Different Levels of EV charging explained; Level 1, 2 and 3
Different Levels of EV charging explained; Level 1, 2 and 3
Posted on June 16, 2022
Introduction
The way we fill up our cars will change completely by the end of the decade. It’s expected that there will be approximately 140 million electric vehicles (EV) on the road worldwide by 2030.
Inevitably, combustion engines running on gas will eventually become a distant memory. Like the horse buggies disappeared in the early 1900s when cars were invented, so will the fuel combustion engine.
What is EV Charging
So what are the types of EV Charging, and how does it work? In short, the higher the level of the electricity voltage of charging you use, the faster your car’s batteries will charge. Levels range from one to three. For those who feel a bit lost on the concept of EV charging levels, we will explain to you exactly how it works.
Level 1
A standard household electricity outlet has 120-volts. These outlets are used for small household appliances like kettles and toasters.
Plugging your car’s battery into a level 1 charging outlet will charge the EV car’s battery by 1% per hour. For instance, if a battery has a driving range capacity of 435 kilometres, the car’s battery will get 4 kilometres of driving range added back into the battery every hour. Leaving your car to be charged overnight for eight hours will add 36 kilometres of driving range to your EV vehicle. It’s not ideal for people that drive extensive distances daily, but it should suffice for short-distance drivers.
Level 2
240-volt power is used for level two charging. It’s much faster, but it may require an electrical upgrade of your home’s power supply. Public charging stations use level two, and it’s capable of recharging the battery within 40 kilometres range every hour. Charging your car overnight will ensure a fully charged battery and a full driving range capacity.
Level 3
Out of all the EV charging levels available today, level three is the fastest. It produces 400 to 900-volts. It’s capable of charging an EV car at 4.8 to 32 kilometres of range per minute. It’s the most convenient, and these types of EV charging stations are starting to appear everywhere, including on highways.
How Much Does EV Charging Cost
A report was released by Uswitch stating that the average cost of charging an electric vehicle in Canada in 2020 cost around $277,19. It’s also great news that level two charging stations across Canada are absolutely free of charge. It includes charging stations for all EV vehicles, excluding Tesla. All other testing stations have standard plugs.
Looking Into the Future
We trust that we’ve answered most of your questions. Governments are setting into motion incentives and forging new legislation. We can look forward to more manufacturers introducing technological advancements in their EV vehicles and placing urgency on getting them released to the public. You can look forward to driving your own EV car soon.