Although charging an electric ar is a bit different from refueling a conventional vehicle, choosing to drive an electric car does not require a substantial change in lifestyle. That means you can commute, go to the grocery store, and travel just like you always have, while dramatically reducing your carbon emissions. Here’s what you need to know about range and charging speed.
Range And Charging Speed
There are five things you should know about range and charging: three that impact how far you can go in your electric vehicle (EV) and two that impact how quickly you can charge.
Charging Levels
There are three levels of charging available for EVs today: Level I, Level II, and DC Fast Charging.
Here's a summary of the important things to know about each charging level.
| Level I | Level II | DC Fast Charging | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 120 | 240 | 208/480 three-phase input |
| Charging speed | ~4 miles/hr | ~11-54 miles/hr* | 45-200miles/30 min* |
| Charging port | J1772 | J1772 | J1772 combo (also known as CCS DCFC or SAE Combo) or CHAdeMO |
| Can I install one in my home? | You don’t need to! Just use a normal 120 volt outlet and the charging cord that comes with your EV. | Yes (may require adding a 240 volt line if your home does not already have one) | No |
| Are there units publicly available? | Yes (See Charging on the go.) | Yes (See Charging on the go.) | Yes (See Charging on the go.) |
| Is an additional charging port required on the vehicle? | No | No | Yes (standard on some vehicles, additional package on others ) |
| *Level 2 charging speed largely depends on the vehicle model. Most all-electric cars will charge at 22+ miles/hr, while a plug-in hybrids will only add 12-15 miles/hr. | |||
DC Fast Charging Basics
Most EV drivers charge at Level I and Level II because it’s inexpensive, convenient, and readily available. Although Level II charging speeds may be different from car model to car model (ie, a Tesla vs a Nissan LEAF), the speed you’ll charge at is consistent over time. For example, a Hyundai Kona charging at Level II will add roughly 30 miles of range per hour spent charging whether you plug in at 50% charged or 80% charged. Similar vehicles, like the Chevrolet Bolt, Polestar 2, and the VW ID.4, have similar Level II charging speeds as the Kona.
However, with DC fast charging, there’s a lot more variability across different car models, charging stations, and even according to how much juice you have left when you plug in.
Here’s a generalized “cheat sheet” to help decode how quickly you can expect to charge with different models and charging stations. Cold weather will slow down charging speeds across the board.
| Fast charging power | Estimated miles gained in 30 minutes of charging | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 50 kW | ~90 miles | Chevrolet Bolt, Nissan LEAF, Volkswagen e-Golf, Hyundai Ioniq EV |
| 77 kW | ~150 miles | Kia Niro EV, Hyundai Kona EV |
| 100 kW | ~166 miles | Nissan LEAF Plus, Audi e-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace |
| 150 kW | ~200 miles | Tesla models compatible with V2 Superchargers |
The key thing to remember about DC fast charging is that it’s fastest between 10% and 80% state of charge. Fast charging slows down to “Level II” speeds once you hit 80% capacity. Below, we’ve visualized a sample charging session for a Chevy Bolt.
The first hour of charging (assuming you plug in when the car reads 10% or less) happens at the car’s maximum DC fast charging speed. Once the vehicle is charged to nearly 80%, fast charging slows down and it may take much longer to top off the last 50 miles than the previous 180 miles. That’s why you might see automakers advertise their EVs’ fast charging speeds as “time to 80% charged.” Two important conclusions about DC fast charging that are important for EV drivers to know:
- There is a lot of variability in speed of DC fast charging depending on the weather, the station you’re plugged into, and the vehicle model itself.
- Charging to 100% using a DC fast charger may not be the best way to fuel an EV for a long trip. Tools like A Better Route Planner can help you optimize long-distance travel stops to minimize the time you spend waiting.
Charging equipment
The charger: The charger is built into the electric vehicle. The charging port accepts electricity from an outside source and stores it in the vehicle's battery. There are different types of charging ports, which becomes very important when we talk about DC Fast Charging. Here are four of the more common options:
J1772 charge port
Built into all non-Tesla electric vehicles, suitable for Level I or Level II charging. All EVs come with a cord that plugs into the J1772 port in the vehicle on one end and a 120 volt outlet on the other end.
J1772 combo
Built into most EVs (like the Chevrolet Bolt, Kia Niro, Hyundai Kona, BMW i3, Volkswagen ID.4, etc.) for DC Fast Charging. The J1772 combo is also known as the CCS DCFC or SAE Combo. Cars with the J1772 combo port can plug in Level I, Level II, and fast charging cables into this one port.
CHAdeMO
Built into some Asian EVs, like the Nissan LEAF, for DC Fast Charging. That means these EVs have two separate ports: J1772 for Level I & II and CHAdeMO for DC Fast Charging. However, some manufacturers who previously used CHAdeMO have switched to J1772 Combo ports because that is the most predominate charging port in North America and the EU. Nissan switched to the J1772 Combo with the Ariya. CHAdeMO users may have more difficulty finding fast chargers than J1772 Combo users.
Tesla
Teslas have a unique charge port that matches Tesla’s proprietary fast-charging network. This port works for all levels of charging. If you'd like to charge a Tesla using a J1772 plug, you will need to buy a special adapter.
Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE)
The EVSE is the machine with the cord that you plug into your onboard charger. The plug on the EVSE must match up with the charging port on the vehicle. All vehicles come equipped with a cord that will plug into a normal wall outlet for a "trickle charge". More on this below!
