With so many EV’s hitting the market these days we thought it would be a good time to talk about charging levels since it can be especially confusing when considering your first EV.
Level 1 Charging
The first stage of EV charging is your Level 1 charger which plugs into a standard 120V household outlet and typically come standard when you purchase your car. These charge the slowest, at about 4 to 5 miles of range per hour. When overnight charging, this tends to be perfectly fine for most people when considering you’re your average commute and drive time per day. PHEV’s (Plug in hybrids) have smaller battery’s than Full EV’s and are typically a great option for Level 1 charging.
Level 2 Charging
Level 2 chargers supply over 200 volts and charge at a rate 3 to 7 times higher than Level 1. They start charging at about 12 miles of range per hour and go up from there depending on the charger’s power rating and how much power the EV can accept. These require a 240 volt outlet, (which is used for most US household appliances).
Here is an example of how increased Amperage improves charging times:
- Level-2 16 AMP can provide 12 Miles of Range per Hour
- Level-2 32 AMP can provide 26 Miles of Range per Hour
- Level-2 40 AMP can provide 33 Miles of Range per Hour
Click here to search our options and see which Level 2 charger may be right for you
Level 3 Charging, aka, DC Fast Charging
Level 3 (DC fast charging) uses Direct Current (DC) vs Alternating Current (AC) which is the standard in our homes. DC charging can be had in a higher voltage and provides rapid charging. However, excessive use of rapid charging can degrade your battery life and it is not always readily available. When needed though, you can fully charge your EV in under an hour.
So there you have it! If you have any questions about charging or anything questions about EV’s at all drop us a line at info@ecokruz.com!