Electric cars (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles are relatively new on the market and the fact that they use electricity to propel themselves means a new infrastructure has been put into place, one which few are familiar with. This is why we have created this useful guide to explain and clarify the different charging solutions used to charge an electric car.
In this EV charging guide, you’ll learn more about the 3 places where it’s possible to charge, the 3 different levels of charging available in North America, fast charging with superchargers, charging times, and connectors. You’ll also discover an essential tool for public charging, and useful links to answer all of your questions.
Before we get into those concepts, it is good to know the various terms used for charging stations. They usually all refer to the same thing.
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ShareTweetCharging an electric car or plug-in hybrid is mainly done at home.Home charging accounts actually for 80% of all charging done by EV drivers. This is why it’s important to understand the solutions available, along with the pros of each.
There are two types of home charging: level 1 charging and level 2 charging.
For every electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid, the use of a level 2 home charging station is recommended to help you charge faster and enjoy your EV’s full potential. Provincial and municipal incentives are available in some regions to help with purchase and installation costs. You can also check the following websites for more information.
To enjoy all the benefits of charging at home, you need to use a level 2 home charger.
A level 2 charger allows you to charge your electric car 5 to 7 times faster for a full-electric car or up to 3 times faster for a plug-in hybrid compared to a level 1 charger. This means you’ll be able to maximize the use of your EV and reduce stops to charge at public charging stations.
It takes around four hours to fully charge a 30-kWh battery car (standard battery for an electric car), which allows you to make the most out of driving your EV, especially when you have a limited time to charge.
Home charging is normally done on evenings and at night. Just connect your charger to your electric car when you come home from work, and you’ll be sure to have a fully charged battery the next morning. Most of the time, an EV’s range is enough for all your daily travel, meaning you won’t have to stop at public chargers for charging. At home, your electric car charges while you eat, play with the kids, watch TV, and sleep!
Another advantage of home charging is the low cost of residential electricity compared to the cost of public charging stations and the cost of gas.
Public charging allows EV drivers to charge their electric cars on the road when they need to travel longer distances than allowed by their EV’s autonomy. These public chargers are often located near restaurants, shopping centers, parking spots, and such public spaces.
To locate them easily, we suggest you use ChargeHub’s charging stations map that is available on iOS, Android, and web browsers. The map lets you easily find every public charger in North America. You can also see most chargers’ status in real time, make itineraries, and more. We’ll be using our map in this guide to explain how the public charging works.
There are three main things to know about public charging: the 3 different levels of charging, the difference between connectors and the charging networks.
Charging Levels
Charging Station Connectors
Charging Station Networks
There are 3 standard charging levels used to charge electric cars. All electric cars can be charged with level 1 and level 2 stations. These types of chargers offer the same charging power as the ones you can install at home. Level 3 chargers - also called DCFC or fast charging stations - are much more powerful than level 1 and 2 stations, meaning you can charge an EV much faster with them. that being said, some vehicles cannot charge at level 3 chargers. Knowing your vehicle’s capabilities is therefore very important.
Level 1 is the standard wall outlet of 120 volts. It is the slowest charge level and requires tens of hours to fully charge a 100% electric vehicle and several hours for a plug-in hybrid.
Level 2 is the typical EV plug found in homes and garages. Most public charging stations are level 2. RV plugs (14-50) are also considered level 2 chargers.
Lastly, some public stations are level 3 chargers, also known as DCFC or DC Fast Chargers. These charging stations are the quickest way to charge a vehicle. Note that not every EV can charge at level 3 chargers.
First of all, we recommend you avoid level 1 charging stations. They are too slow and are not adapted to EV drivers’ needs when they’re traveling. If you want to charge in the fastest way possible, you should use a level 3 charger, as these charging stations will provide a lot of range to your EV in a short amount of time. However, charging at a DCFC station is only effective if your battery’s state-of-charge (SOC) is below 80%. After that point, charging will slow down significantly. Therefore, once you reach 80% of charging, you should plug your car into a level 2 charger, since the last 20% of charging are as fast with a level 2 station than a level 3, but it is way cheaper. You can also continue your journey and charge your EV back to 80% at the next level 3 charger you meet on the road. If time is not a constraint and you’re planning to stop several hours at a charger, you should opt for a level 2 which is slower but less expensive.
The most common connector is the SAE J1772 EV plug. All electric cars in Canada and in the US can charge using this plug, even Tesla cars as they come with an adapter. The J1772 connector is only available for level 1 and 2 charging.
For fast charging, the CHAdeMO and SAE Combo (also called CCS for “Combo Charging System”) are the most used connectors by electric cars manufacturers.
These two connectors are not interchangeable, meaning a car with a CHAdeMO port cannot charge using an SAE Combo plug and vice versa. It’s kind of like a gas vehicle that can’t fill up at a diesel pump.
The third important connector is the one used by Teslas. That connector is used on level 2 and level 3 Supercharger Tesla charging stations and are only compatible with Tesla cars.
Connector types
Connector: Port J1772
Level: 2
Compatibility: 100% of electric cars
Tesla: With adapter
Connector: CHAdeMO
Level: 3
Compatibility: Check specifications of your EV
Tesla: With adapter
Connector: SAE Combo CCS
Level: 3
Compatibility: Check specifications of your EV
Tesla: No
Connector: Tesla HPWC
Level: 2
Compatibility: Only Tesla
Tesla: Yes
Connector: Tesla supercharger
Level: 3
Compatibility: Only Tesla
Tesla: Yes
Wall Plugs
Wall Plug: Nema 515, Nema 520
Level: 1
Compatibility: 100% of electric cars, Charger is required
Connector: Nema 1450 (RV plug)
Level: 2
Compatibility: 100% of electric cars, Charger is required
Connector: Nema 6-50
Level: 2
Compatibility: 100% of electric cars, Charger is required
Before driving to a charging station, it is important to know if your vehicle is compatible with the connectors available. This is especially important for non-Tesla DCFC stations. Some may have just a CHAdeMO connector, others just an SAE Combo CCS connector, and others will have both. Also, some vehicles, like the Chevrolet Volt - a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, is not compatible for Level 3 stations. Make sure you know your vehicle compatibilities before planning a trip. With our charging map, you will be able to apply the right filters to only show chargers compatible with your electric car.
To be able to properly use public chargers, you’ll have to learn which charging networks are available in your area. There are many different public charger operators across Canada and the United States. Most of them are specific to certain areas, but there can be several of them in the same area. There are two categories of station network operators:
To use a networked charger, also known as smart public charging stations or connected stations, you must subscribe to the network. In most cases, registration is free and fees only apply when you use their chargers, although some of them can be used free of charge. You’ll need the RFID card or the mobile app of the network to activate and use the charger.
ChargePoint
Membership Required
USA + Canada
Blink (CarCharging)
Membership Required
USA + Canada
SemaConnect / SemaCharge
Membership Required
Activate and pay directly from the ChargeHub app
USA + Canada
EVgo
Membership Required
USA
Electrify America / Electrify Canada
Membership Required
USA + Canada
Webasto (Formerly Aerovironment)
Membership Required
USA
Shell Recharge
Membership Required
USA + Canada
FLO
Membership Required
Canada
ZEF Energy
Membership Required
USA
OP Connect
Membership Required
USA
GE WattStation
Membership Required
USA + Canada
Circuit Électrique
Membership Required
Quebec, Ontario
myEVroute
Membership Required
Ontario
Tesla (Superchargers & Destination)
Membership not required, but limited to Tesla vehicles
USA + Canada
EVduty
Some EVduty chargers require membership while others do not
Canada
eCharge
Membership Required
New Brunswick
Sun Country Highway
No Membership Required
USA + Canada
Volta
No Membership Required
USA
Astria
Membership Required
USA + Canada
Independent public chargers are installed by local businesses or by individuals who want to make charging available on their property. It’s not necessary to be a member of a network to use those chargers. Some conditions may apply to some of them.
Workplace charging works very similarly to home charging. It is offered by an employer to their employees. The employees therefore have access to parking spaces with level 2 or level 1 charging stations during the day. Depending on your habits, charging at work could provide enough power for all of your travels.
When combined with home charging, workplace charging can double your daily electric range. This is particularly interesting for plug-in hybrids, as you can use the electric motor for longer distances and therefore save money on fuel.
Level 2 charging allows you to charge faster, which is particularly interesting for part-time employees or for workplaces where employees are not in for the entire day.
The electricity costs of workplaces charging are often taken on by the employer, which means employees can charge at work for free. In other cases, the employer charges fees to use the charger, but the cost is usually lower than charging at a public charger.
In order to encourage employers to install charging stations for their employees, many governments have put in place programs that reduce purchasing and installation costs, as well as different advantages for the employer. However, many employers are unaware of the existence of these programs, and it falls on the shoulders of interested employees to talk to them about it.
Now that you are more familiar with all types of charging for an electric car or plug-in hybrid, we suggest you read our guide on how to choose your level 2 home charger. Since 80% of your charging will be done at home, it’s really important to choose a charging station that answers your needs.
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ShareTweetBuying a private charging station is a relatively high investment and your decision must therefore be carefully considered. First of all, it will be important to realize who the charging station is for and where it will be located. You will place different requirements on the company's charging station than on the home one. Based on this, it is then necessary to consider what performance you need, choose smart features and payment system and last but not least the type of connector and cable connection.
Charging stationEVECUBE. Author: EVEXPERT
First a little quick theory - two chargers are important for electric cars:
On-board chargers are built into the car's interior. Charging stations (EVSE), on the other hand, are external. Charging stations are the source of electricity, which is then sent to the on-board charger. In the case of AC charging, the on-board charger takes care of converting alternating current to direct current and then sends it to the battery. How AC and DC charging works is explained here.
Because current must pass through the on-board charger, its performance is important. EVSE charging stations cannot supply the car with more energy than can pass through the on-board charger. So the minimum required power of the home charging station is therefore the same as the power of the on-board charger.
On-board charger. Author: Toyota Motor Europe (Licence CC BY-ND 2.0)
At the same time, however, it is important to realize that technology is still moving forward. A quality home charging station has a long service life and is therefore likely to serve several cars during its life. So it is advisable to consider choosing the charging station with the highest performance.
If the charging station is to be used in companies, it is necessary to choose according to the car that has the most powerful on-board charger and at the same time it is necessary to consider that clients might come to visit. A charging station with the highest possible performance is then almost a necessity.
You can read about how on-board chargers work and how they affect charging here.
Of course, the electric car can be charged directly from the socket using a portable charger. An external charging station is not absolutely necessary, but in addition to simply ensuring the safety of the vehicle and crew, they have many other clever functions. It's up to you to choose the ones you need.
Portable charger EVELINE MAX II. Author: EVEXPERT
For companies with more employees, it is definitely appropriate for the charging station to have an RFID system that will allow employees, clients or friends of the company to connect to the station and start charging. At the same time, in the case of owning more charging stations and charging more cars, it is good to choose stations that will be able to communicate with each other and provide so-called "load balancing", which means that the stations charge with full power until the capacity of the electricity connection is reached and the power is distributed "fairly" among all vehicles.
It is also advantageous for households to be able to connect the charging station to the house and make it adapt to the house energy requirements. During full operation, smart charging stations use only "free" current and they start charging more when the capacity is released. Or, conversely, it will reduce charging if the need of the house increases. Alternatively, the home charging station can be programmed to charge only during the night tariff, when electricity is the cheapest.
The last variable to consider is the type of cable and connector. There are two options, either a station with an integrated cable or a station that only has a socket, to which everyone then connects their cable that they carry in the car.
As with the development of any new technology, there are several types of connectors for electric cars. In Europe, it is currently possible to find Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is currently in decline and new cars with this connector are no longer manufactured in Europe (on the contrary, in the United States, it is the dominant type of connector). In Europe most cars already have a Type 2 connector and all new cars are equipped with it.
Connector type 1 and type 2. Author: EVEXPERT
So if there are different cars coming to the station, or if you have a car with a Type 1 connector, you could consider choosing a station only with a socket, which will make its use more versatile. If it is a home station where you are the only one who charges there, and if you already have a Type 2 connector, and so your future car will have the same connector, then the station with integrated cable is much more convenient, as there is no need to always unpack the portable charging cable.
The point is that stations with an integrated cable are more comfortable, because you only need to connect the cable and then just hang it on the station again, which can be very welcome, especially in adverse weather conditions, but at the same time stations without an integrated cable are a more universal option. You can learn more about what connectors exist and what their history was here.
Charging station EVECUBE. Author: EVEXPERT
Choosing a home charging station is a responsible decision where many variables need to be considered in addition to the price. The most important of these are the power output, which should be at least as good as the power of the on-board charger and ideally higher, so that it will be sufficient in the future.
Then you need to consider if you need a charging station with a smart system that can communicate with other stations or with the household, and for a company a payment system might come in handy. And the last decision is between the need for the charging station to be universal or enjoying more comfort and buying a station with an already integrated cable.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Ac and Dc Charger, Car Charging Stations.