Electric Vehicle Home Charging – Do you start your car as soon as you get home from work at the end of the day? Raise your hand. (I just asked my husband to raise his hand.) Okay, we have to stop because it’s peak season – which means a higher electric bill.
More than a quarter – 28% – of EV drivers charge their cars as soon as they get home, rather than waiting for the cheapest time to connect. (This stat is outside the UK, but probably quite similar in other countries. Definitely up my alley.)
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Electric Vehicle Home Charging
Just 12% of UK EV drivers wait to charge until the point in the week when they predict energy prices and carbon emissions will be lowest, and just 3% plan to automatically charge when energy is cheapest. according to UK-based Consumer Electric Cars. and home energy rate comparison website Love My EV.
Electric Vehicle Home Charger Buyer’s Guide
But the ways to save money on home charging go beyond the limits. Check them out as they are easy to implement:
Charge your EV during off-peak hours. If you charge during peak hours, it costs more money. If you’re not sure when it is, look online. Check the website of your company or state utility company or utility commission, as this is the organization that regulates rates and services.
The Florida Public Service Commission website provided me with the information I needed. Off-peak hours, ie j. the best time to charge where I live is 10am to 6pm. in winter and from 22:00 to 11:00 in summer. (No need for air conditioning or heating during the day in the winter and little use of other electrical appliances at night in the summer. Electric bills are typically highest in Florida in the summer.)
On the other hand, the peak times, i.e. i. the worst times to charge are 6:00-10:00 and 18:00-22:00. in winter and from noon to 9:00 p.m. during the summer. (This is the electric heat consumption in the morning and evening and the whole enchilada in the summer of all appliances and air conditioning.)
Best Home Ev Chargers For 2023, Tested
If you live in the US, this will really vary depending on where you are or in another country, so be sure to check and make a note.
Avoid draining the battery below 20% and set it to stop charging at 80% unless you need range for a long trip, as the first and last parts of the battery take the longest to charge. This is also good for battery health and longevity.
If you live in a colder climate like Vermont, during the fall and winter, finish charging as close to leaving home in the morning as possible. Since charging heats up the battery, you’ll get more range with the same amount of power.
Cooler temperatures usually mean you’ll get more mileage on a charge. However, above 77 Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius), the range begins to decrease again. If it’s hot outside, try charging in the shade.
Ev Home Charging: What Are The Options?
In extreme heat or cold, keep the car running (but not necessarily charging) to keep the battery temperature controllers working.
If your car is at home during the day, investing in rooftop solar means you’ll be charging with the cleanest and cheapest energy. Prices have dropped significantly, so it’s worth getting a quote now, even if you’ve ruled out solar in the past. (Plus there’s the whole global warming thing.)
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Michelle Lewis is a writer, editor and editor at DroneDJ, 9to5Mac and 9to5Google. He lives in White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for Fast Company, The Guardian, News Deeply, Time and others. Send Michelle a message on Twitter or at [email protected]. Check out her personal blog. Looking for a home electric vehicle charger and don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, you are not alone. There are a number of EV home charging stations these days, and most people really don’t know what features to look for when looking for the best home charging solution.
How To Choose The Right Ev Charger For Your Home
Before we begin, we need to clarify some terms. Electric Vehicle Supply Facility or “EVSE” is actually the correct term for what many call “EV Chargers” or “EV Charging Stations”. The reason “charging station” is not the right term is that the actual charging equipment is built into the car and EVSE does provide a safe supply of electricity to the vehicle.
However, we’ve decided to use the term “charging station” or “charger” here because that’s how most people know the device. Even the companies that sell EVSEs refer to them as “chargers” or “charging stations” on their websites.
It is also important to note that this post is specific to the North American market. The electrical supply in Europe and most other parts of the world does not use 120 volts as standard household current like we do in North America. Thus, there is no “level 1 charging” in Europe. Also, in Europe the charging cable is often not connected to the level 2 charger, making the device very different from what is used in North America.
Let’s start by explaining the different levels of home AC charging, as well as the two different connectors that are used.
Ev Home Chargers In Salt Lake City
Every electric vehicle sold today comes standard with a 120-volt Level 1 portable charger (above). These chargers can be plugged into a regular household outlet and require no special installation. Some manufacturers, such as Tesla, ship with a level 1/2 plug 120/240-volt charger. These dual voltage chargers can be used with either a 120 volt outlet or a more powerful 240 volt outlet like the one you plug into an electric dryer.
However, most manufacturers only provide a basic 120-volt level 1 charger and offer for sale a higher-power device as an option 2. To charge their electric vehicle faster, many owners choose to install a 240-volt source of electricity and level 2 charging station.
Level 1 chargers will give a typical electric car 3 to 5 miles per hour of range.
Every other electric vehicle except Tesla uses the same level 1 and level 2 charging connector. So there is one plug for North America that everyone except Tesla uses, called SAE J1772, and another plug that everyone uses in Europe, called “Type 2”.
Chargepoint Home 25 Plug
We mention this not to confuse, but to make sure that any charging station you buy in your home market will charge your electric car; you don’t have to worry about buying the “wrong one”. Also, while Tesla vehicles use their own level 1/2 charging plug, they can use any other level 1 or 2 charging station because Tesla ships an adapter with each car. These adapters allow Tesla to use charging stations with an unprotected J1772 connector.
Level 1 chargers will give a typical electric car 3 to 5 miles per hour of range. Level 2 chargers increase speed to a range of 12 to 60 mph. However, this number will be limited to how much electricity the car’s on-board charger can take. The car is always in control of how much electricity it is using, so you won’t damage the car if you buy a charging station that can deliver more power than the car can handle. In fact, many people choose to purchase a charging station that can deliver more power than their current EV can accept, so they’ll be prepared if their next EV can charge at a higher rate.
There are low power level 2 chargers that are small and portable. Many are limited to 16 amps to 20 amps of power. These devices will charge a typical electric car at about 12 to 28 miles per hour. We’ll be doing a comparison of these portables soon, but today we’re going to focus on the best mid-range wall charging options.
The car always controls how much electricity it consumes, so you won’t damage the car.
Meet Home Flex, The Level 2 Home Ev Charger
These devices typically deliver between 30 amps and 40 amps and will charge a typical EV at about 25 to 35 mph. Most of today’s Level 2 wall charging stations come in both fixed and plug-in versions, which we’ll discuss later. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before purchasing a Level 2 charger.
Once you’re sure you can install the charging station and know where you want it, it’s time to decide which charging station to buy. There are many options today and not all charging stations are created equal. Let’s take a look at the various must-have features
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