The Fastest Charging Electric Vehicles In 2022
You want to go electric, but dread the thought of waiting around the charging station for 45 minutes to an hour. While most electric vehicle charging is done at home overnight , the occasional road trip necessitates visits to public fast charging stations. Also known as level 3 DC fast chargers, the amount of time spent charging here varies widely from one electric vehicle model to another.
These are the fastest charging electric vehicles on the market today. Plus, well take a sneak peek at a few EVs that are just around the corner.
*Note: Charge times are reflected as 10% to 80% because in all EVs, charging speeds slow significantly beyond 80% state of charge as the battery management system balances out the energy distribution at the top of the pack. In many cases, it may take the same amount of time to charge from 10% to 80% as it does to charge from 80% to 100%.
How Fast Are Tesla Superchargers
There are more than 25,000Tesla Superchargers in the world. Tesla says its fast-charging network is the largest in the world.
Tesla Superchargers can charge a Tesla battery in about 30 minutes. Tesla Superchargers cannot be installed in homes. The Tesla EV driver can only charge through a Supercharger in public settings, like shopping malls, retail businesses, or along roadways.
Tesla Superchargers exclusively charge Teslas.
How To Install A Car Charging Station At Home
The most convenient places to top off are where your electric vehicle will most likely be parked: home and work. Youll want a Level 2 charger at home, which requires 240-volt power reasonably close to the car.
Drivers who park in a private garage or even a driveway will likely have no issues. The 240-volt electricity is generally easy to add to a garage. The plug needed for a charger is the same as an electric clothes dryer.
A brief survey of electricians across the country found an average installation cost of around $250 for a 240-volt outlet. However, numerous factors can make this estimate more expensive. That said, many new homes get built with accommodation for electric cars.
From there, you will need to pick out a charger plan to spend between $400 and $700. The charger plugs into your new 240-volt outlet and features a cable that plugs into your car. Longer cables are available for most chargers for drivers who need the charger inside a garage but must park outside.
Drivers who park on the street or use apartment garages may need to come up with another solution. Municipalities generally frown upon a charging cable stretching across the sidewalk to a car, and installing your charger in a multistory garage is, of course, a no-go.
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Different Types Of Plugs And Chargers Based On Types Of Charging
EV charging can be categorized into three different levels. These levels represent the power outputs, therefore charging speed, accessible to charge an electric car. Each level has designated connector types that are designed for either low or high power use, and for managing AC or DC charging. Different levels of charging for your electric car reflect the speed and voltage at which you charge your vehicle. In short, it is the same standard plugs for Level 1 and Level 2 charging and will have applicable adapters, but individual plugs are needed for DC fast charging based on different brands.
Level 1 Charging
Level 1 chargers use a 120-volt AC plug and can be simply plugged into a standard electrical outlet. It can be done with a Level 1 EVSE cable which has a standard three-prong household plug on one end for the outlet and a standard J1722 connector for the vehicle. When hooked up to a 120V AC plug, charging rates cover between 1.4kW to 3kW and may take up anywhere from 8 to 12 hours depending on battery capacity and state.
Level 2 Charging
DC Fast Charging
As it is with every device that needs charging, your car batteries will decrease in efficiency with every charge. With proper care, car batteries can last for more than five years! However, if you use your car daily under average conditions, it would be good to replace it after three years. Beyond this point, most car batteries wont be as reliable and could lead to a number of safety issues.
Ev Charging Stations: A Great Business Opportunity
Charging stations for electric vehicles are a great business opportunity. Charging not only attracts customers to your store and generates revenue, but it also increases the amount of time and money spent in the store by customers waiting for their vehicles to charge, which in turn increases your retail revenue. Electric vehicles can be charged for a fee. The average cost of electricity in California is approximately 16.6 per kilowatt hour , which is a significant disparity. Charging a 40kWh battery with a 150 mile range at this price point would cost approximately 4.42 per mile . Having an EV charging station on your property is a great business opportunity.
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Confused By The Many Electric Car Charging Station Types And How They Work Read On For Info On Charging Speeds And Tethered Charging
The process of topping up an electric cars battery is totally different to the petrol station experience most of us are familiar with. Understanding the various connectors and charging speeds can seem overwhelming initially, but get it right and there are huge running cost savings to be had.
Unlike with petrol and diesel cars, you can fill up an electric car at home. Many electric vehicle drivers will benefit from having a home charger installed, allowing them to take advantage of cheaper off-peak electricity rates – and potentially cut out the need to ever have to fill up when away from home.
An overnight charge with a home charger typically means that a car is ready to go again in the morning with a full battery. And with a bit of planning, its possible to run a multi-EV household with just one home charging point.
You can always use an ordinary three-pin plug to charge, but this is the slowest option and dedicated home charging units cut charging times dramatically, making them a more practical option for most drivers. What’s more, many manufacturers recommend that you avoid charging with a regular domestic socket unless it’s absolutely necessary, because the prolonged usage can cause damage and be dangerous to your supply.
So, topping up an electric car can get confusing, which is why weve collated everything you need to know about charging an EV here.
Why Do Tesla Owners Tap The Tail Light With The Charger
In some of the videos Ive watched in Tiktok, Ive found that many owners of the electric car use the back light to charge their car. What is the reason they do that? One way to open the charging port door is by using that method. It is hidden behind a panel that appears to be part of the tail light.
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Let’s Start With Ac There Are Two Types Of Ac Plugs:
- Type 1 is a single-phase plug and is standard for EVs from America and Asia. It allows you to charge your car at a speed of up to 7.4 kW, depending on the charging power of your car and grid capability.
- Type 2 plugs are triple-phase plugs because they have three additional wires to let current run through. So naturally, they can charge your car faster. At home, the highest charging power rate is 22 kW, while public charging stations can have a charging power up to 43 kW, again depending on the charging power of your car and grid capability.
Common Terms You May Hear
CHAdeMO A popular EV fast charging standard for charging stations, compatible with many of the main manufacturers including Tesla, Nissan, BMW and Hyundai. Read more about this charging here.
CCS Another DC charging standard found in fast charging stations. Developed and used by many European EVs.
Wall box or wall charger a unit installed in the garage, carport or parking area of an EV that charges the EV safely from AC.
Type 1 plug An EV plug standard developed in North America. Read more about this here
Type 2 plug A European EV plug standard thats adopted by New Zealand as recommended. More information can be found here.
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Ev Charging Stations: Everything You Need To Know
Unlike a gasoline-fueled car, one major perk of an electric vehicle is that you can plug it in at home or use an EV charging station when youre on the go.
Plugging into an electrical outlet at home is one thing. But those EV charging stations popping up at the end of big suburban parking lots or in urban parking garages open up a world of questions.
Good news! We have answers and a reminder not to be afraid of what is admittedly a very different infrastructure for electric cars than what you are used to with gas cars.
Spoiler alert: Electric cars are a cinch to charge once you work out the basics.
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Short Charging Times By Means Of Power Electronics
For short charging times of less than 30 minutes, a charging power of 40 kW is required for a battery capacity of about 20 kWh. The on-board charging technique with AC/DC converters used for lower wattages and usually fed from the 230 V network is no longer economical on account of the power necessary for fast charging. Above a charging power of about 22 kW, DC fast charging points where the required DC voltage is generated off-board from the AC energy supply network are therefore favoured. Modern power semiconductor modules are imperative for such fast charging points.
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Charging An Electric Vehicle
Note: Powershop is not an electric vehicle manufacturer. We suggest consulting vehicle manufacturers directly for product-specific information.
Perhaps the biggest adjustment to make moving from a regular car to one that runs on electricity is how you keep it running. Rather than filling up with fuel, youll be charging your car either at a public charging station or through your own homes mains electricity.
On this page, you’ll learn things like:
- Typical costs associated with charging an EV
- Charging station infrastructure in New Zealand
- Different options for charging
Got an electric vehicle or about to buy one? Ask us about our EV charging rates.
Can I Get Reimbursed For Installing A Charger At Home Or At My Workplace
There may be federal, state, or utility incentives available for installing a level 2 charger. Visit DOEs Alternative Fuels Data Center to search for current incentives for chargers.
Ready to buy an EV charger? Installing an energy efficient, ENERGY STAR certified electric car charger adds to the environmental benefits and cost savings.
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Are Ev Charging Stations Free
Some public stations provide charging at no cost. But free EV charging stations are far less common than those requiring payment.
You may wonder just how much it will cost to charge an electric car at a public charging station.
Generally speaking, most charging stations will charge by the kilowatt-hour , the amount of energy transferred to the cars battery. Unless its a free charger, the fee for the session is more than what it would cost to plug your electric car in at home. Most households in the United States pay an average of nearly 14 cents per kWh. Its unlikely youll find many public chargers that offer to juice up your EV for less than that.
Fees at some public stations are priced per minute.
In many cases, individual station owners set charging prices. Just because theres a ChargePoint network logo on the charger doesnt mean prices are uniform. The charger at your local grocery store might not cost the same as the station in a nearby shopping center parking lot.
Some major retailers, such as Whole Foods, offer free chargers at many locations, though realistically, this perk is bound to expire at some point.
Additionally, most new car dealers offer free charging stations on-site, though their usefulness is dubious. For example, car dealership locations dont tend to be in the most convenient areas. Also, dealers will need to use them for their cars. After hours, many dealers close gates that will prevent drivers from reaching those stations, too.
How To Find An Electric Car Charging Station
Range anxiety – or the fear of running out of charge – has long been a concern for electric vehicle drivers, and while there have been huge improvements in the average range of EVs, finding a suitable public charging point can still be tricky.
Many mapping services – like Apple Maps and Google Maps – have started to incorporate these into their databases, as have in-car sat-navs to a certain extent. Dedicated EV mapping tools like Zap-Map , which present all the information around connectors and pricing within the same app, can be far more usable, though.
Google Maps, available on both Android and Apple operating systems, lets users find the nearest charging stations while showing how many charging points there are and their power ratings, but sadly doesnt show whether they are currently in use. Apple’s Maps app also has built-in charging point locations.
Zap-Map, meanwhile, is available on desktop and mobile and is packed with handy features, such as a route planner which suggests potential charging stations to use along your route. If you enter the make, model and real-world range of your electric car, it can also take that into account. There is also a Zap-Chat section which shows the comments of other motorists who have used the charging station you are looking at.
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How Does Ev Charging Work
An EV charger pulls electric current from the grid and delivers it to the electric vehicle through a connector or plug. An electric vehicle stores that electricity in a large battery pack to power its electric motor.
To recharge an EV, an EV chargers connector is plugged into the electric car inlet via a charging cable.
EV batteries can only accept direct current power.
Ev Charging Levels And All Types Of Chargers Explained
Charging can be categorized in multiple ways. The most common way to think about EV charging is in terms of charging levels. There are three levels of EV charging: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3and generally speaking, the higher the level, the higher the power output and the faster your new vehicle will charge.
Generally speaking, the higher the level, the higher the power output and the faster your new vehicle will charge.
However, charging times are always dependent on a combination between the type of battery and charging capacity of the car, and the power output of the charging station.
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Electric Car Home Charging
Home charging points are the most convenient way to charge your electric car if you have off-street parking. Not only can you top up overnight when electricity can be cheaper, but you can also rest assured that the charger will always be available when you arrive home – unless you regularly have charging battles with other people in your household.
Costs vary depending on the brand and type of charger you go for, but you can expect to pay around £1,000 or more for your own charging point. Most households are limited to a 7kW supply.
After the initial outlay of a residential charge point, you will be able to take advantage of cheaper electricity. Some suppliers offer costs as low as 7.5p/kWh, much lower than the UK average of around 34p/kWh, as of October 2022.
Bear in mind that many manufacturers often throw in free home chargers when buying a new electric car, so you may not have to pay extra to have your own charger. Remember, too, that you can always charge using an ordinary 2.3kW domestic plug, though you’ll have to be able to get the car close enough to the plug as using an extension lead to charge a car can be dangerous and some models will prevent you from charging if the car cable is not directly plugged into the mains.
What Is A Level 2 Charging Station
Next up on the EV charging station scale is the Level 2 charger. Level 2 units use 240-volt circuitsthe kind typically used for electric clothes dryers.
Some Level 2 charging stations are portable and use the special multi-pronged plug and associated outlet used for clothes dryers. Many homes have such a circuit and outlet in their laundry rooms. But, of course, it is inconvenient to unplug your dryer so you can plug in the charger for your electric car.
For that reason, the vast majority of people who install a Level 2 charging station in their home hire an electrician to run a 240-volt circuit to their garage. Once the power is accessible in the garage, consumers can have the charging station “hard-wired” into that circuit. Or they can plug a portable Level 2 charger into that special 240-volt socket in their garage while also enjoying the ability to take the charger on the road with them.
Indeed, hiring an electrician and changing the home’s electrical system can be a costly hassle. But the big advantage is much faster recharging rates that speed recharge times. A Level 2 charging station will often recharge an EV battery in a quarter of the time it would take with a Level 1 charging unit, making it the best charging station for people who buy a purely electric car.
You can recharge the battery for an EV with 200 miles of range in about 10 hours or less. Use a Level 2 charging station with a PHEV, and you can recharge in under four hours.
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