Public charging stations are becoming more common in urban areas, and the majority of electric-vehicle charging in the U.S. actually happens at home. This is because many people have access to a private garage or driveway where they can plug in their car overnight. However, as battery technology improves and fast-charging infrastructure becomes more widespread, we may see a shift away from home charging toward public options.
Based on data from the Department of Energy, most people who own plug-in electric vehicles charge them at home over 80 percent of the time. This is likely due to the convenience of being able to charge at home, as well as the lower cost of charging at home compared to public charging stations. The country’s public charging infrastructure is important for people who can’t charge at home or at work. For some, this could be 100 percent relying on public chargers but there are other people who can charge partially at home or work.
Public Charging Stations
Public charging stations use either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) to recharge the batteries in EVs. AC charging is the slower of the two methods and usually takes place at Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations, which can be found at public parking garages and some workplaces. DC fast charging is the quicker method and can be done at Level 3 charging stations, which are often located at gas stations or convenience stores.
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, and every model on the road today is compatible with U.S. standard Level 2 chargers. Most homes can be easily outfitted with this type of charger, known in the industry as SAE J1772. This makes “refueling” your electric vehicle a breeze, and keeps you from having to worry about finding a compatible charging station when you’re out and about. The Tesla vehicles come with the brand’s proprietary Supercharger connector. In order to connect to a J1772 plug, the owner just needs to use the adapter that came with their model.
There are a variety of public chargers available for non-Tesla drivers. These chargers are easily accessible and can be found in a variety of locations. There are dozens of apps and websites that allow you to find electric vehicle charging stations. Some of the best include PlugShare, Open Charge Map, and ChargeHub. These platforms not only show you where charge stations are located but also whether or not they’re currently occupied. The Level 2 charging units’ handles are not too heavy and they give a satisfying click if they lock into your car’s charging port, which allows you to know that they’re securely attached. These are perfect for use in all weather conditions. Level 2 provides electric vehicle owners with decent charging speeds, around 20 to 25 miles of range in an hour. Not only this, but these stations are easy to find as well, with the DOE listing 22,816 Level 2 public stations on its website as of mid-2020. This makes Level 2 the most popular type of station among EV drivers.
How to Charge Quickly
To charge your battery more quickly, look for a DC fast charger. The charging method can be used to charge up to 80% of your battery’s total capacity in just 30 minutes. There are currently two different types of charging standards in the United States, not including Tesla’s Supercharger network. The Supercharger network offers similar performance but is only compatible with Tesla’s electric vehicles. The CHAdeMO andCCS standards for electric vehicle charging are different from those of Tesla. Both of these standards offer a different way to charge an electric vehicle, with CHAdeMO offering a faster way to charge than the SAE Combo CCS standard. There are only two companies that use CHAdeMO for charging, Nissan and Mitsubishi. All other non-Tesla brands use CCS instead. Some Tesla owners have purchased an adapter that allows their vehicle to charge with CHAdeMO. This has been a convenient way for them to keep their car charged, as it is compatible with many different types of charging stations.
If you want to know which fast-charging station will work with your car, you can download the Chargeway app. The names of charging stations were eliminated with the help of the color-coded number system in the app. The number system is basically foolproof and makes it easy to find a compatible charging station for your car.
In addition to the aforementioned Level 2 stations, the U.S. Department of Energy says there are now 3653 DC fast-charging stations in the United States, 813 of which are for Teslas. The numbers don’t give a true picture of what’s going on. Some stations have many plugs while others only have a few plugs at all. Second, vehicle connectivity is not the only aspect of public charging. In order for drivers to use public charging stations, they must first pay for the service. While many electric car charging stations are operated by individual businesses or even municipalities, there are also a number of larger networks that manage multiple stations. There are three non-Tesla networks in the U.S. that are bigger than Tesla’s charging network. They are EVgo, ChargePoint, and Electrify America. These networks typically have an app or some other way to pay for charging, which can make it more convenient than paying at each individual station. They may also offer membership plans with additional perks, such as discounts or faster-charging speeds.
Electrify America
Volkswagen agreed to invest $2 billion in EV infrastructure and awareness as part of the settlement for Dieselgate. The 10-year investment will go towards creating Electrify America, which will help to increase the availability of charging stations and promote the use of electric vehicles. The charging network is not affiliated with any particular brand, and its stations feature both CCS and CHAdeMO connectors. As of the most recent count, there are over 420 of these stations. In order to use an Electrify America station, you will first need to pay a $1.00 session fee. In addition to this, you will also be charged a per-minute rate for the duration of your stay, which varies depending on the battery-recharge rate. If you invest in an Electrify America membership, it will be for $4. A month. The session fee is waived and the per-minute rate is lowered. Users can pay for their charging via a credit card or with the company’s app.
Three years of unlimited 30-minute charging at Electrify America is something that will be exciting for the buyers of the Porsche Taycan. The 1000 kilowatt-hours of charging the Audie e-Tron owners get over the course of four years is provided by the site.
FordPass Charging Network
As part of its commitment to reducing emissions, Ford has partnered with Electrify America to offer owners of its vehicles two years of complimentary access to the FordPass Charging Network. The FordPass Charging Network consists of 12,000 stations and more than 35,000 plugs, making it one of the largest electric vehicle charging networks in the United States. This partnership will help make driving an electric vehicle more convenient for Ford customers and further reduces the environmental impact of transportation. Owners will still need to pay for the energy they use, which can be done through the FordPass app or using the car’s in-dash screen.
EVgo, ChargePoint
EVgo currently operates more than 800 fast-charging locations in 66 markets across the United States. The ChargePoint and EVgo roaming access agreement will give EVgo customers the ability to use ChargePoint charging stations without having to create a separate account. This agreement between the two companies will provide increased access to charging stations for EVgo customers, giving them more options for keeping their electric vehicles charged. This agreement makes it easier than ever for EVgo customers to keep their vehicles charged and on the road. EVgo is also partnering with Electrify America, EV Connect, and Nissan.
Since its inception, ChargePoint has been working alongside automakers to give out introduction kits for EV drivers of several new cars from different brands. The kit includes a home charging station and various adapters that allow the driver to charge their car at any of the company’s over 16,000 public charging stations. The introduction kits include a charge card and a quick start guide that walks new EV drivers through how to use ChargePoint stations. With the card, drivers can access over 30,000 public charging spots across North America. Although ChargePoint doesn’t offer any package deals, it operates stations for independent owners and doesn’t set pricing or offer a subscription service for drivers. This allows drivers to choose how they want to pay for their charges and gives station owners the freedom to set their own prices.
Tesla’s Superchargers and Destination Chargers
Only Tesla’s owners have access to the company’s charging network with DC fast chargers, called Superchargers. In addition to installing “destination chargers” at hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers, the company has also taken measures to make it easier for its customers to charge their vehicles. The cost of using Superchargers varies depending on the model of your Tesla and when you purchased it. Some Model S and X owners can use Superchargers for free, while others – including Model 3 owners – have to pay a fee. Tesla says that the cost to charge up is approximately $0.28 per kilowatt-hour, which would amount to $23 for a full charge on a Model S – enough to travel 300 miles. If you convince someone else to buy a car through a referral program, you will get 1000 miles of free Supercharging. The buyer will get 1000 free miles of Supercharging.
