What You Need to Know About EV Charging Stations
If you’re considering buying an electric vehicle, or simply want to expand your expertise on EV charging stations, you’re in the right place. Here’s a brief overview of everything you should know about charging an EV.
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The popularity of at-home charging
Surprisingly, the most common place for EV owners to charge their car is their home, rather than at a public charging station. In fact, most plug-in drivers charge their ride at home more than 80 percent of the time, as the Department of Energy reports. At-home charging necessitates having a charging dock, also known as Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (or EVSE, for short).
Where to find public charging stations
But there are now more than 20,000 EV charging stations across the nation, for those who don’t have an at-home EVSE or who are on the road a lot and need to power up their battery en route to their destination.
Where to find a charging station
Like with any automotive trend, the U.S. infrastructure has developed and is continuing to develop to support the surge in EV sales. You can easily find a public charger via apps or websites such as Open Charge Map, ChargeHub, and PlugShare.
Level 2 vs. DC fast chargers
What type of EV charger you go with depends partly on where the station is located and how fast you need to repower your vehicle. Level 2 charging stations are widely available across the nation. They also re-power EV batteries fairly quickly, supplying about 20-25 miles of range after just 1 hour of charging.
DC fast chargers, on the other hand, are less widely available but will charge up to 80 percent of the battery’s capacity in just 30 minutes. ChargePoint, Electrify America, and EVgo are the top three non-Tesla networks that provide public charging stations.
How to pay for the service
Typically, you can pay for a charge at a public station in one of two ways: by credit card or via Electrify America’s app. If you prefer to go the latter route, you’ll need to pick either the Electrify America Pass or Pass+.
The first subscription will charge you $1 plus a per-minute fee for each charge but doesn’t require a monthly service fee. The second subscription costs $4 per month to use, but it has a lower per-minute fee.
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The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.