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Level 1 vs. Level 2 vs. Level 3 chargers

When it comes to charging an electric vehicle, there are several options available depending on how long you need to charge the EV. This depends on the types of connectors used and the level of electric vehicle chargers used.

This article is set to highlight the differences between the different types of chargers. There are three levels to electric vehicle charging and these are level 1, level 2, and level 3. The higher the level of charging, the faster the charging will be. What makes EV charging to be faster is the difference in power supplied among the three levels of chargers. Let’s now consider each level of charging and the pros and cons of each.

Level 1 EV Charger
The level 1 charger uses a regular 120-volt home outlet. This means it is possible to charge your electric vehicle at home due to the low voltage. The type of connectors used are J1772 and Tesla which power up your EV to a charging speed of between 3 to 5 miles per hour. If you are an owner of a hybrid electric vehicle, a level 1 charger is the most recommended option due to the small batteries. One major drawback with level 1 charging is that it requires ample time to charge an EV.  A level 1 charger will typically replenish 4 miles of driving range per hour of charge. It is therefore not the best option to use when planning to drive long distances or using your EV daily. This is why the next level of charging is suitable for most EV owners as it fits their daily charging requirements.
Level 2 EV Charger
A Level 2 Charger is the best option for most EV owners who plan to use their EVs daily. Level 2 chargers can be installed at home and in various public locations such as hotels, train stations, and workplaces. According to Forbes Wheels, this level of charging is able to replenish between 10 and 30 miles of range per hour and this is dependent on the power provided by the level 2 charging equipment and the vehicle’s maximum charging rate. It is considered to be up to ten times faster than the level 1 EV charger and this means that the EV can be available for use in the morning after overnight charging. A level 2 charger will replenish about 32 miles of driving range per hour of charge. For a level 2 charger to perform well and offer up to 80 amps of power, a dedicated 100-amp 208-240V dedicated circuit and a heavy supply line from the beaker box are required. For instance, to use a 48-amp charger, a heavy gauge wire, and an EV charger must be used. Tellus provides AC charger models with output power from 3.3 kW to 43 kW which come equipped with a pedestal/pole mount and a single/dual connector.
Level 3 EV Charger
Level 3 is considered the fastest EV charger and can recharge an electric vehicle at a rate of 3 to 20 miles of range per minute. Level 3 however differs from the above two mentioned levels of charging as it utilizes direct current (DC) while the other levels of charging use alternating current (AC). Level 3 chargers offer a higher voltage, much higher than both level 1 and 2 chargers. Due to their high-voltage supply requirements and their high costs which may reach tens of thousands of dollars, level 3 chargers are mostly found in public areas. Another drawback of the level 3 charger is that it’s also quite costly to set up. It is good to note that Tesla superchargers should only be used to charge Tesla vehicles. Tellus Power Green EV chargers are not only universal chargers, but also provide parallel charging, which means charging both EVs at the same time.

For your needs on installing an EV infrastructure, you can turn to Tellus Power which is an experienced company, having a wide range of products and services. Tellus is well versed in the EV infrastructure market having deployed more than 150,000+ AC and 10,000+ DC fast charging stations worldwide. Tellus provides AC charger models with output power from 3.3 kW to 43 kW which come equipped with a pedestal/pole mount and a single/dual connector. Tellus Power Green also provides DC charger models that output power from 30kW to 300kW and have durable hardware with reliable performance annually.