Frequently
Asked Questions
EV Charging for Your Home
1. What is Level 2 EV Charger Installation?
The majority of electric vehicles come with a 120-volt charger to plug directly into a wall outlet. This is the least economically efficient way to charge your vehicle, as well as the slowest way to charge. A Level 2 Charger is a 240 volt charger that can charge up to 10 times faster than a typical wall outlet. Level 2 Chargers have different capabilities. There are Dual Charging Stations made for two vehicles. Networked Stations connect directly to your home WIFI and allow for ever changing features such as monitoring, scheduling charging for “off peak hours”, and some allow for 2 chargers to share one power source and charge at your command. Simpler, Non-Networked stations are more economical and are widely available as well.
2. How Much Does Level 2 EV Charger Installation Cost?
The cost of residential EV charger installation will depend on several factors, including the type of property, the age of your home, where your electrical panel is located compared to your potential station, and the existing load of your panel. The cost can drastically vary from one property to another. Most home installations can range from $700 through $2,000. The best way of narrowing this price down is to get a quote from one of our trained estimators.
3. What Does Level 2 Charger Installation Entail?
There are a few steps involved in charger installation for residential properties. If you are a renter, or part of a community you may need permission. After you have permission, you then call us for a quote. After you accept our quote, we will handle township approval and permitting. At this point you are ready for the installation.
Commercial EV Charger Installation
1. What is a Networked Charging Station?
A Networked Charging Station allows the owner of the charger abilities to control every aspect of their charging stations. In planning, our project manager will introduce you to our Network Partners to give you a wide range of options. Networking capabilities include but aren’t limited to the following.
- Select Pricing – All of our Network Partners will estimate your total cost per KWH for your charging stations to allow the owner to decide exactly how much to charge to either stay competitive, attract customers, and turn a profit. The network allows for owners to give discounts to employees, tenants, fleet vehicles or anyone they would like to discount. Pricing flexibility is a key to owning Electric Vehicle Chargers.
- Cost Tracking – The network will allow you to track costs between stations and multiple properties, giving you opportunity to see where you may need more chargers to meet your demand.
- Service Tracking – The network can track and monitor charging stations to immediately fix any software or hardware issues before the owner even notices. This provides minimal losses while your station may be out of order.
2. What is Level 3 Supercharger?
Level 3 charging, also known as DC fast charging or supercharging, is the ultimate in speedy EV charging. Rather than hanging around waiting for hours for your car to charge, this innovative technology can provide a full charge in just 15-45 minutes (level 3 chargers can transfer 80% of electric power to the battery within half an hour). Superchargers feature level 3 CHAdeMO technology and with a converter allow for most cars to charge on every charger. Level 3 charging capabilities are growing as the vehicles evolve, and the leading brands are producing their DC chargers to output up to 1000v DC. As the vehicles evolve, simple upgrades will allow existing Level 3 Charging Stations to charge vehicles with significantly faster speeds.
3. Who Should Install Electric Car Charging Stations?
Many EV owners do not have adequate charging stations at their home. Central business districts, city centers, shopping malls, retail lots, workplaces, and public parking structures are ideal locations for public EV charging stations. Electric vehicles charge where they are parked, EV drivers flock to public parking that allows them to run their errands while boosting their vehicle’s battery. Charging stations near restaurants and retail stores also encourage drivers to dine or shop longer so they can fully charge their vehicle.
Many workplaces, office plazas, and multifamily communities are also adding charging stations for their employees or tenants to use. After all, this is where people spend most of their time. EV drivers want to leave work or leave their apartments with a full charge, so they will look for businesses with charging amenities.
4. What Kind of Commercial Charging Station Do I Need?
Commercial EV charging stations are classified by charging levels (or charging speeds) and data communications.
Level I charging is the slowest option, with three to five miles of travel added per hour of charging. EV drivers receive a basic Level I cable to plug their vehicle into a typical 110V wall outlet, but often find that this speed is too slow for overnight charging.
Level II charging stations offer faster charging solutions, using 208/240V and 30-100 amp electricity to deliver about 12 to 80 miles of range per hour of charging time. This is the standard for daily EV charging for commercial properties who expect cars to sit in their parking lot for 2-8 hours.
Level III, or DC Fast Charging, is the fastest charging level, offering anywhere from 35 to more than 300 miles per hour of charging. However, while DC Fast Chargers deliver a faster charge, they require 3 Phase 480 Voltage, are expensive to install, and are not compatible with all electric vehicles.
Besides charging speeds, a charging standard has emerged for the commercial market: Networked Charging. With a smart network and data communications, commercial property owners can restrict access to approved member groups, set custom pricing to recoup energy costs, download usage reports for stakeholders and city officials, and monitor station health remotely.