Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (Car Chargers)
Do you own an electric car? Even if you are just thinking of purchasing one, here are some facts you should know:
- Electric plug-in vehicle owners do more than 80% of their charging at home.
- Charging your vehicle, usually in your garage, allows you to take advantage of low, stable residential electricity rates.
- The cost to charge your car at home can be less than the cost of running your air conditioning!
Based on the national average of 12.6 cents/kwh, fully charging an all-electric car with a 100-mile range will cost about the same as running a central A/C unit for 6 hours.
- If you primarily charge your car at night during off peak rates, that cost can be even lower.
- Electric cars are among the LEAST stolen nation-wide. Mainly because they are usually parked in a garage near a charging station.
Once you’ve decided on an electric vehicle, you still have another choice to make. There are two levels of charging you can choose from:
- Level 1 EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment) charging allows you to charge your car with a standard 120 receptacle. However, this receptacle should still be on a dedicated branch circuit for the fastest and safest charging. Level 1 charging does require a significant amount of time to fully charge a vehicle. It will give you 2 to 5 miles driving range per hour of charging time. This length of time can be inconvenient and impractical.
- Level 2 EVSE charging is a much faster and therefore a more practical solution. A Level 2 charger will require a 240-volt receptacle with a load between 20 and 100 amps (depending on the charger you purchase). Once you have selected your charger, Echo Electric can provide you with the correct size branch circuit to your garage, help you determine the best location for your charger, and install the proper NEMA device your charger will require. All you need to do is plug your vehicle in! Level 2 charging will add 10 to 60 miles driving range per hour of charging, so your vehicle can be fully charged in a couple of hours.
You should first check with your electric vehicle manufacturer to see which type of Level 2 EVSE will work best with your vehicle, and then call Echo Electric Company to install the dedicated branch circuit for your charger.