An electric car charging station refers to equipment that links an EV (electric vehicle) to an electricity source for the purposes of recharging electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and neighborhood electric vehicles. Charging stations vary as some have advanced features, for instance, cellular capability, network capability and smart metering, while others are generally more basic.
You can find electric car charging stations in municipal parking locations where electric utility companies provide them. Some can also be found at retail shopping centers. The stations provide special connectors conforming to the various electric charging connectors. To get the most out of these stations, you need to understand a few aspects about them. Without further ado, here are a few facts about EV charging stations.
Fees
You will normally have to pay fees for the use of EVSE and this varies from yearly or monthly flat rates to even per-kWh. But they could also be free and it’s not uncommon to find that local governments subsidize them.
They have different charging speeds
Different electric vehicle supply equipment have different charging speeds. For level 1 charging station, all that’s needed is 120V AC plug and a dedicated circuit. It offers a range of about 5 miles for every one hour worth of charging.
On the other hand, level 2 stations charge via a 240-Volt AC plug, and often require one to install public charging equipment. They give you 10-20 mile range for each hour of charging. Level 2 charges tend to be the most common and have a charging rate almost similar to a home system.
Finally, there are level three chargers, and these also go by the name DC fast chargers. They use a 480-Volt DC plug, and circumvent the onboard, providing direct current electricity to the battery through a special port.
With level 3 electric stations, you get as much as 40 miles range for every 10 minutes of charging. The problem with these EV charging stations is that they aren’t compatible with all cars. Also, some propriety charging stations, for instance, Tesla Supercharger, have been designed to charge at a considerably higher speed.
Final Thoughts
With the growing demand for charging stations to be more publicly accessible, there has never been a greater need for equipment that supports quicker charging at higher currents and voltages. On a global scale, the number of EV networks is going up to offer a system of EV stations that are publicly accessible. Automakers, governments, charging infrastructures dealers, and other major EV stakeholders have signed agreements to provide these networks.