If you own an electric vehicle and are looking to get educated on what your prospects, limitations, and options are as regard charging it, then here is the place to be. This article gives insight into what electric car charging stations are, the types and their pros and cons.
What Are Electric Car Charging Stations?
It is noteworthy that what people refer to as electric car charging stations are more suitably called Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). This is because the main charging board that is responsible for charging your electric car is already present in the car, and what the “charging station” does is just supply the right amount of electricity to the charging board. Now that that is cleared, let’s take a look at what level 1 and level 2 charging means.
Level 1 and Level 2 Charging
Level 1 charging is the sort of charging that most electric car manufacturers give to their customers on purchase of an electric car. This sort of charging is obtainable with the standard 120-volt portable charger that comes with a newly bought electric car. Being a 120-volt charger, it means that you can charge your car via a regular household outlet without any special installation being conducted.
These sort of charging is typically slower and on average gives between 3-5 miles per hour of charge. As such, if you are looking to make a long commute, you must dedicate at least 8 hours or more to charging your vehicle, depending on its battery power.
Level 2 charging on the other hand are obtainable from chargers that are 240-volt. Level 2 electric car charging stations are bought and installed in homes before being used. Installations can either be of the plug-in type or the hardwired type depending on what your needs are.
Level 2 chargers offer a faster charge and can deliver between 15-60 miles of range for a per hour charge.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Charging Station
- Electricity Supply
Before springing for a charging station you must first ensure that you can install it without any problem. If you own your own home, then you can install your charging station without asking for anyone’s permission. If you are leasing a home or a condominium, you might need to seek approval from other people before installing your charging station, and this can be a chore.
- Make Sure It’s Safe
Being a relatively new industry, you will find many small companies making EV chargers that are not completely durable or safe to use. To be safe, ensure that whatever the charging station you intend to buy have been tested and certified by a reputable testing entity in the industry.
- The Amount of Power Delivered
The amount of power that electric car charging stations deliver is a huge determinant of how fast your car battery gets charged. A level 2 charger is known to deliver anything between 16-amps to 80-amps, and the higher you can get, the better for you.
You do not have to worry about getting a charging station that delivers much more amp than your present EV can take. The board on the EV will only accept what it needs and thus avoid any damage whatsoever that could result from too much power. Getting a power charging station is however recommended as you wouldn’t have to change the power station should you choose to upgrade you EV sometime in the future.
