So you've just bought an electric vehicle and now you need to charge it, so what are your options?
Public Charging: Level 2 vs Level 3
If you don't have your own charger at home you will likely be looking online to find charging stations in your area or around where you drive. However there is more to consider than just charging station location.
Level 3 Fast Charging
One type available is level 3 charging, also known as fast charging or DC charging. These can take most EVs from an almost empty battery to about 80% in 30 mins - 1 hour. Depending on the make of the EV these chargers use CHAdeMO, SAE Combo/Combo Charging System (CCS), or Tesla's proprietary plug.
However there are a few precautions to take when using a level 3 charger. Not all EVs can receive level 3 charging, and for those that can, constant use of level 3 chargers can reduce EV battery life in the long run. However as most drivers don't use level 3 charging as their primary source of energy, reduced battery life is not a major concern.
Level 2 Charging
For most EV drivers, level 2 charging will likely be their main source of energy. These are the same types of chargers that can be installed in a home for personal use, charging most batteries from near empty to 80% in about 5-8 hours depending on charger output and EV model. As all EVs sold in North America (except Tesla - they have an adapter) are compatible with the SAE J1772 (J Plug), these chargers use that same plug and will work with just about any EV you may have.
5-8 hours may seem like a lot of time to spend at a public charger, however most drivers will charge their battery before their battery is dangerously low. In fact the vast majority of EV drivers will either charge at work, if available, or at home overnight.
Multi-Unit Residential Chargers
Multi-unit residential buildings, like apartments or condos, often have limited electrical capacity making it difficult for residents to get their own private EV charger in their parking space. Many property managers may not even know where to start when a resident requests an EV charger installation.
The solution
This is where DashCharger comes in. DashCharger provides smart and affordable, networked chargers that communicate with our management platform to maximize the number of EV chargers even in buildings without much electrical capacity.
We partner with experienced engineers and property management to provide tailored solutions for each building to get EV drivers the chargers they need.
Contact us today to learn more about our products and what we can do for you.
Email: info@dashcharger.com
Phone: 905 597 5855
Website: https://www.dashcharger.com/
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