Electric vehicles (EVs) sales rose 43 percent globally in 2020 alone. The ever growing popularity of EVs has lead to the development of a variety of different makes and models, all with different charing requirements. There are three different levels of electric vehicle charging: level 1, level 2 and level 3. The higher the level, the faster the charging takes place. Keep reading to learn more about the three levels of electric vehicle charging.
3 different levels of electric vehicle charging
Different types of electric vehicles require different types of charging: different speeds and different amounts. Level 1 chargers are the slowest and deliver the least amount of power, while level 3 chargers are the fastest and deliver the most amount of power. The three different levels of electric vehicle charging are outlined below:
Level 1
Level 1 EV charging uses 120-volt power and can take 12-24 hours to charge an EV. These chargers use common household outlets and can charge any EV. They can be found in residential, commercial and public spaces and use alternating current (AC) to charge EVs. Level 1 charging is the slowest EV charging method, charging at 3-5 miles per hour. This level is best for plug-in hybrid EVs with batteries less than 25 kWh. Level 1 charging is not ideal for EVs that are driven daily.
Level 2
Level 2 EV charging uses 208-volt to 240-volt power and takes about two hours to recharge an EV. EVs that are driven daily commonly use this level. Level 2 chargers can be found in residential, commercial and public spaces and uses (AC) to charge EVs. Level 2 charging speed is 12-80 mph and will recharge an empty EV battery entirely overnight.
Level 3
Level 3 charging uses 400-volt to 900-volt power and can completely recharge an EV in under an hour. These chargers are located in public spaces and use direct current (DC) instead of AC like the first two charging levels. DC is a much higher voltage than the first two levels, which explains why it isn’t commonly used in commercial or residential applications. Level 3 charging charges EVs at a speed of 3-20 miles per minute; it is the fastest level of EV charging available. Level 3 chargers are called either DC fast chargers, Superchargers (Tesla) or CHAdeMO (Nissan).
Learn more
If you are interested in learning more about the three levels of electric vehicle charging, EV charging stations or EV legislation here are some additional resources:
- Forbes: What Are the Different Levels of Electric Vehicle Charging?
- EnergyLink: 3 Ways EV Charging Stations Can Benefit Your Organization
- EnergyLink: 3 Reasons Why You Should Pair Energy Storage With EV Chargers
- EnergyLink: How the New EV Infrastructure Program Will Affect Your State
If you are interested in installing any of the different types of electric vehicle charging stations click the button to get started.
