“How long will it take to charge my electric vehicle?” is one of the most common questions in every EV driver’s mind. And rightly so. People are often wary of buying an electric vehicle because they are not sure how much time their vehicle is going to spend just being plugged into a charging point or station. Can a 15-minute charge at a Level 2 station get them to their next destination? Or will they need to spend 2 hours at a Level 1 outlet?
If you are providing EV charging station services to your customers, you need to understand that charging efficiency essentially depends on the type of EV charger. While it is very easy to provide Level 1 charging if you have space for people to park their cars as well as proper permissions from the municipality, a business that offers Level 2 EV charging equips itself with a much greater competitive edge. In this post, we will discuss the reasons behind that by comparing Level 1 EV charging with Level 2 and 3 electric vehicle charging stations, and help you make the right decision.
Level 1 EV charging
In non-technical jargon, Level 1 charging means plugging an electric vehicle into an ordinary household power outlet. Level 1 equipment charges through a 110–120 Volt using a dedicated 20 Amp circuit; it is very slow. This type of charging usually takes around 17-25 hours to juice-up a 100-mile battery to the brim. Also, only one electric vehicle can be charged per plug point.
Level 2 EV charging
Level 2 EV charging stations like EV Meter charge through a 110-250 VAC. This type of charging only takes 4-5 hours to fill a 100-mile battery. Further, Level 2 EV charging stations like EV Meter come with two power outlets which enables them to charge two electric vehicles simultaneously. Which means, on average, each commercial station can easily charge up to 10 vehicles from zero to full battery.
In reality, this number is much higher because an average EV driver never lets the battery drop to zero. The usual charging period for most users is around 2 hours – which is the typical amount of time you would expect a customer to spend at a business. This is what makes EV Meter dual Level 2 charging stations a popular choice among public parking providers, residential condos, corporate complexes, supermarkets, restaurants, and municipalities.
Level 3 EV charging
Also known as DC fast chargers, Level 3 EV devices charge through a 480V, direct-current (DC) plug. They are typically able to charge a standard-sized battery to 80% in 30 minutes. However, the cost to buy and run these chargers runs into thousands of dollars, which means that they are not cost-effective for all operators.
So, if you were to imagine yourself as Goldilocks, a Level 1 EV charger would be too slow and ineffective for your needs, while Level 3 charging stations would be too expensive. Level 2 charging, meanwhile, is ‘just right’, packing in both charging efficiency and cost-effectiveness in one, complete package.
If you are interested in learning more about Level 2 EV charging stations that come with a host of unique capabilities like digital marketing opportunities, get in touch with us here.
