Last updated on April 19, 2022
There are several ways to charge an EV. All cars have Level 1 and Level 2. Some have Level 3 and Telsa have Superchargers.
Level 1 chargers use a standard 120 volt household connection and a cable/charger system that comes with the car. Level 1 chargers can charge at a rate of 7 to 12 km per hour depending on the car.
Level 2 chargers use 240 volts and require a charger. These are normally residential units but they can be found at public charging locations. Level 2 chargers can charge at a rate of 35 to 60 km per hour depending on the car. Level 2 chargers normally have a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection to allow for off-peak scheduling and remote battery monitoring. All EV’s use the same plug for Level 2.
Level 3 chargers use 480 volts and are considered “gas station” replacements for EVs. Level 3 chargers can charge most cars to 80% battery capacity in an hour.There are 3 types of plugs used for Level 3: 1) SAE-Combo used by most North American and European cars, 2) CHAdeMO used by most Asian cars, and 3) Tesla who have their own plug. Most Level 3 chargers have both SAE and CHAdeMO plugs.
Tesla Superchargers chargers only work with Tesla cars. Charging rates vary: Model 3 282 km in 15 minutes, Model Y 525 km in 30 minutes.
| Car | Range | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Hyundai IONIQ | 274 | 35.5 hrs | 6 hrs | 54 min |
| Chevy Bolt | 417 | 66 hrs | 9.9 hrs | 77 min |
| Nissan Leaf | 240 | 30 hrs | 8 hrs | 40 min |
| Volvo XC40 | 359 | 40 hrs | 8-10 hrs | 50 min |