Electricity is everywhere, so it’s a bit ironic that one of the first questions people ask is: Where do you charge an EV? There are three different levels that you need to know about when it comes to EV charging:
Level 1 (standard 120 volt household current)
Gives you about five miles of driving range per plugged-in hour
A Level 1 charger is included with the sale of all electric vehicles
Perfect for longterm charging such as overnight or at your workplace
Fine for daily commutes of 40 miles or less
Level 2 (240 volt circuit — similar to clothes dryer or stove)
Gives you about 10 to 25 miles of driving range per plugged-in hour
Typically should be installed by an electrician for home use
Complete full charge in four hours for most battery EVs and two hours or less for most plug-in hybrid EVs
Wall-mounted or pedestal charging stations are used for public charging
DC Fast Charger (often mistakenly called Level 3)
This is the fastest charge and available at only commercial locations. Three different standards are used and are compatible with vehicles equipped to use these systems
CHAdeMo — Full charge typically in 30 minutes or less and used by Nissan and Mitsubishi.
SAE Combo — Full charge typically in 20 minutes and used by BMW, Chevrolet, Ford and Volkswagen.
Tesla Supercharger — Up to 200 miles of range in 20 to 30 minutes and used by Tesla Model S and Model X.
