Confused about vehicle charging systems? Your Getting Started Guide

In response, many businesses and local governments are looking to install charging stations for their employees, customers or tenants. However, charging stations come in a variety of models and types.

Who should you choose for your property if you are considering installing an electric vehicle charging station?

There are several categories of electric vehicle charging stations. The three most popular car charging systems are Level 1, Level 2 and Rapid DC.

A simple electric vehicle charging station lets you figure out what's right for you and your needs.

Level 1 AC Charging

Commonly referred to as "Level 1" chargers, these types of chargers plug into any standard outlet and are popular with consumers who want to charge their car at home at night. Commercial chargers under 2 kW (slightly larger than a hair dryer) can’t quickly charge a car.

Level 2 AC Charging

These types, commonly known as "Level 2" chargers, are the dominant charging system for service vehicles; if a 240-volt outlet is required (such as for a washer or dryer), a discharged car battery can be fully charged and recharged within less than an hour, which is convenient for customers who come for shopping or lunch.

Drivers recommend Level 2 charging stations as the most affordable and accessible charging stations for electric vehicles.

Level 3 DC Accelerated Chargers

The last basic type of charging station is known as a fast streaming charger. Sometimes abbreviated as DCFC, these devices can charge a battery from full to full in less than an hour, even in modern electric vehicles with larger, more efficient batteries. 

Continuous current chargers are the best electric vehicles in terms of convenience, but they are very expensive, consume 40-400 kilowatts and require a more complicated installation process and additional consumer protection. Also, many older electric vehicles are not compatible with them.

Confusing other charging equipment?

These are the basic types of car charging systems, but here is more information to help you understand your options.

Plugs for DC fast chargers

There are three types of DC fast charging plugs: Chademo, CCS and Tesla's private plugs. Chademo and CCS are essentially engaged in a mild-type war, like Blu-ray versus HD-DVD. This means that CCS will become the primary DC fast-charging format in the future, not counting Tesla.

Currently, there are still plenty of Chademo charging stations around the country, and they will be around for a long time, but it's worth choosing a CCS installation to offer electric cars to third parties. (If you want to keep your Tesla car, you will need to purchase a Tesla-compatible car charger).

There are currently no standards for charging. However, many stable currents are fast charging technology.

    • AC load Level 1: AC current up to 1. 92 kW, which is 8-16 hours to charge the battery fully, runs from a standard wall outlet.

• AC charging, Level 2: AC current up to max. 19. 2 kW is the average charging rate, typically less than 2 hours for a full charge.
• Continuous current: Intense power up to 48 kW - very fast charging in less than one hour. Additional installation costs and safety measures are required. These continuous current electric vehicles are not compatible with all electric vehicles, especially older vehicles.
• DC charging, considered Level 4: Up to 400 kW DC, 400 amps, very fast! Advanced charging technology for electric vehicles. Not compatible with all electric vehicles.

The importance of the grid.

Whatever charger you buy, it's important that it's properly connected - ENERGY5 helps ensure that the station is reliable. We offer industry-leading grid charging solutions that make it simple and easy to monitor, control and use electric vehicle charging systems from a single dashboard. Our customers come from a wide variety of industries, including rental companies, retailers, workplaces and local governments.

For more information, contact ENERGY5. Learn more about our network solutions and how adding this capacity to your parking lot can be a new return on investment, as well as a powerful amenity for your affluent and educated customers, employees, or tenants. . We can also inform you of available financial incentives that can offset the cost of installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure.