3 Common Questions About Electric Vehicle Charging
Are you ready to buy an electric vehicle (EV), but have questions about charging it? You'll likely have the following questions about charging stations before you move forward with having one installed at home.
What Are The Levels Of Charging?
One thing that you may not be aware of is that there are three different levels of charging for electric vehicles. These are commonly referred to as level 1, level 2, and fast charging.
The most basic charging is level 1, and anybody can do it by using a standard 120-volt electrical outlet. However, the speed of the charging is not very fast, and you likely will not recharge your vehicle completely overnight.
Level 2 charging uses 240 volts, and is much faster than level 1 charging. Expect to completely recharge your electric vehicle's battery overnight if you are able to install a level 2 charging station.
Fast-charging stations are the ones that you will see around town and they are the fastest way to charge your vehicle. However, the downside is that frequently using a fast-charging station can diminish the ability of the car's battery to hold a charge. That's why a level 2 home charging station is ideal.
Why Can't You Plug An Electric Vehicle Directly Into An Outlet?
Home charging stations are essentially a large box that plugs into a 120-volt or 240-volt outlet, and then you run a cord from that box to your vehicle. You may be wondering why not just plug the vehicle directly into the outlet. That's because the charging stations protect you and your vehicle. Your vehicle communicates with the charging station to only provide power once it is connected, which prevents arcs from turning off the high voltage.
How Do You Maximize The Range Of An Electric Vehicle With The Charging Station?
You may be used to driving a gas vehicle with an alternator, which powers all of the electronics in your vehicle when the engine is running. This isn't the case with an electric vehicle, which powers everything with the battery. One thing that you can do with your vehicle to maximize its range is to preheat or cool the vehicle while it is still connected to your home charging station. This can be done by scheduling it in advance or manually turning it on.
The reason that preheating and cooling the air in your vehicle is important is that those features use electricity, and it will reduce the total amount of miles that you can drive if they are running purely off the battery. With a level 2 charging station, you won't be draining the vehicle's battery as much at the start of the trip and can get some extra miles out of the battery.
Contact a local EV service to learn more about EV charging station installation.
