Are Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Universal?

Installing EV chargers in a multifamily or commercial building will appeal to EV owners, a population sector that is continually growing. Before starting a project of this size and scope, you should be aware of the many kinds of EV charging stations that are available. A crucial factor in ensuring that your project adds value for as many EV owners as feasible is compatibility with current vehicles.

Do EV charging stations exist everywhere?

For EVs, there are three charging levels available. Although the majority of chargers are universal, Level 3 charging has some restrictions.

One of the initial steps you should take when making plans to upgrade a property with EV chargers is to compare the installation cost, charging speed, and compatibility of the options available to you. This is important because these factors can differ significantly between the different levels of charging.

Can any device use Level 1 charging?

For level 1 charging, a typical 120V wall plug is used. Owners of EVs can use a J-1772 or J-plug to connect their vehicles to a regular outlet.

This feature makes Level 1 charging available to all EVs, making it a worldwide standard. Since a car can be plugged directly into a wall socket instead of using a charging station, providing Level 1 charging is economical.

The drawback of Level 1 charging is its sluggish charging rate, which prevents it from being a practical solution for supplying everyday demands for EV users.

Universal Level 2 chargers exist?

With more than 51,000 public charging stations offering Level 2 chargers and an increasing number of EV owners installing similar stations at home, Level 2 charging is the most widely used charging type.

The power from a Level 2 charger travels through a charging station that manages the load to safeguard the EV’s battery on a dedicated 240V circuit.

For Level 2 charging, all EVs offered in North America utilise a universal J-plug. Level 2 charging is the most practical charging technique for residential, commercial, and multifamily applications due to its beneficial trade-off between cost and performance.

Depending on the car and the charger’s size, a Level 2 charger may charge a battery in 4 to 10 hours. A plug-in hybrid car, which is gaining popularity and whose adoption rates increased by 55% in May 2022 compared to a year earlier, should charge in under two hours.

With level 2 charging, EV drivers have access to both overnight charging to maximise their vehicle’s range and quick charging sessions to top out their batteries.

Can any device use a Level 3 charger?

Fast charging at Level 3 (or DC fast charging) can reach astonishing rates of up to 300 amps at 480 volts. Drivers can charge their battery to 80%, depending on the EV, in 30 minutes. Some models need closer to an hour to charge to this point. Additionally, even though DC fast charging is a speedy and practical choice, it shouldn’t be utilised as a normal source of charging on a daily basis because it can eventually cause greater battery degradation.

Commercial projects may not be able to afford level 3 charging, and the public network is now only about 8,000 stations strong.

Three different plug types are available for Level 3 charging:

Most people use CCS plugs. In addition to many other automakers, you can find them on some BMW, GM, Ford, Mazda, Honda, or VW models.
Older Kia and Hyundai vehicles as well as Nissan and Mitsubishi EVs have CHAdeMO plugs.
The Tesla Supercharger plug, which is specific to this manufacturer, is used by Tesla vehicles.
What steps will your EV charging project take next?
It’s time to start thinking about locating a reputable installer now that you are more knowledgeable about the various charging alternatives available and their compatibility.

When selecting charging station installers to begin expanding your infrastructure, Qmerit eliminates the tension. Making electrification accessible and affordable is our goal. We can assist you manage the switch to EVs and advise you on how to offset expenses using finance and utility subsidies. To find out more, call us right away.