Electric vehicle (EV) driving is of course the biggest change currently being experienced in the motoring industry. And the biggest factor in people being reluctant to making the switch from the traditional internal combustion engine is being familiar with charging systems, technology and capabilities. This manifests itself in what is known as ‘range anxiety’ and being troubled by the idea of running out of charge for the EV, when we never used to run out of diesel or petrol, purely because we don’t know what types of chargers we can use and where they are located.
It is important for people and businesses to understand this before making the decision to transition to EVs, and this guide will explain the basics of what types of charger are commonly used, where they should be located and who they are most suitable for. EVSE stands for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, and while it includes all the equipment required to charge an EV, including the nozzle, charging cable and sockets etc, it really relates to the charger itself. You may have noticed that fuel has always been graded in terms of quality, but EV chargers are differentiated by a power output rating. The chargers you are likely to see in public or private use are known as Level 1, Level 2 and DC Fast Chargers.
Level 1 Chargers
A Level 1 charger is probably best known as a ‘slow charger’, but that doesn’t mean it is unpopular or doesn’t have its uses and advantages. A Level 1 charger uses a standard 2.4kW plug socket, such as what you would use in a domestic home to charge a phone or a laptop. The charger has a simple nozzle and charging cable and most EVs have a charging port called an SAE J1772 (widely known as a J-Plug) which is compatible with this type of charger. Tesla EVs have a unique and therefore different charging port but can use a J-Plug adaptor. Level 1 chargers can deliver between two and five miles of range per hour of charging, and therefore can take the best part of 24 hours to fully charge a battery. This means the Level 1 charger is ideally suited to home charging of EVs that aren’t used frequently or for long distances. But for this reason, Level 1 chargers are affordable, have no installation cost and don’t require special equipment or set-up.
Level 2 Chargers
These have a higher energy output than Level 1 chargers and hence are faster in delivering charge to a battery. Level 2 chargers can charge through a 240 volt supply and can deliver around 15-25 miles of range per hour, meaning a full charge can be achieved overnight. They use the same J-Plug charging port as Level 1 chargers, but are more sophisticated in that they are a dedicated installation which requires a qualified electrician, and they use ‘intelligent charging’ which can adjust power levels to suit your electricity tariffs and make charging more affordable. Level 2 chargers are more expensive than level 1 chargers for this reason, and while they are commonly found in domestic settings, will also be found in shared apartment blocks, leisure and retail settings and workplaces.
DC Fast Charging
Also known as ‘Level 3 charging’, DC fast chargers use 480 volt or 350 kW DC current and can charge an EV with 60-80 miles of range in 20 mins, with some capable of 20 miles per minute, meaning a full charge is possible in less than an hour. DC current charges much faster, but naturally these chargers are much more expensive to operate because you are drawing more current to achieve a faster charge. Also, DC fast chargers require specialised, high-powered charging equipment such as a combined charging system (CCS) plug or a CHAdeMO plug (commonly found with EVs from Japanese manufacturers). DC fast chargers can be found on public roadsides and service stations, but are most common in workplaces, due to their suitability for commercial and heavy duty EVs which are required for long distances and frequent driving. Fast charging is ideal for quick top-ups when a vehicle is a long distance from the workplace and can’t afford to stay off the road for long, for example.
Considerations when choosing your EVSE
What type of EV charger you need for your vehicle depends on the battery size of the EV and what type of driving you do. How often are you likely to find yourself with an empty battery with no charge? If you don’t often drive long distances, this is likely to be rare and hence a Level 2 charger may suffice. The three common types of charger listed above are mostly interchangeable, ie. most EVs can use any type, except there should be some caution exercised about using a DC fast charger on an EV with a smaller battery size (usually meaning a smaller car), or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. In this case, the 350-kW current supplied can be too much and could overwhelm the battery.
EVSE is required to be tested and commissioned upon installation and periodically afterwards for maintenance purposes. Test Instrument Solutions supplies a large range of EVSE testing equipment, including the TIS-MFTPRO-EV, the award-winning MFT-Pro multi-function tester with EVSE testing capability.
Please note that this section is for information purposes only. Anyone using equipment referred to in this section must be suitably qualified and/or experienced within the respective field. If in doubt before use, please consult a qualified electrician or engineer & thoroughly read all instruction booklets.