The world of Electric Vehicles is getting bigger and better with each passing day. But the EV market still new compared to the traditional car market. Therefore, one of the biggest area of interests for existing electric vehicle owners or first time EV owners is knowing the fundamental concepts of EV. EV charging being the crucial one.
With this article we will be learning in detail about Electric Vehicle charging. Starting from what it is, how it works, and the different types of EV chargers available.
What Is EV Charging?
EV charging is the process of replenishing your electric vehicle’s battery, similar to how you charge a smartphone. When the battery runs low, it’s time to plug in and recharge.
It is after this process only; you are able to take your EV out for ride again. At a high level there are two main components of an EC charging process – EV Charger and EV battery.
Let’s start with and EV charger, which is a crucial component of your EV charging process.
What is an EV charger?
The EV charger is the device that draws-in electric current from the power outlet of your home or public charging station and passes it to the EV for charging the battery. The main work of charger is to control the flow of electricity, adapting it to your vehicle’s requirements.
The current provided by the charger is given to the EVs battery which stores it for use. This process of battery taking in the electric charge and storing for use is called charging. When you repeat this same process, it is called Recharging. After this, your EV is ready to hit the road again with a full charge.
The working of EV charger can vary according to its type.
Types of EV charging and EV chargers
At its core, both the EV chargers and the process of EV charging can be categorized into three primary types based on the speed of charging they offer—Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 (DC fast charge). Each level corresponds to a different charging capacity and is suited for different use case.
Level 1 EV Chargers (AC type)
The Level 1 chargers are the most basic EV chargers. They usually come along with your EV purchase. They offer slow charging speeds but are relatively budget friendly.
The usage of Level 1 EV charger does require not additional installation. These chargers plug into any standard 120V outlet. They directly output AC power to the vehicle.
The maximum power output from Level 1 chargers is around 2.3 kW making them slowest charging option. They around 9 to 24 hours to fully charge your electric vehicle. They are ideal only for overnight charging.
The price of Level 1 charger can range between $300 to around $700.
Level 2 EV Chargers (AC type)
If you need something faster. The answer is Level 2 chargers. They provide a faster charging solution and can charge your EV in about 4 to 8 hours.
Level 2 chargers require a 240-volt outlet, so you may need to update your homes power outlet for 240V power. For this you may need to contact electrician.
The AC power output from Level 2 chargers can range from between 3.4 kW – 22 kW. Level 2 chargers can cost ranging from $500 to over $1,800+.
While they are more expensive option than Level 1 chargers, they are a better investment for regular use. They have faster charging speeds and also much safer than Level 1 type.
Level 3 EV Chargers (DC type)
Level 3 chargers are the fastest type of EV chargers available. They are also known as DC fast chargers, because they output DC power to the EV. Level 3 options are the quickest way to charge your EV, capable of charging up to 80% in just 30 minutes.
The level 3 charging station can output 50 kW to 400 kW of DC power. They are rare in-home installations and more commonly found in public charging stations due to their high cost and infrastructure requirements.
| Feature | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 (DC Fast) |
| Type | AC (Level 1 Charging) | AC (Level 2 Charging) | DC (Level 3 Charging) |
| Charging Time | 9 to 24 hours | 4 to 8 hours | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Output Power (Approx) | 2.3 kW | 3.4 kW – 22 kW | 50 kW – 400 kW |
| Use Case | Overnight charging | Daily home use | Commercial/public use |
| Cost | Included with EV| $300 to $750 | $600 to $1,800+ | $20,000 to $50,000+ |
Difference between AC type (Level 1 and 2) and DC type (Level 3) chargers
Now you must be wondering why Level 3 chargers are much faster than other Level 1 and Level 2 EV charger.
There are two reasons –
- more output power and better efficiency due to DC power output compared to AC power output by Level 1/Level 2 charger.
The first point is mostly easy to understand, more power means faster charging. To understand second point we need to under AC and DC power.
AC vs DC
AC and DC both are types of currents. In AC – the current flows in alternating way, therefore it is called Alternating current (AC) while in DC the current flows in straight line, hence it is called Direct Current (DC).
Diagram comparing AC and DC
Our home outlets are powered by AC power. On the other hand, the electronics like mobile phones, laptops and even your EV are DC powered. It is because the battery inside the electronic devices stores energy in DC power.
When you use Level 1/Level 2 EV chargers – the chargers output AC, the AC is then converted to DC power by built-in converter in your EV.
But, in case of Level 3 EV charger – The charger itself converts the AC to DC power and directly outputs DC power to EV. Now, the DC power from Level 3 chargers bypasses built-in converter and directly feeds the batter.
The built-in AC to DC converter in EV is not that powerful due to size constraints. Therefore, Level 3 charger DC output is better and more efficient in charging the battery of EV.
Now, we know about all the components involved in EV charging process. Let’s understand how actually EV charging works?
How Does EV charging Work?
When the charger is plugged into the EV, the charger takes in the electricity from the home outlet/public charging outlet and passes it to the EV. The charger supplies the electricity according to the requirements of the EV.
If the charger is Level 1/ Level 2 – it directly passes the AC power to the EV where it gets converted to DC by inbuilt converter which then charges the battery.
If the charger is Level 3 it converts incoming AC electricity to DC power which then directly passes to EVs battery.
This whole process is carefully managed by the vehicle’s battery management system (BMS), which ensures that the battery of the EV is charged efficiently and safely.
This process is again similar to that of Smartphone charging, but on a much larger scale. The process of EV charging is a great example of electrical and mechanical engineering working in harmony.
Different Plug Types
A crucial aspect of EV charging is the plug type. Not all chargers are compatible with every vehicle. The charging plugs are mainly categorised based on current type – AC or DC
- AC Type
- JI772 connector – For Level 1 and Level 2 EV chargers
- JI772 Type 1 – Japan and North America
- JI772 Type 2 – Europe and the rest of the world
- JI772 Type 1
- JI772 connector – For Level 1 and Level 2 EV chargers
- DC Fast charge type
- CCS (Combined Charging system)
- CCS1 – North America
- CCS2 – Europe
- ChAdeMO – Japan | In US by Nissan and Mitsubishi
- Tesla connector – Tesla EVs
- CCS (Combined Charging system)
- NACS (North American Charging Standard) – Supports both AC and DC
Starting with AC type Level 1 and Level 2 chargers, the most commons and widely available plug type is the J1772 connector. It is compatible with most EVs.
For Level 3 DC fast charging, the landscape has more options, with Tesla’s proprietary connector, CCS (Combined Charging System), the CHAdeMO. Each offers different levels of compatibility and charging speed.
NACS is the future in US
Recently, Tesla opened up its charging plug design for other manufacturers to adopt, now called the North American Charging Standard (NACS). NACS combines both AC and DC charging in one connector. NACS became available to all EV car makers in 2022 and is now being adopted by many non-Tesla EV manufacturers.
Going forward, NACS will be the dominant plug type in US, but CCS and other standard plug will also be supported during this transition phase.
Factors that can affect the Charging speeds of your EV
There are several factors that can affect the charging speeds of your EV.
Size of EV battery – the bigger the battery of your EV, more time it will take to charge your EV. The battery capacity is measured in kWh (Killo Watt Hour). for e.g., Tesla Cybertruck with 123 kWh battery will take more time to charge than Model 3 with its 57.5 kWh
Charging capacity of EV – The maximum power an EV can accept is different for different versions and models. The electric power is measured in kW. For e.g., if two EVs have similar-sized batteries and are charging side by side. The EV which can accept 250 kW will charge faster than EV which can only accept 50 kW.
Charging output of Charger/Charging station – again if the output of charger is less then EV will also charge slower. On the other hand, if you charge at Supercharging station, they have high power output which will charge your EV faster.
Current charge available in your EV – if your EV already has 50% charge available, it will take less time to charge to 80% compared to charging from 0 to 80%.
Weather condition – weather is also one of the factors that can affect your charging time. Your EV will charge slower in extreme weather – too hot or too cold. Optimum temperature to charge your EV is approx 20–25°C (68-77°F).
Tips for optimum EV charging
While the technicalities of EV charging are important. Here are some practical tips for optimum EV charging.
- Do not charge under extreme temperature condition – Like avoid extreme heat and cold conditions e.g. Prefer shade instead of direct sunlight areas to charge your EV.
- Always use certified and quality charger and charging cable
- Try to keep your battery charge between 20% to 80% – i.e., charge to max 80% and don’t let it fall between 20%.
- Don’t charge your EV daily or very frequently
- Use your EV frequently, EV parked for too long can damage components like battery etc
- Keep yourself- updated with EV industry news and know more about your EV
Conclusion
EV charging is one of the fundamental concepts of Electric vehicle. From Level 1 charger to the Level 3 rapid DC fast chargers, the world of EV charging is vast and evolving. By knowing about the types and processes of EV charging, you are now better equipped to make better decisions about your electric vehicle. Afterall we can only make best use of things we truly know about.
Also, if you want to know about cost of installing EV chargers at home check out our article here.
