model vehicles. The SAE Combo connector works for electronic BMWs, Chevys, and Volkswagens. While not as common as the CHAdemO connectors, the SAE Combo is more readily available when compared to the Tesla Superchargers. The CHAdeMO connectors are the most accessible of the three charging stations and works for Kias, Nissans, and Mitsubishi EVs.
Tesla Charger Options
Over their competition, Tesla offers two separate home charging options: the Tesla Mobile Connector and the Tesla Wall Connector. The Tesla Mobile Connector comes standard with each new Tesla EV and acts as a native Level 1 charger, offering around 6km of range per hour for the Model S. Unlike other charging options, it is portable and can work for all 120V outlets. It also can be used with a 240V outlet adapter. This allows it to charge a Model S with around 37km of range per hour.
The Tesla Wall Connector is the more powerful of the two and is the best method of charging a Tesla EV regardless of the model. It acts as a Level 2 charger and is hard-wired into the house. As a Level 2, it works with 240V and can charge a Model S at 54km of range per hour.
What Charger Works Best for My EV?
Ultimately, this is a question that is largely based on you and your situation. No matter what type of charger you choose, they all work well enough to get you and your EV from one point to the next.
While the Tesla connector chargers will offer the fastest charge in comparison to the other brands, that does not automatically mean it is the best. The CHAdeMO, as an example, is most optimal for the largest variety of EVs on the road while the SAE combo similarly works for a large number of different available EVs.
When it comes down to it, while each of the chargers has their own strengths and weaknesses, your best bet is going to be to determine exactly how much energy you plan to actually and regularly use while on the road, and what type of charging style will work best for you and your home. Do you use your EV for short commutes around town or do you normally take long back-and-forth trips in and out of the city? Do you take long trips, driving for hours at a time, or do you do quicker and smaller trips, such as to the store and back?
Conclusions
More and more people will begin to opt for EVs than ever before. As this happens, chargers will undoubtedly become faster and more affordable. Knowing about chargers and how to charge your EV – as well as the differences between them – is a vital step for all prospective or current owners of an EV and may even play an important role in the type of EV you ultimately decide to get.
