Every year more and more electric and hybrid vehicles hit the road, displaying the ongoing evolution of the automotive industry. If you’re considering such a vehicle for yourself or your family, you’ll also need a way to charge those vehicles, which means installing an EV charging station. Your Wiretech Company team is here with a brief guide on what you need to know about EV charging.
The first thing that you have to understand is that there multiple types of charging, three in the U.S. alone. These are often defined by “levels.”
Level 1
Also referred to as 120-volt charging, this is the slowest type of charging, utilizing the conventional 3-pronged plug that goes into just about any wall socket. It’ll get the job done for hybrids with smaller batteries in a few hours, or overnight, and most have clear LED indicators that will let you know the charging status of the battery.
Level 2
A step above, level 2 charging is done at 240 volts. The average home or public charging station runs at level 2. These will require special wiring and be integrated into your home. As the numbers suggest, it’s twice as fast as level 1 charging, and sometimes even faster.
Level 3
While frequently referred to as “level 3” the third major type of charging is actually very different, as it is direct current (DC) based rather than alternating current (AC) like the other two. DC charging is the fastest there is and used pretty much exclusively at public charging sites.
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