EV Charging Levels, What Are They?
Charging an EV can be classified into Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. This is determined by the type of outlets used, whether the electricity supplied is AC or DC, and the amount of power that the charger can be provided to the electric vehicle.
The power that a charging outlet can deliver determines how long it will take to charge an EV’s battery to usable level. Charging time is defined by battery capacity (kWh) divided by charging power (kW). This means that charging time is inversely proportional to the power delivery of a vehicle charger.
Level 1
This is the lowest and slowest level of charging. It’s the least complicated of all three levels and involves plugging in a power cord to a standard house or other residential area’s wall power outlet. Power delivery comes from a regular 240V outlet. Its AC or alternating current, which is supplied by the wall outlet, is far slower than what you would enjoy at a dedicated commercial charging station.
As a result, it will take about a day to charge an electric vehicle’s battery from empty to a usable level. However, this also depends on the battery capacity of said vehicle as well as the robustness of its on-board charging circuitry to convert AC to DC, then top up the batteries.
Level 2
It’s a much faster type of charger. Though it still uses AC charging, it offers a dedicated charging outlet that can be found in commercial or residential areas that can handle the higher power demands. They have more complicated circuits that can be installed near a dedicated power outlet. Level 2 chargers with single phase AC power supply significantly lower power figures than ones with 3-phase ones.
The former can supply under 8kW of power while the latter can deliver up to 22kW to compatible electric vehicles. These Level 2 chargers cut overall charging times from a full day to about several hours. It’s far more convenient than a Level 1 solution but not as practical as a commercial charging station.
Level 3
This involves fast DC (direct current) charging and it’s the quickest way to charge an electric vehicle’s battery pack. It’s a complicated process of converting AC (supplied by power station) supply to DC then sending a remarkably high amount of power over to the connected vehicle’s batteries. The equipment needed to complete such a task is very costly both in terms of purchasing and maintenance throughout its lifespan.
Level 3 chargers produce higher output of power that’s between 200kW, 400kW to a demonstrated 900kW with the CHAdeMO 3.0 (ChaoJi) charging technology. Such a high rate of charging helps compatible EVs top up their batteries in under an hour, which is a marked improvement over Level 1 or Level 2 charging.
Want To Know More?
If you would like to know more about AC and DC charging or other related topics, look at this article:
AC & DC Charging: What’s The Difference
Why Are Lithium-ion Batteries Used in EVs?
Types of EV Charging Connectors
EV Talk, kW and kWh: What’s The Difference
