In my first article I wrote about range, the estimated distance an electric vehicle can travel on a full charge. Of course, you can’t move past the question of range without thinking about charging, and that’s where consumers have one of their biggest concerns.
The model for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is well refined. Gas stations are ubiquitous and it only takes a few minutes to fill the tank. If we apply those same two attributes – where and how fast? – we can see that charging is a problem yet to be completely solved. While public infrastructure has a long way to improve, there are conditions an EV owner can set for themselves to make it convenient, if not easier than owning a gas-powered vehicle.
So let’s come back to the two key questions: where, and how fast? I’m going to break this topic into two parts, where the answer to the first question is either at home or on the road.
Charging at Home
According to the Department of Energy, 80% of charging occurs at home. If you’re fortunate to own your home or live at a property where you have the freedom to charge, there are two options – Level 1, via a standard 120V power outlet, like you might run a toaster from, or Level 2, either hardwired or plugged into a higher-powered 240V outlet, the kind that would you would plug an electric clothes dryer or oven into.
Level 1 charging is perfect for a light user. At a rate of 2-5 miles of range per hour, you could add 24-60 miles of range overnight. Someone who works in a hybrid situation or commutes 10-15 miles to work can come home, plug in and have plenty of charge for the next day, especially if they’re maintaining it above 50%. My brother does this with his Tesla Model 3. Most EVs come with a Level 1 charging unit you can store in your trunk or frunk. (Yes, it’s really called a frunk, a portmanteau of front/trunk.)
Level 2 charging requires a bit more work and investment. Home EV chargers generally range in price from $200 to $600, with a variety of features I’ll write more about later. But it’s not the cost of the unit as much as having it wired by an licensed electrician. Level 2 chargers need to run on a 240V circuit and few homes have one pre-positioned in an accessible location within the garage or the side of the home. The cost to have one installed could be $1,000 to many thousands of dollars depending on the electrical service you have in your home (old or new), the distance from the electrical panel to the charging location, and complexity of the job. Electricians aren’t cheap! They’re rightfully paid to do clean and safe work, so consider this when planning your EV purchase. The reward for your investment is charging speeds far greater than Level 1 – 14 to 35 miles of range per hour, depending on the circuit, your EV, and charger.
There are a number of excellent Level 2 chargers available on the market. Be sure to check with your local utility for rebates. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, many run programs that subsidize the cost of the charger and installation. (Take note of what kind of charge connector your EV has before purchasing a charger. The two common options are NACS from Tesla and CCS. Most EV manufacturers are in the process of adopting NACS, if they haven’t already.)
So which level of charging is right for you? It comes back to the same questions I posed in my article about range. Is this a primary or secondary vehicle? And what is your weekly routine? For someone with a light commute and only a few after-school activities, Level 1 might be sufficient. But if your EV is a primary vehicle or you log a lot of weekly mileage, it may be worth the investment in a Level 2 charger.
Some other things to consider:
- Is there charging at your workplace?
- Is there a charging station near your home where you can occasionally top off?
In my next article, I’ll write about charging away from home – the problem of charging when you’re taking a trip or don’t have access to charging where you live.
The Road to Electric Vehicle Adoption 
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