Electric cars have increased insanely in the last ten years. One in every 250 cars now are electric. We wanted to take a few minutes to inform you guys on EV chargers and some of the benefits of electric cars.
What Even is an EV Charger?
An EV Charger is simply an Electric Vehicle charger. Your typical EV charger is 240 volts, but we will get more into that later on. The charger pulls power from a dedicated circuit in your electrical panel. You will not be able to set up an EV charger from an outlet, or any other power source. There are 3 different types of EV chargers:
Level 1:
Level 1 EV Chargers are what you will see called AC chargers. AC stands for alternating current, which means the flow of electrons switches back and forth in regular intervals and cycles. Level 1 chargers are 120 volts, which requires a dedicated circuit. They deliver 1.2 kW to your vehicle. This is about 5 miles of driving time for every hour charged. This often results in lower electricity costs, less maintenance, and higher efficiency, but this isn't ideal for most EV drivers.
Level 1 EV chargers are typically supplied to the car owner by the dealership.
Level 2:
Level 2 EV chargers are the most common chargers used. Although they still have alternating current, the voltage is 240 as opposed to 120. These require a 40 amp circuit in your panel. A Level 2 charger ranges from 6.2 to 19.2 kW, with most chargers around 7.6 kW. With this type of charger, you will get 10-20 miles for every hour of charging time. Upgrading to a level 2 EV charger is what the majority of EV owners do, as the charging times are faster and it increases your home's value.
Level 3:
Level 3 EV chargers are much more powerful than the two previous ones. Also called DCFCs (direct current fast charging), you will not be seeing these in your home. Since DCFCs need electricity in its original form instead of its modified version, there are much higher voltage and power requirements. In addition, level 3 chargers aren't compatible with all electric vehicles.
The price for one of these chargers ranges from $15-50,000. For every hour of charging, you can drive 40 miles. You can find these along highways, for utility, and government mandated areas.
