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There are 3 types of electric car charger stations: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Each one has individual power outputs, and charging speeds, uses AC (Alternating Current) or DC (Direct Current), and has infrastructure installation distinctions, thus the price difference. The higher the electric car charger level, the higher the charging speed. 

Each type of electric car station is compatible with particular EV plugs - the standard ones, type 1, match Level 1 and Level 2 charger stations. Type 2 (mainly for EU cars) matches Level 2 and Level 1 outlets (through connectors provided by manufacturers). Level 3, or fast chargers, require specific connectors to deliver the right amount of power to electric cars (except Tesla Superchargers that match only Tesla cars’ outlets).

Every electric car manufacturer has its own type of charger used for EVs - Americans and Asians use Type 1 chargers, while European use Type 2 chargers. Electric cars have a typical charging cable designed with plugs at both ends that should match your home or public charger outlet with your car's outlet. That's why it's important to know what type of charger your EV has and how compatible it is with the commercial EV charger. 

Type 1 EV Chargers connect directly to the standard 120V home outlet. They have the slowest charging speed, delivering a power output between 1.3 kW to 7.5 kW and 3-6 miles per hour. The time to fully charge your electric car with a commercial charger depends on its maximum battery capacity. You will need an estimated 20-24 hours to charge an electric car with a Type 1 charger, and only a few public places use Level 1 chargers. All EVs come with cable adapters that you can plug at home for Type 1 chargers and use for Level 2 charging stations. 

Type 2 EV Chargers connect to 240V outlets. They have faster charger speeds, delivering a power output between 22 kW to 43 kW and 30-90 miles per hour. The time to fully charge your electric car with a commercial charger depends on its maximum battery capacity. You will need an estimated 3-9 hours to charge an electric car with a Level 2 charger. American EVs have a special plug - J1772 that connects to the charger and delivers extra power from the outlet to the car.

One of the main differences between Level 2 and Level 3 charging stations is that Level 2 stations use AC (Alternating Current), which means that AC that comes from the grid must be converted into DC (Direct Current) and stored in the electric car batteries. These charging stations are slower and charge 30-90 miles per hour (22 kW-43 kW). Level 3 stations, so-called fast chargers, use the DC from the station itself and don't require an internal converter to charge batteries. These electric car charger stations deliver 3-20 miles per minute (50 kW-350 kW) and fully charge an EV in about 1 hour. 

The main differences between these levels can be categorized in the following:

• Charging speed. A high-voltage station like DC will charge x15, x20, and x25 times faster than a 240V Level 2 Charger. 
• Price. Level 3 EV charging stations require bigger investments and installation costs to deliver the power compared to Level 2 chargers. On top of that, the final customer fees for using a public Level 2 or Level 3 DCFC will also differ. Using a Level 3 charger for one hour can cost x3 times more than charging with a Level 2 commercial station.   
• Infrastructure installation. Level 3 EV car charger installation is more complex, but both require certified electricians to do the job. 
• Connectors. Most electric cars come with Type 1 connectors (J1772) for Level 2 charging stations, while Level 3 stations are compatible with CCS (combined charging system), CHAdeMO, and Tesla connectors.

EV industry and media networks often talk about superchargers, fast chargers, and ultra-fast chargers interchangeably because these words have the same meaning. Level 3 Electric Car charger, also called fast, quick, ultra-fast, and super-fast, earned its terminology for using 400V outlets, having a power output of 50 kW-350 kW, and delivering a 30-60 minutes high-speed charge.

Level 4 EV chargers are considered the last generation Tesla Superchargers. As opposed to the first 3 levels that are compatible with most EVs on the USA's market, Level 4 stations are only compatible with Tesla cars. They can deliver a full charge in 20 minutes and match electric cars with high battery capacity. These types of electric car charger stations are the most expensive ones because they provide high-speed charging and have a tremendous power output.

Only certified electricians and professionals can perform an electric car charger installation. Home chargers, such as Level 1, don't require particular skills, but installing commercial Level 2 or Level 3 chargers is a complex process with multiple technical characteristics. Electric car charger manufacturers have electricians who will do the job and guarantee equipment reliability. On top of that, the electric car charger installation has a warranty, and neglecting to work with professionals can affect contractual clauses (terms & conditions).

As with all technology that works on lithium-ion batteries, degradation over time is unavoidable. Contrary to social beliefs, it's estimated that EV batteries lose about 5-10% of their capacity in the first 5 years, and most manufacturers offer battery warranties, like Tesla's 8 years warranty for 100,000 miles. 

Battery longevity can be affected by 2 major factors: temperature and charging time cycles. First, people living in warm climates should avoid sun exposure for extended periods and use garages or shades to cover their cars. Second, charging an EV should be done based on manufacturers' guides because they use particular energy charging and discharging installation technologies for their batteries. Some EV charging solutions for extending EV batteries' lifespan will be:

• avoid overusing fast chargers;
• avoid lowering the battery to 0%;
• avoid constantly charging to 100%;
• avoid extreme temperatures;
• avoid leaving it plugged in for very long.

You can't overcharge an EV battery. Charging an EV to its maximum should not be a daily practice because it puts too much stress on the batteries. Each electric car has its own maximum charger capacity. Once it reaches that level - it stops charging. EV manufacturers use battery management systems that monitor the charging process and don't allow the batteries to overcharge because safety and overheating are always a priority.

BMS (battery management system) controls the electric vehicle's energy charging and discharging, balances the energy flow, and its energy-management solutions prevent other negative issues from affecting the battery's lifespan. A great example of this software system trick is what most EV drivers see daily - the charging speed slows down when it reaches 80%.

No, there are plugs compatible with AC charging stations (Level 1 and Level 2) and DC charging stations (Level 3). People consider that there is a universal EV charger plug that works for all EVs. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Electric car charger plugs can be divided as follows:

1) Type 1 electric car plugs. They are single-phase plugs for American and Asian EV manufacturers. The cable can be plugged directly into home outlets with a J1772 connector for Level 1 commercial EV charger stations. 

2) Type 2 electric car plugs. They are trial-phase plugs for European EV manufacturers. These plugs are usually provided when you purchase the car and are compatible with Level 2 charging stations in the EU.

3) Fast Charging plugs. These connectors don't come from manufacturers (the only exception is Tesla, which provides connectors for their superchargers and has a J1772 adaptor for other types of chargers) and include connectors like CHAdeMO (10-pin plug) or CCS (5-pin plug).

The most common EV charger is the Level 2 charger - and the best way to ensure your business has better revenue is to choose a Level 2 EV charger over a fast charger because the equipment, installation, monitoring, fees, and other costs are lower. Most EVs are compatible with Level 2 charger stations without requiring additional connectors, so more people will stop at your business site. Even more, Level 2 charging stations are profitable by generating a new revenue stream and are eligible for state and utility incentives. 

If you want more details about available incentives in your state or want to calculate the profit your business can generate monthly - Energy5 is the right partner for you.

Tesla uses Type 1 chargers compatible with most public EV charging stations through their included J1772 adaptor. As for Tesla Level 3 chargers, they only work with Tesla connectors, but people can purchase connectors that will work on other non-Tesla fast chargers.

Yes, you can, but EV experts and manufacturers advise avoiding charging your EV batteries to 100%. Although the car's BMS (battery management system) will slow down once the charging speed reaches 80%, some people like having a 100% battery to prevent road anxiety.

As it turns out, EVs' software doesn't show accurate data and withholds about 5-10% of the actual battery's status - showing 100% when the precise numbers are between 90-95%. This method allows factories to prolong the batteries' lifespan by preventing customers from overheating and wearing out EVs' lithium-ion batteries.

How many kWh it takes to charge a car depends on the EV's battery capacity and the electric car charger’s power output. There is an easy way to find the exact number by dividing the battery capacity (kWh) by the charging speed (kW). Let's see an example.

If Kia e-Soul has a 64 kWh battery capacity and you use a Level 2 charger of 22 kW to charge it: 64 kWh/22 kW=2 hours 54 minutes to charge the batteries from 0% to 100%. There might be variables that can slightly change charging time - for instance, the first 10% and the last 20%( from 80% to 100%) take longer to charge. You can use this formula as a starting point to estimate the time you might spend charging your EV at commercial electric charging stations.