EV Charging Work
If you’re an electric car owner, it may be time to start getting familiar with how EV charging stations work. These public stations can be found everywhere from shopping mall parking lots to workplace garages, and they can help you keep your battery charged while you run errands or go on road trips. And the good news is that unlike gas-powered cars, EVs are safer to drive when they run out of juice.
The average EV driver saves thousands of dollars over the life of their vehicle, spares their community toxic tailpipe emissions and helps us shift away from climate-destroying fossil fuels. But there are a few key things to know before you start using Ev Charging Stations in your everyday life.
There are different types of EV chargers, including level 1, level 2 and DC fast chargers. Level 1 chargers plug into a regular 120-volt outlet (the kind you’d use for a hair dryer). This type of charge is slow and can take between 40 and 50 hours to fully recharge an empty EV battery. Level 2 chargers, which are more common in homes and public spaces, are about 15 times faster than level 1. They require a dedicated 240-volt outlet that must be installed by an electrician.
And then there are DC fast chargers, which can top up an EV’s battery in as little as 20 minutes. They’re the fastest EV charging option, and they can be found at many public EV charging stations. They’re able to deliver up to 350kW of power, which is enough to get most EVs from point A to point B with plenty of range left over.
How Does EV Charging Work?
Depending on where you live, public EV charging can be free or relatively inexpensive. In some cities, employers offer employees free workplace charging, and retailers let you park and charge up while you shop. Some EV charging networks, like EVgo and Electrify America, also offer monthly memberships that include access to discounted rates for recharging your EV. The cost of charging can vary by location and type of EV charger, but the typical electricity price per kilowatt-hour is around $3.
If you’re traveling and don’t have a home charger or public EV charging station available, you can also find a number of apps to help you locate and use EV charging stations in the area. One such app is Bonnet, which connects to over 17 of Europe’s top EV charging networks so that you can pay at all of them with a single account and payment method.
Choosing to use an EV charging station over the course of your lifetime can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 40%. And thanks to record federal investments and partnerships with private companies, it’s easier than ever to find convenient, reliable EV charging ports across the country. So go ahead and start looking for that next public EV charger—just make sure to keep these important tips in mind.
