What is Level 1 Charging?
Gone are the days of having to go to the gas station to refill gas. With your new electric car comes with a charger that allows you to charge your vehicle at home. This charger is called a Level 1 Charger.
Level 1 chargers:
Usually come with the car. These chargers can be plugged into any standard 120V outlet, with the other end being plugged directly into the car. Many EV Car owners start with a level 1 charger. Level 1 chargers are cost-efficient, best for those who drive infrequently or for short trips.
Choosing the best EV Charger for your electric vehicle
With a level 1 charger, using a 120 V wall outlet, it provides a 3 to 8 km range per hour. A full charge will take between 8 to 16 hours for a full charge. This is not an ideal situation if your car is out of battery and can take up to 16 hours to get back to 100%.
Factors that affect charging speed
There are 5 main factors that affect the time it takes to charge an electric vehicle.
- Size of battery: The bigger your vehicle’s battery capacity the longer it will take to charge.
- Current State of battery (empty vs. full): If you are charging from empty, or at 50% charge.
- Max charging rate of vehicle: You can only charge a vehicle’s battery at the maximum charge rate the vehicle can accept. For example; if your vehicle’s max charge rate is 7kW, you won’t charge any faster by using a 15kW charger.
- Environmental factors: A colder temperature can make it take slightly longer to charge, particularly when using a rapid charger. Colder temperatures also mean vehicles are less efficient, so less km are added per time charging.
Should I upgrade my level 1 charger?
If you feel that the level 1 charger is not suitable for your conditions, you can upgrade to a level 2 or a level 3 charger. Level 2 Chargers are able to charge your car 3-7 times faster than a level 1 charger and can fully charge your car within 4-6 hours. A Level 3 charger, often referred to as a DC Fast Charging Unit, can charge your electric car up to 80% capacity within 30 minutes. For more information about level 2 and level 3 chargers, please click below.
Here’s how it works
Our team is here to support you every step of the way towards the design, installation and maintenance of your Electric Vehicle Charging Station.