Electric Vehicle Charger Levels and Speeds
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Yes, EV sales in Canada have slowed, but according to the latest Canadian Automotive Insights summary from S&P Global, zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) saw a 48.9-per-cent sales increase in 2023 over the previous year. And, true, car dealerships across the country have EV inventory on their lots, but did we really expect the torrid pace of all-electric vehicle sales to continue, particularly now the so-called early adopters have bought their EVs? If anything, dealers with EVs in stock will allow interested buyers an opportunity to test-drive one, something that hasn''t been the case to this point.
Despite that abundance of all-electrics, there are still many people trying to discern what electric vehicle charging is, how kW is different from kWh, or figuring out the difference between a Level 1 and Level 3 charger, or aiming to tell apart the North American Charging Standard from the Combined Charging System.
Here to help is an EV 101 crash course, an all-electric primer that should answer any question you have about the wonderful world of watts, kilowatts, and granny chargers. (Don''t know what those are? Read on!)
Electric Vehicle Charging
Regenerative Braking To Charge Batteries
AC, or alternating current, is a type of electric current that alternates direction from time to time. Houses are powered by AC, which due to its properties is easier to make travel over long distances. DC, or direct current, is a one-directional flow of electricity that is used for the charging of batteries and systems that require large amounts of power. DC charging provides a more consistent delivery of volts than AC, which makes DC charging, also known as fast-charging, preferable for an electric vehicle, as it is faster.
And finally there''s Level 3, which is the most powerful charger readily available, as it uses DC, or direct-current charging. Also known as "fast-charging" or a "Supercharger," a Level 3 charger typically ranges between 50 kW and 400 kW, and can add between 270 to 480 km of range in an hour.
To connect to a Level 3 – or DCFC – charger, an electric vehicle requires a Level-3-specific connector port. These include CHAdeMO, SAE Combo CCS, and Tesla Supercharger (or NACS) ports. So, vehicles not equipped with these ports cannot DC fast-charge.
One of the most obvious advantages of Tesla''s North American Charging Standard over the Combined Charging System is the lighter weight, and thus easier manoeuvrability, of the smaller and sleeker NACS plug. More importantly, Tesla Superchargers have proven far more reliable, and plentiful, than public CCS chargers across Canada and the United States. And finally, the NACS system does not require fussy credit-card or app payments, instead offering a simple plug-and-play capability where the charger identifies your vehicle and charges an account you have set up with the charging network.
This depends on the EV''s battery size, and the level of charger being utilized. A Level 1 charger can add approximately 6.5 kilometres of range per hour. A Level 2 charger adds roughly 50 kilometres of range per hour. And a Level 3 can add between 270 and 480 km in an hour.
This varies across the country, as each region has different pricing for electricity, with some areas having surge, or floating, pricing depending on the time of day.
This depends on the electric vehicle''s electrical architecture, but a Level 1, or 120-volt, charger adds approximately 6.5 kilometres of range per hour. So charging a 2024 Hyundai Kona''s 64.8-kWh battery pack at a charge rate of 7.2 kW takes 45 hours.
Automakers suggest the optimal operating state of charge for a lithium-ion battery pack is between 30 and 80 per cent. Charging up to 100 per cent takes longer, as the last 20 per cent from, going 80 to 100, dramatically slows things down; more importantly, charging up to 100 per cent consistently will adversely affect the long-term life of the battery.
Unlike a fully electric vehicle, charging a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) to 100 per cent is recommended by manufacturers, and in fact is how you get the most out of the PHEV powertrain. Plug-in hybrid batteries are designed to be fully charged and discharged regularly; however continuing to charge an already-fully-charged PHEV can reduce the lifespan of the battery over time.
Most municipalities in Canada require home charger installations be done by a licenced electrician, and it isn''t difficult to find one who specializes in home charger installations. The job typically takes between two and three hours.
This depends on the type of Level 2 charge box you install, in addition to how well-suited your home''s fuse box is to supply power to the charger. The charger itself can range between $500 and $1,500, with the cost of installation by a licensed electrician ranging from $1,500 to $4,000, again depending on if your electrical system needs an upgrade to accommodate the charger. This cost includes any permit fees also.
Yes, a federal program provides up to a $70 rebate for single-family homes; up to $4,500 for condo buildings; and up to $4,000 for workplaces. In addition, B.C. offers rebates of up to 50 per cent (maxing out at $350) for Level 2 home charger installation; Quebec covers up to 50 per cent of total installation fee (maxing out at $600); and the Yukon also covers up to 50 per cent of total installation fee (maxing out at $750).
If your electric vehicle is equipped with a 240-volt plug, yes, you can charge your EV using a clothes-dryer outlet.
Using an extension cord to charge an electric vehicle is not advisable, as EV charge cords contain thicker wires that can handle more power than the small-gauge wires found in household extension cords. Using one can increase the risk of electrical fires and cause a shock to those handling the cords.
Given the relatively short time-frame modern electric vehicles have been on the road in Canada, there is still research being done into this question. However, history has shown the average EV battery lasts between 15 and 20 years. Or put another way, between 150,000 and 300,000 kilometres. But external factors such as operating environment and charging history also play a role. And degradation does occur, in some cases upwards of a 20-per-cent decrease in full-charge range.
Despite accusations that old EV batteries end up in landfills, there is an established and growing industry dedicated to the recycling of electric-vehicle batteries. An older EV''s battery with 30 per cent degradation isn''t suitable for its initial purpose of powering a vehicle, but that 70-per-cent EV battery is ideal for being re-purposed as a static energy-storage system in a cabin or cottage; as a power supply for manufacturing companies; or paired with renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, for energy storage.
Battery composition and chemistry differs from automaker to automaker, but the basic ingredients include lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite. Increasingly, manufacturers are limiting, and in some cases eliminating, cobalt, as its mining has damaging environmental and social impacts, including in some cases the use of child labour.
The benefit of operating an electric vehicle is obvious — no tailpipe emissions. However, EVs are certainly not carbon-neutral, as their batteries require minerals that need to be mined, meaning a significant amount of energy is required to get those raw materials and to manufacture them. Many automakers have set zero-carbon targets for the manufacturing of their EVs, including the creation of carbon-neutral factories and supply chains.
Regenerative braking is a mechanical system that takes the kinetic energy derived from slowing down and converts and feeds it back into an electric vehicle''s battery. In some cases, 70 per cent of kinetic energy is ''recaptured,'' based on the vehicle itself and your driving habits.
Many EVs have upwards of five regen settings — though there are more typically three — which, depending on the vehicle, can be set manually with either a button or steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters. The settings range from no regen to strong regen, with the former often referred to as "coasting" or "sailing," and the latter as "one-pedal mode."
First and foremost, as the regen braking system aids in slowing down an EV without using the traditional brake system, brake and pads and rotors last longer than in a traditional vehicle. And harvesting energy and channelling it back into the battery helps extend an EV''s range.
The biggest disadvantage of regenerative braking is getting used to the sensation of slowing by just taking your foot off the accelerator. Depending on the regen mode, this can feel like the brakes have been applied. Early iterations of regenerative braking featured spongy-feeling brake pedals, but that has been greatly improved recently. Likewise, previous EVs felt like you had to press on the brake pedal harder than conventional braking systems, but that too has been worked out of the system with improved technology.
Many new EVs have the onboard computer make most of the regen-braking decisions; however, there are still manual systems that allow the driver to apply the regen in varying degrees. Likewise, feathering the brake pedal, particularly when going downhill, increases regen and engages the mechanical brakes.
Most EVs are equipped with regen displays where you can watch, in real time, how much energy the regen system is putting back into the battery pack. Another trick is to look well ahead in traffic and gauge when to slow down, so that instead of tapping the brake pedal, you take your foot off the accelerator and let the regen system slow the vehicle. It''s a great habit to prolong the life of brake parts, too.
Regenerative braking has no effect on tire life, and in fact, if you learn to use the regen braking system to slow your vehicle instead of touching the brake pedal, your tires will last longer. Hard braking is particularly tough on tires.
In the vast majority of EVs, an onboard system that measures g-force is used to illuminate the rear brake lights, even when the brake pedal is not pressed. Since regenerative braking slows a vehicle with the lift of a foot off the accelerator – in high-regen mode quite significantly – activating the brake lights is seen as a safety measure. However, not all EVs have this feature.
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