We speak to the experienced team of electricians at Leading Electrical about home Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers. They answer the most common questions and share everything you need to know before choosing to install an EV charger in your Sydney home.
The length of time it takes to charge an EV varies depending on 2 things, the power source and the battery size of the vehicle. The more power that is available, the quicker the home charger will replenish the vehicle’s battery. For cars with a larger battery such as the Tesla, the charge time will be longer than a vehicle with a smaller battery such as the Hyundai Ioniq.
To date, there are 3 types of home EV chargers available. Each type offers a different charge time based on the type of installation and power available in the home. These can be broken down into the following types of residential EV chargers:
The most common and most affordable type of home EV charger is the wall socket type. This charger accepts your factory-delivered EV charge cable and provides up to 7kw of charging using 10-15 amp, single-phase power.
Using the cable supplied with most EVs, this charger type is capable of delivering approximately 30-50km of range per charging hour. Depending on the brand and model, some chargers will include basic charging information. WiFi connectivity and smartphone compatibility allow the stats to be viewed on most modern smartphones.
Level 1 chargers are suited to daily top-up charging as the power output is unlikely to fully charge a dedicated EV from a flat bettery overnight.
Considered the middle of the road, level 2 EV chargers are compatible with either single or three-phase powered homes. They provide a power output of up to 22kw when used in homes with three-phase power. This is enough charge to add 50-100km of driving range per hour to most EVs. With a peak power of 22kw, they are capable of delivering enough power for a full EV charge overnight.
Despite being compatible with both, single and three-phase powered homes, for homes with three-phase power, we recommend a level 3 charger. This is due to the likelihood of EV charging requirements increasing for most households over time.
Suited to commercial applications and multi-EV households, level 3 chargers offer the fastest charging times of all the electric car charger types. Thanks to three-phase power, these chargers can deliver up to 150km of range per hour of charge.
In commercial and industrial environments, power output can be as high as 500 amps, enough to fully charge an EV in less than 30 mins.
For households with solar power, charging an EV at home becomes even more affordable when charging during daylight hours. In the event more electricity is required than the solar system can generate, the electrical grid will make up the difference.
Understanding your current and future EV charging needs is an important step in choosing the best EV charger for your home. Taking into account your household electricity needs, family size and vehicle count will also help. For two, and multicar households, there is a good chance most vehicles will be electric in the years to come. With that comes the likelihood of charging two or more electric cars at the same time.
For experienced advice when choosing the right EV charger for your home, speak to our helpful team today. They will explain the process from start to finish, and ensure you more than enough EV charging capacity to keep the wheels turning.
Get in touch to speak about your home's electrical needs. Our qualified electrician's will be happy to discuss your requirements and pop out for an obligation free quote.
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