Charging your Electric Vehicle, or EV, at home
is easy and convenient, but what do all the terms mean?
And how much does it cost?
Hey, I'm Lauren McCay from Edmunds, where we are
known as the car testing pros.
We've teamed up with the experts at CarMax
to help you find the right vehicle for your needs.
If you're considering buying an EV,
it's important to start thinking about your house setup.
Now, ideally, they are best suited
for a home where there's access consistently to charging.
So if you're a homeowner already,
the only thing holding you back is some costs and equipment,
and I'll get into that in a bit.
But if you don't have consistent access
to a plug, a renter, or an HOA, it
might be hard to get permission to install a charging system.
There are public charging networks,
but if they aren't readily available in your area,
you might want to reconsider an EV.
I mean, if you can't charge, you can't drive.
You can learn more about charging in general
in our other video that covers that topic,
but right now I'm focusing on charging at home.
OK, the first thing we need to clear up here
is that when I say "charger," I'm not meaning this plug.
A charger is actually a system built into the car.
That said, this box with colored lights
and a connector plug that you install
is called the Electric Vehicle Supply
Equipment, or EVSE for short.
It's a lot more than a plug.
It communicates with your car to keep the car's batteries
from overheating and has an important safety device,
shutting down the charger if there's
an electrical short, power surge,
or any other malfunction.
Now, let's look at this connection plug.
Depending on your EV, it's going to need to be
one of three different styles--
J1772, CHAdeMo, or Tesla.
Now let's look at this plug, which has
become universal for most EVs.
There's also this plug, which is only used in the Nissan Leaf
and Mitsubishi Outlander Plug In Hybrid,
and quickly falling out of favor in the US.
Then there's Tesla, which does things their own way
and has their own connector.
But like a USB-C, you can use an adapter
to charge a Tesla with the other two connections.
You just have to use the right type to match up.
Home-based charging comes in two distinct levels of power--
Level 1 and Level 2 charging equipment.
Level 1 delivers a standard household outlet current.
It is a very slow way of charging vehicle batteries.
And a Level 2 powers up at 220 to 240
volts at a higher current--
the same sort of power used for major appliances
like a clothes dryer.
It's the fastest way to charge your EV at home.
All right, let me break down the two levels a bit
more, starting with Level 1.
Level 1 charging cords come in almost every EV
as standard equipment.
It has to be plugged in directly,
and listen-- never use any sort of extension cord or power
strip with the Level 1 charging cord,
because it's a fire hazard.
Level 1 EV charging is crazy convenient, though.
It's a portable set and can plug into any standard wall outlet.
So you can charge anywhere there's a household outlet.
Pretty nice, right?
The catch, though, is that Level 1 charging is slow--
basically three to five miles of driving
range for every hour of charge time.
The good news-- most people in the US
have a daily commute of under 30 miles.
So even if your EV has an EPA range of around 100 miles,
using the Level 1 charging can still give you enough juice
for your work commute and leave you a little extra leftover
for that spur-of-the-moment trip.
OK, it should be noted that all charging can
be limited by the charge rate of your car, battery condition,
weather, and much more.
Yes, I said weather.
Cold climates reduce the efficiency of your battery,
reducing effective charge rate and thus your total range.
So if you drive over 30 miles per day, live in cold climates,
or if you just want more than what a Level 1 can provide,
we recommend moving up to Level 2 charging.
OK, I'm going to help you out a little bit.
Think of Level 1 charging like a garden hose,
and Level 2 charging more like a fire hose.
Level 2 charging is much faster than Level 1
because it's done at a higher voltage and a higher amperage.
Get this-- a Level 2 charger adds 10 to 20 miles of range
per hour of charging, so it's a big advantage
over the three to five miles you get with a Level 1 system.
Fire hose, garden hose.
Just to make things even more fun,
there are two flavors in the mix for Level 2
charging equipment-- portable, and permanent or hardwired.
Neither come with the car, so keep in mind that the added
expense is there.
Portable models like this one just plug
in to a 240-volt wall socket, making it really convenient
if you have a spare one.
They're also less expensive than the hardwire.
And if you move, you can take it with you.
But there are some downsides.
First, it's recommended that you leave your EVSE unit plugged
in, because plugging it in and out can wear it out over time
and could be a fire hazard.
Some units have to be mounted on the wall
or be supported in some other way
so it's not just free-hanging from the outlet.
And last little buzzkill, these portable units
are usually limited to indoor use,
since they aren't as well protected from the elements.
Now, the permanent or hardwired units
are generally more expensive to install,
and can cost up to $1,500 or more.
Yes, they're permanent.
But typically they can carry more
current for faster charging, and are typically
designed for outdoor charging.
Certain rebates and other incentives
can be offered to install a Level 2 system as well, so
definitely check with your local government or utility provider.
OK, now I'm going to be the wise old auntie here and say--
I cannot stress enough--
you cannot go into this thinking you can install it yourself.
The potential risk of an electrical fire
is way too high.
It is highly recommended that you
consult with a qualified electrician about your Level 2
charging.
And let's just leave the install to the professionals, OK?
Especially for a hardwire system.
Some cities even require permits and inspections.
Now, how much will it cost you to charge up your car?
Well, all you have to do is check your utility rate,
multiply that times your battery capacity,
and you should get a rough estimate.
Some utility providers offer special time of day
charging discounts for plug-in vehicle owners,
so be sure to check with them.
So is it worth it to stick it out
with the cheap but slow Level 1, or step it up in cost
and get that Level 2 with all that speed?
Honestly, that's just something you're
going to have to figure out for yourself.
Look, no matter how you choose to charge up,
both Level 1 and Level 2 systems offer
advantages and disadvantages.
I hope the info we've given you today,
though, helps you figure out which system is right for you.
Thanks for watching, and be sure to like and subscribe.
If you've got any questions about charging or EVs,
be sure to drop us a line in the comments below,
and we'll see you next time.