An electric vehicle charger is a device that supplies electric power to recharge the battery of an electric vehicle (EV). It serves as the interface between the electric grid and the vehicle’s battery, providing the necessary electrical energy to replenish the battery’s charge, allowing the EV to operate efficiently and sustainably. Both fully electric and hybrid cars require EV charging stations to recharge their electric batteries.
With the rising popularity of EV’s, home and commercial electric charging stations are growing in numbers. Many of our own customers including our Director Perry Williams have linked their EV chargers to their solar panel energy systems. This creates a renewable energy eco-system for the home or for businesses.
You most likely will have heard reference to the “Level” of an EV charger. There are three levels i.e. Level 1 – Level 3 chargers.
A Level 1 EV charger is the most basic type of electric vehicle charging equipment. It typically operates on a standard 240-volt AC household electrical outlet, which is commonly found in residential settings. Level 1 chargers are cost effective and suit all homes due to their compatibility with any AC outlet. However, due to their maximum output being 2.3kW, they charge at a rate of 4 to 5 miles of range per hour. Generally, we do recommend you look at Level 2 chargers as they are more efficient and save you time on charging. They also do not link to a wider home energy system and as such there is no communication between the EV and the power supply. This means you have to be very careful as there is not necessarily a failsafe to prevent electrical issues.
Level 2 chargers on the other hand have accurate and effective monitoring tools and can be synchronised with your wider energy systems. While they do require bespoke installation that Level 1’s don’t, it is worth the step up for better efficiency and smarter charging features. Level 2 chargers typically output between 3.4kW – 22kW and are commonly used for both public and home charging. At RR, we offer two Level 2 type EV chargers which you can find more information on in our Home EV Charging page. These types of chargers can provide between 14-44 miles to your battery’s range with an hour’s charging. A big jump up from Level 1 chargers. As stated they also have smart features and even Apps for better control and efficiency, which we detail on our EV page but you can always Contact Us if you would like to learn more about specific features.
Yes, these type chargers do go by two different names that refer to the same charger. Level 3 chargers are high-power electric vehicle charging stations capable of delivering direct current (DC) power to rapidly recharge EV batteries. This differs from Level 1 and 2 chargers that use AC (alternating current) power that is used inside households or most commercial buildings. DC fast chargers can provide significantly faster charging, allowing EV drivers to add a substantial amount of range in a short period of time. These chargers are typically installed at public charging stations such as the service stations off motorways.
An interesting footnote here is that, batteries including EV car batteries and mobile phone batteries can only store DC power. Chargers are responsible for converting AC power into DC power for the purpose of recharging. With DC fast chargers, the power does not need to be converted which is why they can rapidly charge EV’s. Now, charging times can vary depending on the vehicle but you’d be looking at charging up to 80% of the battery within 20-60 minutes.
Not all EV’s are compatible with DC fast chargers however. You should always check the manual or look up your particular model online. This is down to the battery and type of connection used on the car, something we will explain next.
As stated please familiarise yourself with the connection type that your EV accepts. Just like with Android and iPhone, there are different charger connections to consider. Type 1 connections are normally produced on EV’s manufactured in Asia. Type 2 is likely the one you will come across, given it is the most common one in use in the UK. Types 1 and 2 are commonly used for Level 1 and 2 chargers. That is to say, they are used for home and business EV chargers.
The other common connection types include CHAdeMO and CCS (combined charging system). These are for Level 3 chargers, normally found at the service station public EV chargers. They are used for the DC fast chargers and your car will have a compatible inlet to receive these types. These types of connections are considered more universal and are therefore compatible with many types of EV’s, but always check with your manufacturer.
We’d also like to make a mention of the Tesla Supercharger. Tesla actually have their own proprietary connection type. They were previously only available to Tesla drivers but since 2022, they have opened up their supercharger network to non-Tesla vehicles. Your EV just needs to have the CCS type connection and you can use their superchargers.
One aspect of home and business EV charger installation that you need to decide on, is whether you want your charging station Tethered or Untethered. At Recharge Renewable we offer two distinct and high quality EV chargers, which you can find on our Home and Commercial EV chargers pages.
Tethered simply means that your charging cable is permanently affixed to your charging station. Untethered means the cable can be removed and stored in your home or vehicle. An untethered cable means you have the flexibility to store the cable in your car and this can provide advantages if it is needed at another location. These days, most EV’s in the UK and Europe accept the universal fast charger connections so this is not such an important aspect. However, some customers find the tethered option to be harder for storage as there is a large cable to store away.
A good point to note is that, not all EV’s take the same cable as we have explained throughout this article. If in future you change your EV model for example, you may find that your tethered cable is incompatible with the new car. Hence some peoples preference to the untethered option.
Whether you are team tethered or team untethered, it won’t affect the efficiency of your EV charger.
The future of EV charging is poised for significant advancements driven by technological innovation, expanding infrastructure, and evolving consumer needs. As stated above, with home EV charging you may want to consider the tethered and untethered options carefully if you are all in on future EV car purchases.
Given the advancements we have seen with EV cars even in the past 5 years, we also recommend sticking to Level 2 chargers. With the increases in demands of modern life and the strides forwards being made you don’t want to be caught short with long charging times.
It is worth seriously considering home EV chargers as the demands for charging stations increases. EV’s have come under scrutiny due to the “lack of” charging stations and long waiting times for recharging. You may want to stay ahead of the curve and ensure you can be self-reliant. There is even Apps now, such as the Co Charger app that allows you to share your charger location to other EV drivers opening up a new revenue stream for charger owners. Â
Whatever your future plans for your EV, we hope you’ll agree that there is still so much potential in this sector. We have seen this particular part of our industry grow amazingly quickly and we are happy to be able to keep up with the demands of Recharge Renewable customers looking for the next stage of their sustainable journey.
If you are ready to go onto that next stage, please reach out to us below. We’d be happy to answer your questions and have further conversations with other renewable energy enthusiasts!
If you’d like to discuss a quote or have any questions or queries please give us a call, send an email or use the contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!
