As Electric vehicles (EV) are becoming increasingly popular in the automotive market, it is important for consumers to learn the ins and outs of EV terminology. An important thing to understand about electric vehicles is how charging works. When it comes to charging EVs, there are three charging speeds to choose from, with Level 1 being the slowest and Level 3 the fastest.
A level 3 charging station is also called direct current fast charging (DC fast charging) or supercharging. According weather brand, model and connector type, a Level 3 charging station can charge an EV to at least 80% in 20 to 60 minutes. Another important note is that most plug-in hybrid electric vehicles or PHEVs on the market currently do not run on Level 3 boosting. What else should you know about these chargers?
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What equipment is needed for level 3 electric vehicle charging?
For better understanding electric vehicle charging, it is important to learn about the equipment needed to build a charging station. When it comes to DC or Level 3 fast charging equipment, it is usually a three-phase AC input that provides between 50 and 350 kW and allows fast charging.
According to’ United States Department of Energy, there are three types of level 3 charging systems. The three types of charging systems depend on the type of charging port of the vehicle. The three charging ports are the SAE Combined Charging System (CCS), the CHAdeMo and Tesla.
The CCS connector, also known as the SAE J1772 combo, is The only connector that can use the same charging port when charging at level 1, 2 and 3 stations. The Tesla connector is available on level 1 and 2 charging stations.
However, all Tesla vehicles come with a CCS adapter that allows all Teslas to use non-Tesla charging equipment. The CHAdeMo connector is only available on level 3 stations.
Understanding electric vehicle charging rates
When it is about at Tier 3 charge rates, things are not that simple. The leading industry sources all have different concepts of how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle to 80%.
Of course, EV charging rates will also vary by make, model and connector type. According to Forbes, charging speed on a Level 3 charging station is 3 to 20 miles per minute. In comparison, Neo Charge reports that these chargers collect around 3 to 15 miles per minute and the charging time to 80% is around 30 minutes.
Although billing rates vary, one thing is certain, it takes longer to go from 80% to 100% than to go from 0% to 80%. This is one of the reasons why Neo Charge recommends using only DC charging stations to reach 80% and using level 1 or 2 charging stations to reach 100%. Overall, DC Fast Charging can garner around 100-200+ miles of range per 30 minutes of charging.
Where are level 3 charging stations usually located?
According to’ United States Department of Transportation, Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations can be installed at home. In comparison, Level 3 charging stations are usually only found in public places. Indeed, level 1 and level 2 charging stations use alternating current (AC) and level 3 uses direct current (DC).
Very few residential areas have enough high voltage power to support these high power charging systems. Additionally, these charging stations often cost tens of thousands of dollars to install, which is simply not feasible for the majority of EV drivers. So if you’re interested in supercharging your electric vehicle, you’ll need to find a level 3 charging station in a public place.
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