Different types of chargers

However, in practice, charging times are influenced by many things like the car's battery, charging capacity, the charging station's power output. But also the battery temperature, how full your battery is when you start charging, and whether you’re sharing a charging station with another car or not can also influence the charging speed.

The maximum charging capacity at a given level is determined either by your car’s charging capacity or the charging station’s power output, whichever is lower.

Level 1 charger

Level 1 charging simply refers to plugging your EV into a standard power socket. Depending on where you are in the world, a typical wall outlet only delivers a maximum of 2.3 kW, so charging via a Level 1 charger is the slowest way to charge an EV—giving only 6 to 8 kilometers of range per hour (4 to 5 miles). As there is no communication between the power outlet and the vehicle, this method is not only slow, but it can also be dangerous if handled improperly. As such, we don’t recommend relying on Level 1 charging to charge your vehicle except as a last resort.

Level 2 charger

A Level 2 charger is a dedicated charging station that you may find mounted to a wall, on a pole, or standing on the ground. Level 2 charging stations deliver alternating current (AC) and have a power output between 3.4 kW - 22 kW. They are commonly found at residential, public parking, businesses, and commercial locations and make up the majority of public EV chargers.

At the maximum output of 22 kW, an hour’s charging will provide roughly 120 km (75 miles) to your battery’s range. Even lower power outputs of 7.4 kW and 11 kW will charge your EV much faster than Level 1 charging, adding 40 km (25 miles) and 60 km (37 miles) of range per hour respectively.

Because of this reason, and thanks to a range of smart charging options, connectivity and safety features that Level 2 AC chargers offer, many EV drivers invest in an AC charging station for their home.

Level 3 charging station (DC fast charger)

Also known as DC or fast charging, Level 3 charging uses direct current (DC) to charge a vehicle’s battery directly, instead of the alternating current (AC) used by Level 1 and 2 charging stations. This allows Level 3 chargers to bypass an EV’s slower AC/DC onboard converter and deliver DC power directly to the battery.

As a result, Level 3 charging stations can deliver much more power faster, making them ideal for short-stop locations like gas stations and fleet depots. Charging times vary between different vehicles and power outputs, however, generally speaking, Level 3 chargers can charge a vehicle in minutes versus hours for Level 2 or days for Level 1 charging stations.