Electric vehicles aren’t brand new to the market and actually date back much further than you might expect. That said, it wasn’t until the last dozen years or so that EVs have become popular enough to require an infrastructure for recharging the batteries or the development of faster charging capabilities.

Here are some important things to know about EV charging that will help demystify the confusion surrounding these vehicles.

How many levels of charging are there?

Currently, there are three distinct levels of charging that can be used for most electric vehicles. In many cases, modern EVs won’t charge quickly or effectively using Level 1 charging, but its still part of the available charging network. Let’s take a look at all three charging levels to understand what they offer.

Level 1

The most basic form of EV charging is Level 1. This means using a regular household 120V outlet to charge your electric vehicle. This is the slowest way to charge any vehicle, but it is the most widely available and convenient way to replenish the batteries, especially if you only drive your vehicle a few times per week. The charging rate using a Level 1 plug is about two to four miles of additional range per hour. This is the least efficient way to charge your EV, but it could work for some drivers who don’t drive often.

Level 2

The most useful type of charging is what you can use at home. Level 2 charging utilizes a 240-volt outlet, which is the same power as your clothes dryer needs. In most cases, in order to effectively charge your EV at home, you need to have a Level 2 charging plug installed in your home that can be used when you need to replenish the batteries. Most automakers offer an included Level 2 charger with the purchase of an EV, but they don’t include installation of a new 240-volt plug that operates separately from your clothes dryer.

The movement toward electric vehicles is extremely dependent upon EV owners adding a Level 2 charging outlet to their homes. In general, a Level 2 charging system can replenish EV batteries overnight. You’ll need to consult an electrician to ensure your home’s electric panel can support your new EV charging setup.

You may also find Level 2 chargers in many public spaces, such as parking garages and parking lots. Other public chargers are Level 3, and you need to know the difference.

Level 3

Level 3 chargers are the quickest of all three systems and they are also known as DC fast-chargers. These chargers are extremely useful on long trips and make it possible to take EVs on road trips because of the fast charging time. The speed at which these chargers operate depends on the setup, which can add between 100 and 250 miles of additional range in 30-45 minutes. The higher voltage means you can’t charge to 100% of the battery’s capacity while attached to the Level 3 charger.

These DC fast chargers operate at as little as 50 kW and as much as 500 kW, depending on the EV and the charger. Once an EV battery reaches 80% of the full charge, a Level 3 charger changes and slows down considerably. This is done to prevent overheating and overcharging.

Most automakers advise charging only to 80% when using Level 2 and Level 3 chargers.

What about the connectors?

Most EVs come with different connectors that you can utilize based on the speed of the EV charging being done. Level 1 and Level 2 charging uses a standard round port, which is called a J1772 connector. There are a few different types of connectors being used for Level 3 charging, including CCS and NACS connectors. The NACS connector is becoming the standard across the industry.

Some EVs use the CHAdeMO connector, but this plug is becoming obsolete. Soon, the CCS will also be obsolete, and all EVs will utilize the same connector.

Is the infrastructure ready?

You’ve probably seen more EV Level 3 charging stations along your route, especially during road trips, but the infrastructure growth hasn’t kept up with the increased number of EVs on the road. Still, most electric vehicles charge at home using Level 2 chargers, which makes them useful for most driving needs. If you’re considering an electric vehicle, now you know a little more about how to charge it and the various types of charging available to you.

The post EV Charging 101: Demystifying Charging Levels, Connectors, and Infrastructure first appeared on Ride4Watts.com.

The post EV Charging 101: Demystifying Charging Levels, Connectors, and Infrastructure appeared first on Ride4Watts.com.

Charging an electric car isn’t as easy or as straightforward as pulling up to a gas pump. There’s a lot more technology and things to consider when you need to plug in to recharge your EV batteries.

What happens if you charge your EV to 100% every time you charge? Should you use DC Fast-Charging exclusively? Can you still use a regular 120-volt outlet to charge your electric car? Where are the nearby electric charging stations?

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Problems

Even before you buy your new electric vehicle, you should know where the public charging stations in your area are located. Whether you’re heading out for a road trip that will take you away from home for several days or you’re taking a different path than normal, it’s important to know where the charging stations are so that you don’t end up stranded.

There’s An App For That

Thankfully, most charging networks provide apps to customers, and many electric vehicles have charging station locations programmed into the GPS system. Still, you need to have a charging plan before heading out in an EV. Electric vehicle charging stations aren’t as plentiful as gas stations for ICE vehicles yet.

Overcharging Your Battery – Reduces EV Battery Lifespan

Electric car batteries aren’t like smartphone batteries. They don’t need to be charged to 100% every time, and charging them past 80% can reduce the lifespan of the battery. Although 80% is the sweet spot for EV charging, most owners will plug in the EV overnight to ensure the battery hits 100% while charging.

Fast Charging, Slow Charging, Which Cable?

Electric cars come with various charging cables, each designed for a specific purpose. Using the wrong cable can slow down your charging time and damage your car’s battery. This could be a costly mistake, especially if you repeat it several times over. Make sure you have the right charging cable for your vehicle.

In most areas, the overnight time is considered the off-peak hours, which is also when electricity is cheapest. This is why many homeowners will run a clothes dryer at night because they can save some money. An electric vehicle uses the same amount of power to charge as an electric clothes dryer, which makes overnight charging a smart financial decision.

Less Frequent Maintenance Doesn’t Mean No Maintenance

Although EVs require less frequent maintenance, there’s still a schedule to follow, which is necessary when you drive any vehicle. This schedule is meant to help you keep your car running smoothly and avoid costly repairs. The battery pack is typically under warranty for eight years, but that coverage ends if you don’t keep up the vehicle’s maintenance.

Frequently Charging Your EV To 100% – The Optimum Level Is Less

Automakers list the driving range of a vehicle when it has a full battery, but they don’t add that you don’t need to charge it to full every time. If you’re planning a road trip, you’ll want to start with a battery at 100%, but this isn’t optimal for daily overnight charging.

Short Commutes Require Less Charging

If you want to optimize EV battery life, you’ll need to understand what your daily and weekly driving habits are. If you know that you won’t drive more than 40 or 50 miles in a given day, it’s not necessary to charge the batteries to 100% or to plug the car in every day. EV batteries will last longer when recharged less frequently, but if you’ve got a long journey coming up, by all means, charge the EV to 100%.

You Can’t Go To The Nearest Station For A Gallon Of Electricity

What used to be a pretty common sight is a person walking along the road toward the next gas station with a gas can in their hand. These drivers thought they could make it to the station, but that wasn’t the case. Unlike this inconvenience, you can’t just walk to the nearest EV charger and pick up a gallon of electricity. It’s important to watch your battery level and keep it in the sweet spot between 20 and 80% charge at all times.

Rapid Charging Reduces Battery Life

Some drivers swear by rapid charging or are still in the mindset that they must go to a station to refuel their vehicle. Current electric vehicles are made to be recharged most effectively at home using a 240-volt charging port. Although some people can’t avoid using rapid charging exclusively, if you have an at-home charger, plan to use it for almost all of your EV charging needs.

The post Maximize Your EV Battery Life: The Dos and Don’ts of Charging first appeared on Ride4Watts.com.

The post Maximize Your EV Battery Life: The Dos and Don’ts of Charging appeared first on Ride4Watts.com.

Gas stations are everywhere you look, but electric vehicle charging locations aren’t nearly as plentiful. Automakers and government agencies are working to rectify this problem. If you’re ready to make the transition from an ICE vehicle to an EV, you’ll want to understand some of the basics of charging and what to expect. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario, the same as it is when refueling your gas-powered vehicle.

Know your charging levels

Level 1

When EVs first hit the market, most were capable of charging overnight utilizing a traditional 120-volt household outlet. This charging level is called Level 1, and it’s the lowest power level you can use for charging an EV. Today’s EVs aren’t made to use this low level of charging, which has made Level 1 charging all but obsolete.

Level 2

Most electric car charging is done via Level 2 at-home charging. These chargers are twice as powerful as Level 1 systems, utilizing a 240-volt outlet in the home. Public chargers also offer Level 2 charging capabilities, but most drivers stopping along the route to recharge won’t select Level 2. Instead, this charging level is the perfect level for overnight charging. Currently, most EV drivers can only use a Level 2 charger to replenish their batteries to 100% charge.

Level 3

Electric car charging using a Level 3 DC Fast-Charging station is the fastest way to add driving range to any vehicle. Depending upon the voltage acceptance rate of the vehicle, these chargers can add up to 80% of the full charge to the EV batteries in less than one hour. Although this is the fastest charging rate, modern EVs with lithium-ion battery packs are limited to the 80% level to protect the batteries from overheating.

What charging socket is included in your EV?

Many automakers have recently announced plans to adopt the Tesla North American Charging Standard for their new vehicles. This should unify the types of chargers used and offer a larger charging network to most EV owners. Until this occurs, there are three different charging sockets used by automakers. This means EV owners must ensure the charging station selected has compatible charging sockets to power their EVs.

Can EVs fully charge at DC Fast-Chargers?

The widespread DC Fast-Charging network is meant to quickly add most of the electric car charging range to an EV to keep these vehicles going. An EV can fully charge at a DC Fast-Charger, but an EV that can utilize 350-kW of charging capability could see this rate drop to 50-kW once the 80% mark is reached. This slowing of the charging rate is to protect the EV batteries. Technically, the EV can be fully recharged at a Level 3 charger, but it’s not practical and takes a lot of time to go from 80-100%, which is time the driver could use to get closer to their desired destination.

Should EV drives join charging networks?

Unlike gas stations, where you can simply pull up to any pump, put in a credit card, and begin pumping, EV charging networks require accounts and memberships. This means most EV drivers should join multiple networks to have access to more chargers. Thankfully, modern EVs offer ways to consolidate all of these networks into a single account to ensure widespread charging availability and use. Still, if you purchase a pre-owned electric vehicle, you might not have this capability and will need to join several charging networks to have the best chance of accessing public charging locations.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

Typically, electric car charging is much more affordable at home than at public charging stations. Your at-home charging costs show up in your monthly electric bill, which could result in spending a lot less than when charging on the road. Regardless of how you charge your EV, it’s much more affordable than refueling a gas or diesel-powered vehicle. Additionally, electricity prices are generally pretty consistent compared to the constant ups and downs we see at gas stations.

Is there an etiquette to EV charging?

Unlike a gas pump, electric car charging requires a few rules of etiquette to be done properly. When you plug in, you’ll need to ensure the charging has begun correctly and wait a few minutes to ensure faults don’t occur. Once fully charged, it’s best to unplug your car and move away from the charger for others to use. Place the charger handle in the receptacle and protect the cables to ensure the charger is in good working order for the next EV driver.

Now that you know a little more about electric car charging, which EV will you drive?

The post Everything You Need to Know About Electric Car Charging first appeared on Ride4Watts.com.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Electric Car Charging appeared first on Ride4Watts.com.