2020 Guide On How To Charge Your Electrical Car With Charging Stations

Electric cars (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles are relatively new on the market and the fact that they use electricity to propel themselves means a new infrastructure has been put into place, one which few are familiar with. This is why nosotros have created this useful guide to explain and clarify the unlike charging solutions used to charge an electrical car.

In this EV charging guide, you'll learn more than about the 3 places where information technology's possible to charge, the 3 different levels of charging available in North America, fast charging with superchargers, charging times, and connectors. You'll also discover an essential tool for public charging, and useful links to respond all of your questions.

Before we go into those concepts, it is good to know the various terms used for charging stations. They usually all refer to the aforementioned thing.

  • Charging station
  • Charging outlet
  • Charging plug
  • Charging port
  • Charger
  • EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment)


Electrical Automobile Domicile Chargers

Charging an electric automobile or plug-in hybrid is mainly done at home.Domicile charging accounts actually for 80% of all charging done by EV drivers. This is why it's important to understand the solutions available, along with the pros of each.

Dwelling Charging Solutions: Level ane & Level two

In that location are two types of abode charging: level i charging and level ii charging.

  • Level ane charging happens when you charge an electric vehicle (EV) using the charger included with the machine. These chargers tin can be plugged with ane end into any standard 120V outlet, with the other finish being plugged directly into the auto. Information technology tin can charge 200 kilometers (124 miles) in 20 hours.
  • Level 2 chargers are sold separately from the car, although they're often purchased at the aforementioned time. These chargers require a slightly more complicated setup, as they are plugged into a 240V outlet which allows charging iii to 7 times faster depending on the electric car and the charger. All of these chargers have an SAE J1772 connector and are bachelor for online purchase in Canada and the USA. They usually have to be installed past an electrician. You tin can learn more about level 2 charging stations in this guide.

Level 2 home charging station and charger for electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles, SAE J1772 connector or plug

For every electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid, the use of a level 2 home charging station is recommended to help yous charge faster and enjoy your EV's full potential. Provincial and municipal incentives are available in some regions to help with purchase and installation costs. You can also bank check the post-obit websites for more data.

  • Quebec incentives for electric car abode chargers
  • British Columbia incentives for electric automobile habitation chargers (the program is temporarily suspended)
  • For the United states, nosotros propose y'all check your government website.


The pros of home charging

To enjoy all the benefits of charging at home, yous demand to use a level 2 home charger.

A fully charged battery in a few hours

A level ii charger allows you to accuse your electric car five to 7 times faster for a full-electric car or up to 3 times faster for a plug-in hybrid compared to a level 1 charger. This means you'll exist able to maximize the use of your EV and reduce stops to accuse at public charging stations.

It takes effectually four hours to fully charge a 30-kWh battery car (standard bombardment for an electric car), which allows you lot to make the virtually out of driving your EV, especially when yous take a limited time to charge.

Kickoff Your Mean solar day Fully Charged

Home charging is normally washed on evenings and at night. Just connect your charger to your electric car when you come home from piece of work, and you'll be sure to have a fully charged battery the next morning. Virtually of the time, an EV's range is enough for all your daily travel, meaning you won't have to stop at public chargers for charging. At abode, your electric car charges while you lot consume, play with the kids, watch TV, and sleep!

Save Large on Charging Costs

Another advantage of dwelling charging is the low cost of residential electricity compared to the price of public charging stations and the cost of gas.

  • In Quebec, it is about 30% less expensive to charge at home than at a public charger and vi times less expensive to drive 100 km (62 miles) on electricity than on gas.
  • In Ontario, information technology is roughly 65% less expensive to charge at home than at a public charger and v times less expensive to drive 100 km (62 miles) on electricity than on gas.
  • In British Columbia, it is roughly thirty% cheaper to charge at abode than at a public charger and 5 times less expensive to bulldoze 100 km (62 miles) on electricity than on gas.
  • In the Us, information technology all depends on the price of electricity and gas. Y'all have to compare the consumption of electricity in kWh/100 miles of the EV multiplied by the cost of the kWh vs. the consumption of gallons/100 miles of the gas auto multiplied by the cost of a gallon of gas. That manner, you will be able to quickly know how much you could save on your travel costs.


Electric Auto Public Charging Stations

Public charging allows EV drivers to charge their electric cars on the road when they need to travel longer distances than immune by their EV'south autonomy. These public chargers are often located near restaurants, shopping centers, parking spots, and such public spaces.

To locate them easily, nosotros suggest you employ ChargeHub'south charging stations map that is available on iOS, Android, and web browsers. The map lets you easily observe every public charger in North America. You can also run across virtually chargers' status in existent time, make itineraries, and more. We'll be using our map in this guide to explicate how the public charging works.

There are three main things to know about public charging: the 3 dissimilar levels of charging, the difference between connectors and the charging networks.

Choosing the Right Level of Public Charging for Your Electric Car

First of all, we recommend you avoid level one charging stations. They are too slow and are not adapted to EV drivers' needs when they're traveling. If you desire to charge in the fastest mode possible, y'all should utilise a level 3 charger, as these charging stations volition provide a lot of range to your EV in a short amount of time. However, charging at a DCFC station is but effective if your battery's state-of-charge (SOC) is below eighty%. Later that point, charging will slow downwards significantly. Therefore, once you attain eighty% of charging, you should plug your car into a level ii charger, since the last xx% of charging are as fast with a level 2 station than a level 3, merely information technology is mode cheaper. Yous can also continue your journey and charge your EV back to lxxx% at the next level three charger you meet on the road. If time is not a constraint and you lot're planning to stop several hours at a charger, you lot should opt for a level 2 which is slower only less expensive.


Charging an Electrical Car at Work

Workplace charging works very similarly to home charging. It is offered by an employer to their employees. The employees therefore have admission to parking spaces with level two or level 1 charging stations during the day. Depending on your habits, charging at work could provide enough power for all of your travels.

The pros of workplace charging

A longer electrical range

When combined with home charging, workplace charging tin can double your daily electric range. This is particularly interesting for plug-in hybrids, as yous tin can use the electric motor for longer distances and therefore save money on fuel.

Level two charging allows you to charge faster, which is particularly interesting for part-time employees or for workplaces where employees are non in for the unabridged mean solar day.

Big Savings on Transportation Costs

The electricity costs of workplaces charging are often taken on by the employer, which means employees tin charge at work for free. In other cases, the employer charges fees to use the charger, merely the cost is usually lower than charging at a public charger.

Government Incentives for Workplace Chargers

In order to encourage employers to install charging stations for their employees, many governments accept put in place programs that reduce purchasing and installation costs, as well as different advantages for the employer. However, many employers are unaware of the beingness of these programs, and it falls on the shoulders of interested employees to talk to them about it.

  • Quebec incentives for electrical automobile home chargers
  • British Columbia incentives for electric auto habitation chargers (the program is temporarily suspended)
  • For the United States, we suggest yous check your government website.

Now that you lot are more familiar with all types of charging for an electrical car or plug-in hybrid, we propose you read our guide on how to choose your level 2 home charger. Since fourscore% of your charging will be done at home, information technology's really important to choose a charging station that answers your needs.

HOW TO Choose THE Right CHARGER?