Unlike a gasoline-fueled car, one major perk of an electric vehicle is that you can plug it in at home or at an EV charging station on the go.
Plugging into an electrical outlet at home is one thing. But those big EV charging stations popping up at the end of big suburban parking lots or in urban parking garages open up a world of questions.
Good news! We have answers and a reminder that there is no reason to be afraid of what is admittedly a very different infrastructure for electric cars than what you are used to with gas cars.
Spoiler alert: Electric cars are a cinch to charge once you work out the basics.
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First things first. Download a charging station location app to your smartphone. Sure, every EV’s built-in navigation system can point you toward charging stations. But that is only half the battle. You will want the latest information, and many apps can tell you if the plugs are in use and if there is some fault with the station. This can save you tons of frustration, though admittedly, station faults are rare.
The most popular app by far is PlugShare, which relies on users to supply information about charging stations. You’ll find out about any recent changes. For instance, is the EV charger in a parking lot now under construction, and those chargers became temporarily off-limits?
PlugShare works with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay so that you can pull it up from most late-model EV touchscreens.
A backup you absolutely must also download is ChargePoint. Sometimes it is easy to compare the two, and many users report that ChargePoint is more user-friendly.
Individual charging station providers such as EvGo and ChargePoint also have their own apps, which can allow easy monitoring of your connected vehicle.
Some, yes, are free. But free EV charging stations are far less common than those where you pay.
You may wonder just how much it will cost to charge an electric car at a public charging station.
Generally speaking, most charging stations will charge by the kilowatt-hour (kWh). Whatever they charge costs more than what it would to plug your electric car in at home. Most households in the United States pay an average of about 12 cents per kWh, and it’s unlikely you’ll find many public chargers that offer to juice up your EV for less than that.
In many cases, individual station owners set charging prices. Just because there’s a ChargePoint logo on the charger doesn’t mean that the one at your local grocery station will cost the same as one in front of a favorite coffee shop.
Some major retailers such as Whole Foods currently offer free chargers at many locations, though realistically, this perk is bound to expire at some point.
Additionally, most new car dealers offer free charging stations on-site, though their usefulness is dubious. For one, the locations of car dealers don’t tend to in the most convenient areas. Also, dealers will need to use them for their cars. After hours, many dealers close gates that will prevent drivers from reaching those stations, too.
In short: Don’t expect to get by with free charging forever.
Still, it likely only costs a few dollars to add 100-plus miles of range to most electric cars, and that makes plugging in cheaper and greener than filling up with unleaded. Oh, and electric vehicle charging stations are sparkling clean compared to gas stations.
Most public EV charging stations will require you to sign up for an account, though this is simple enough. These networks will store your credit card on file and typically give you a card to wave in front of the charger to activate it. Hint: Keep that card in your glove box or center console.
From there, charging couldn’t be more effortless — and cleaner.
Pro Tip: Find a charging station near a restaurant or coffee shop, should you need to whittle away time.
A display at the charging station will show you how much electricity (and how much money) you’ve added to your electric car. And there will be a clearly marked phone number you can call if you have any questions or need assistance.
Most public charging stations deliver Level 2 power, adding 25 miles per hour to a Chevrolet Bolt EV. Level 3 chargers, also known as direct current fast chargers, provide way more power, but they are far less common.
Tesla’s SuperCharger network offers DC fast charging, but only to that automaker’s vehicles. And that brings up an important note for Tesla owners. To use a non-Tesla charger, you will need a commonly-available adapter available for less than $100.
The most convenient places to top off are the places where your electric vehicle will be parked most often: home and work. At home, you’ll want a Level 2 charger, which requires 240-volt power reasonably close to the car.
Drivers who park in a private garage or even a driveway will likely have no issues. The 240-volt electricity is generally easy to add to a garage. The plug needed for a charger is the same as an electric clothes dryer.
A brief survey of electricians across the country found an average installation cost of around $250 for a 240-volt outlet. However, numerous factors can make this estimate more expensive. That said, many new homes get built with accommodation for electric cars.
From there, you will need to pick out a charger — plan to spend between $400 and $700. The charger plugs into your new 240-volt outlet and features a cable that plugs into your car. Longer cables are available for most chargers for drivers who need the charger inside a garage but must park outside.
Drivers who street park or use apartment or condo garages may need to come up with another solution. Municipalities generally frown upon a charging cable stretching across the sidewalk to a car, and installing your charger in a multistory garage is, of course, a no-go.
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