There are many different terms and buzz words used in EV charging. For example, you may see articles on level 1 charging, level 2 and level 3 charging or AC/DC fast charging. The industry is complex, and our mission is to make things simpler so you can get the EV charging solution that meets your needs. We cut through the jargon!
In a nutshell, it is really the fastest available charging at home. Tesla uses 40 amp level 2 charging and since then it has become the gold standard in fast charging or level 2 charging. 40 amp (current) produces a high output (kilowatts per hour), which will charge or “fill” your battery more quickly. A 40 amp level 2 charger will power up your battery 3 to 4 times faster depending on the size of your battery and how much charge it can receive (some batteries have a slower charging rate due to limits on their power acceptance). Level 1 EV charging on the other hand is much slower.
This standard provides a charge of ~ 9.5 kilowatts. As batteries get bigger, this provides a larger kilowatt per hour charge and also suits well the amount of power that electric vehicles on board charger can accept. A few additional reasons in the U.S. has enabled this: –
This is because electrical standards designate that that a circuit is equal to 125% of an electrical device/instrument’s continuous load. This means only 40 amps should be used on a 50 amp circuit
Some newer, higher performance pure electric vehicles now have 11-KW on board chargers (this is the amount of power the charger can accept each hour). A 48 amp level 2 charge is possible but requires electrical work to have an electrician hardwire the device directly in the circuit. This is often overkill, is expensive and there is no ability to plug/unplug your EV charger for portable charging or if you move house.
There are two reasons:-
We recommend our NEMA 14-50 level 2 and NEMA 6-50 40 amp level 2 EV chargers. 40 amp level 2 chargers will generally charge your car more quickly. This can reduce range anxiety (if you need a full charge quickly to give you maximum range) and allow you to complete your EV charge in a shorter period of time such as overnight when electricity is cheaper. A 40 amp level 2 charger will also futureproof you as batteries get bigger and can accept more charge. It will charge your current car as fast as it can accept and charge your next car faster.
Yes. Level 2 EV charging is considered as any charge more powerful than level 1 12 amp or level 1 16 amp (120 volt) charges. The type and speed of level 2 charging will depend on the EV charger plug type.
Table comparison of Level 1 v Level 2 EV Charger charge times
Charging Level | Plug Types | Miles per hour of charging* | Approximate charge time to full battery |
Level 1 Charging
(regular home 3 pin) |
NEMA 5-15
NEMA 5-20 |
2 to 3 miles | 8-24 hours
(Depends on size of battery) |
Level 2 Charging
(20-30 amp plug) |
NEMA 6-20
NEMA 6-30 NEMA-10-30* NEMA 14-30 NEMA L14-30 |
5-15 miles | 6-20 hours
(Depends on size of battery) |
Level 2 Charging
(50 amp plug, 40 amp charge) |
NEMA 14-50
NEMA 6-50 NEMA 10-50* |
Up to 30 miles | 3-12 hours
(Depends on size of battery) |
The continued use of NEMA 10-50 and 10-30 plugs is dangerous. If you have either a NEMA 10-50 or 10-30 plug we strongly recommend finding a licensed electrician in your area to change these plug outlets to grounded type outlets. Both NEMA 10-50 and NEMA 10-30 are non grounded plugs i.e. hot hot neutral and are missing the critical ground conductor.