Engadget Explainer: Choosing Among Level 1, 2 and 3 EV Chargers
Engadget says the right EV charger depends on daily driving, home wiring and electricity costs, with Level 1 often sufficient for short commutes and Level 2 better for longer daily drives.
The three levels use standardized industry labels that offer little information on their own, Engadget said. A Level 1 charger uses a standard 120-volt household outlet in North America, limiting it to about 1.4 kW. Level 2 chargers use 240-volt circuits, usually at higher currents. A 40-amp Level 2 charger on a 50-amp circuit can deliver as much as 9.6 kW, and chargers up to 80 amps can deliver as much as 19.2 kW if a home's electrical service can support them. Engadget said a Level 1 charger can take more than 40 hours to fully charge an EV battery, while a Level 3 charger can add hundreds of miles to a car's range within a single hour. Faster is not always better, according to the article, because cost and battery longevity are also tradeoffs.
The technical difference lies in where alternating current is converted to direct current. Level 1 and Level 2 chargers supply the grid's AC power to the vehicle, and the EV's onboard charger converts it to DC before it reaches the battery. That conversion is not 100 percent efficient, generates heat, and is limited by the onboard charger's power capacity. Level 3 charging performs the AC-to-DC conversion before the power reaches the car, bypassing the onboard charger and delivering high-voltage power directly to the battery.
Level 3 chargers typically push 50 kW to 500 kW, enough to fully recharge a depleted EV battery in an hour or two, especially for newer models that support the highest power levels. Charging speeds fall as the battery fills, so no EV sustains its absolute peak rate for very long. Engadget cited the Lucid Gravity, which can charge at up to 400 kW if a Level 3 charger supports that rate, and the Tesla Model Y, whose maximum charging power ranges from 175 kW to 250 kW depending on the model.
For home charging, Engadget said a Level 1 charger is enough for drivers who only travel a few miles a day. There is little reason to spend hundreds of dollars on a Level 2 charger and an electrical upgrade when the EV can charge overnight, particularly for drivers on a time-of-use plan who can schedule charging during off-peak hours. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates Level 1 charging adds about 5 miles of range per hour, meaning even a conservative eight-hour session can add roughly 40 miles.
Level 2 chargers make more sense for drivers who frequently cover longer distances during the week. A 40-amp Level 2 charger can add more than 30 miles of range per hour, allowing hundreds of miles in a single overnight session and largely eliminating range anxiety. Engadget noted that some time-of-use plans offer lower or off-peak rates on weekends, which can let even a Level 1 charger add significant mileage if a car is plugged in all day and parked for most of the weekend. Public Level 2 or Level 3 chargers remain an option in a pinch.
Cold weather can change the calculation. Some EV batteries require warming up in winter, and a Level 1 charger may struggle to heat the battery and deliver power simultaneously. Because cold weather also reduces an EV's effective range, an unheated garage can make a Level 2 charger the more sensible option.
Level 3 chargers are the fastest way to charge an EV battery but are uncommon in residential settings. They require a much more substantial electrical connection, and installing one at home would almost certainly involve a significant electrical service upgrade, Engadget said.