Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment -EVSE is the most common type of electric vehicle (EV) charger, for charging plug-in electric vehicles (including electric cars, electric trucks, electric buses, neighborhood electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrids). It’s similar to how gas station withdrawals work. Electric cars can be plugged into this kind of outlet at home or public locations like malls, airports etc.

EVSE are so much more than just an outlet for your electric car! EVSE have developed some of the most advanced technology to ensure that you’re always safe when charging. They use two-way communication between charger and vehicle, ensuring both sides know exactly how much current can be flowing at any given time.

EVSE can also detect hardware faults, disconnecting the power and preventing battery damage, electrical shorts or worse still, fire.

EV charging can be classified into three different levels. The different levels represent the power outputs, and charging speed accessible to charge an electric car. Each level has designated connector types that are designed for either low or high power use, and for managing AC or DC charging. Different levels of charging for your electric car reflect the speed and voltage at which you charge your vehicle. In short, it is the same standard plugs for Level 1 and Level 2 charging and will have applicable adapters, but individual plugs are needed for DC fast charging based on different brands.

Level 1 charger uses a 120V AC plug and simply plugs into a standard power outlet. This can be done using a Level 1 EVSE cable that has a standard three-conductor household plug for receptacles and a standard J1722 connector for vehicles on one end. When connected to a 120V AC plug, charging rates range from 1.4kW to 3kW and may take 8 to 12 hours, depending on battery capacity and condition.

Level 2 charging refers to charging your electric vehicle using a charging station placed on a wall, utility pole or ground. Level 2 chargers are commonly found in residential and commercial locations due to price and charging speed.

Depending on the power output of the charging station and the type of vehicle, charging at a Level 2 charging station is approximately 5 to 15 times faster than charging through a regular outlet.

Level 2 chargers have a range of charging capabilities. An hour of charging with a 7.4 kW charger gives about 25 miles of range, an 11 kW charger gives about 37 miles, and a 22 kW charger gives about 75 miles. These calculations are based on an average battery usage of 18 kWh per 62 miles. For example, a Renault-Zoe with a 52kW battery has an estimated charging time of 2.3 hours via a 22kW onboard Type 2 charger.

Level 3 charging is the fastest way to charge an electric vehicle. While probably not as common as Level 2 chargers, Level 3 chargers can also be found in any major populated place. Unlike Level 2 charging, some EVs may not be compatible with Level 3 charging. A level 3 charger is also required and charging is provided via a 480V AC or DC plug. Charging time may take 20 minutes to 1 hour, charging rates are 43kW to 100+kW, using CHAdeMO or CCS connectors. Both Level 2 and Level 3 chargers have connectors that connect to the charging station.

Like every device that needs charging, your car battery loses efficiency with every charge. With proper maintenance, a car battery can last more than five years! However, if you use your car every day in average conditions, it is best to replace it after three years. In addition to this, most car batteries are not that reliable and can lead to many safety issues.

Type 1 plugs are single-phase standard plugs for electric vehicles in the Americas. It allows you to charge your car with a charging power level of up to 7.4 kW.

Type 2 plugs are three-phase plugs and considered as the standard model. Powered by three extra wires, it keeps your vehicle running faster. In private spaces, charging power levels of up to 22 kW are common, while public charging stations have charging power levels of up to 43 kW. Most public charging stations are equipped with Type 2 sockets. All Mode 3 charging cables can be used, and electric vehicles can be charged using Type 1 and Type 2 plugs.

GB/T plug is a charging connector used to refer to a standard for electric vehicle commonly used in China.

All Level 2 chargers use 240V, but charging speed will differ based on a charger’s amperage, or electrical current. Your need for speed will vary based on your EV’s range, your commute and driving style: a car with less range, a long commute or always driving at top speed may mean you could benefit from a faster charge at home. Most EVs can take in about 32 amps, adding around 25 miles of Range Per Hour of charging, so a 32-amp charging station is a good choice for many vehicles.

The time it takes to charge an electric car can be as little as 30 minutes or more than 12 hours. This depends on the size of the battery and the speed of the EV charger.

A typical electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under 8 hours to charge from empty-to-full with a 7kW EV charger.

Most drivers top up charge rather than waiting for their battery to recharge from empty-to-full.

For many electric cars, you can add up to 100 miles of range in ~35 minutes with a 50kW rapid charger.

The bigger your car’s battery and the slower the charging point, the longer it takes to charge from empty to full.

As an EV driver, it’s useful to know many miles you are getting during the time your vehicle is charging, so you know you can get to your next destination.

The range per hour depends on the efficiency of your car. Small full-battery electric vehicles, such as the Renault Zoe, are the most efficient and can travel 30 miles per hour on a 7kW charge.

The largest fully battery electric vehicles, such as the Audi e-tron Quattro, are heavier and can travel about 20 miles of range per hour on 7kW. (Plug-in hybrids are generally less efficient than full-battery EVs).

The efficiency of a car also depends on environmental factors such as temperature. This means Electric cars are more efficient in summer and drive slightly better miles per hour than they do in winter.

There are 5 main factors that affect the time it takes to charge an electric vehicle.

Battery capacity: The bigger the battery capacity (measured in kWh) of the vehicle, the longer it will take to charge.

Battery Status (Empty vs Full): If you are charging from empty, it will take longer than charging from 50%.

Maximum Charging Rate: You can only charge the vehicle battery at the maximum charge rate that the vehicle can accept. For example; if your vehicle’s maximum charge rate is 7kW, using a 22kW EV charger won’t let you charge any faster. The time it takes to charge will also be limited by the max charging rate of the EV charger you are using. If your vehicle can charge at 11kW, it will only charge at 3.6kW on a 3.6kW ev charger.

Environmental factors: Lower ambient temperatures can make charging times slightly longer, especially when using a rapid charger. Lower temperatures also mean the vehicle is less efficient and therefore adds fewer miles per charge.

Home: Today, a majority of recharging is done at home, and overnight. That’s usually when electricity is cheapest-just think of it like plugging in your cellphone at night. If you have a battery-electric car, it’s best to install a charging station in your garage or carport. If you can, install your home charger close to your electrical panel. Your electrician may need to run conduit from your panel to where you will charge, and a lot of conduit can get expensive. Installing your charger close to your garage door may make it easier to charge multiple cars, and a weatherproof charger rated for outdoor use gives you the flexibility to install indoors or out depending on where you want to park.

Travel: When you travel with an electric car, you may have difficulty finding public charging stations, or you may have to queue for a long time to charge. If you bring a portable EVSE, you can easily charge the EV in hotels, restaurants, friends and relatives’ home, as long as there is a household power outlet.

Although more and more public charging stations are now available in multiple cities and locations, the convenience and cost savings of home charging keep many consumers opting to have their own personal chargers at home. However, safety should also be considered when it comes to these EV chargers.

Stationed between the power plug and the vehicle connector of at-home EVSE is the in-cable control box (ICCB). This device is responsible for ensuring that safe charging happens by relaying information between the charger outlet and the vehicle. The ICCB provides a wide range of protections for the vehicle and charger, including over voltage protection (OVP), over current protection (OCP), under voltage protection (UVP), and under current protection (UCP), and so on. Each of these protections play a key role in ensuring that the ICCB is delivering the proper voltage and current range while the EV is being charged.