Electric cars (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles are relatively new on the market and the fact that they use electricity to propel themselves means a new infrastructure has been put into place, one which few are familiar with. This is why we have created this useful guide to explain and clarify the different charging solutions used to charge an electric car.
In this EV charging guide, you’ll learn more about the 3 places where it’s possible to charge, the 3 different levels of charging available in North America, fast charging with superchargers, charging times, and connectors. You’ll also discover an essential tool for public charging, and useful links to answer all of your questions.
Before we get into those concepts, it is good to know the various terms used for charging stations. They usually all refer to the same thing.
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ShareTweetCharging an electric car or plug-in hybrid is mainly done at home.Home charging accounts actually for 80% of all charging done by EV drivers. This is why it’s important to understand the solutions available, along with the pros of each.
There are two types of home charging: level 1 charging and level 2 charging.
For every electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid, the use of a level 2 home charging station is recommended to help you charge faster and enjoy your EV’s full potential. Provincial and municipal incentives are available in some regions to help with purchase and installation costs. You can also check the following websites for more information.
To enjoy all the benefits of charging at home, you need to use a level 2 home charger.
A level 2 charger allows you to charge your electric car 5 to 7 times faster for a full-electric car or up to 3 times faster for a plug-in hybrid compared to a level 1 charger. This means you’ll be able to maximize the use of your EV and reduce stops to charge at public charging stations.
It takes around four hours to fully charge a 30-kWh battery car (standard battery for an electric car), which allows you to make the most out of driving your EV, especially when you have a limited time to charge.
Home charging is normally done on evenings and at night. Just connect your charger to your electric car when you come home from work, and you’ll be sure to have a fully charged battery the next morning. Most of the time, an EV’s range is enough for all your daily travel, meaning you won’t have to stop at public chargers for charging. At home, your electric car charges while you eat, play with the kids, watch TV, and sleep!
Another advantage of home charging is the low cost of residential electricity compared to the cost of public charging stations and the cost of gas.
Public charging allows EV drivers to charge their electric cars on the road when they need to travel longer distances than allowed by their EV’s autonomy. These public chargers are often located near restaurants, shopping centers, parking spots, and such public spaces.
To locate them easily, we suggest you use ChargeHub’s charging stations map that is available on iOS, Android, and web browsers. The map lets you easily find every public charger in North America. You can also see most chargers’ status in real time, make itineraries, and more. We’ll be using our map in this guide to explain how the public charging works.
There are three main things to know about public charging: the 3 different levels of charging, the difference between connectors and the charging networks.
Charging Levels
Charging Station Connectors
Charging Station Networks
There are 3 standard charging levels used to charge electric cars. All electric cars can be charged with level 1 and level 2 stations. These types of chargers offer the same charging power as the ones you can install at home. Level 3 chargers - also called DCFC or fast charging stations - are much more powerful than level 1 and 2 stations, meaning you can charge an EV much faster with them. that being said, some vehicles cannot charge at level 3 chargers. Knowing your vehicle’s capabilities is therefore very important.
Level 1 is the standard wall outlet of 120 volts. It is the slowest charge level and requires tens of hours to fully charge a 100% electric vehicle and several hours for a plug-in hybrid.
Level 2 is the typical EV plug found in homes and garages. Most public charging stations are level 2. RV plugs (14-50) are also considered level 2 chargers.
Lastly, some public stations are level 3 chargers, also known as DCFC or DC Fast Chargers. These charging stations are the quickest way to charge a vehicle. Note that not every EV can charge at level 3 chargers.
First of all, we recommend you avoid level 1 charging stations. They are too slow and are not adapted to EV drivers’ needs when they’re traveling. If you want to charge in the fastest way possible, you should use a level 3 charger, as these charging stations will provide a lot of range to your EV in a short amount of time. However, charging at a DCFC station is only effective if your battery’s state-of-charge (SOC) is below 80%. After that point, charging will slow down significantly. Therefore, once you reach 80% of charging, you should plug your car into a level 2 charger, since the last 20% of charging are as fast with a level 2 station than a level 3, but it is way cheaper. You can also continue your journey and charge your EV back to 80% at the next level 3 charger you meet on the road. If time is not a constraint and you’re planning to stop several hours at a charger, you should opt for a level 2 which is slower but less expensive.
The most common connector is the SAE J1772 EV plug. All electric cars in Canada and in the US can charge using this plug, even Tesla cars as they come with an adapter. The J1772 connector is only available for level 1 and 2 charging.
For fast charging, the CHAdeMO and SAE Combo (also called CCS for “Combo Charging System”) are the most used connectors by electric cars manufacturers.
These two connectors are not interchangeable, meaning a car with a CHAdeMO port cannot charge using an SAE Combo plug and vice versa. It’s kind of like a gas vehicle that can’t fill up at a diesel pump.
The third important connector is the one used by Teslas. That connector is used on level 2 and level 3 Supercharger Tesla charging stations and are only compatible with Tesla cars.
Connector types
Connector: Port J1772
Level: 2
Compatibility: 100% of electric cars
Tesla: With adapter
Connector: CHAdeMO
Level: 3
Compatibility: Check specifications of your EV
Tesla: With adapter
Connector: SAE Combo CCS
Level: 3
Compatibility: Check specifications of your EV
Tesla: No
Connector: Tesla HPWC
Level: 2
Compatibility: Only Tesla
Tesla: Yes
Connector: Tesla supercharger
Level: 3
Compatibility: Only Tesla
Tesla: Yes
Wall Plugs
Wall Plug: Nema 515, Nema 520
Level: 1
Compatibility: 100% of electric cars, Charger is required
Connector: Nema 1450 (RV plug)
Level: 2
Compatibility: 100% of electric cars, Charger is required
Connector: Nema 6-50
Level: 2
Compatibility: 100% of electric cars, Charger is required
Before driving to a charging station, it is important to know if your vehicle is compatible with the connectors available. This is especially important for non-Tesla DCFC stations. Some may have just a CHAdeMO connector, others just an SAE Combo CCS connector, and others will have both. Also, some vehicles, like the Chevrolet Volt - a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, is not compatible for Level 3 stations. Make sure you know your vehicle compatibilities before planning a trip. With our charging map, you will be able to apply the right filters to only show chargers compatible with your electric car.
To be able to properly use public chargers, you’ll have to learn which charging networks are available in your area. There are many different public charger operators across Canada and the United States. Most of them are specific to certain areas, but there can be several of them in the same area. There are two categories of station network operators:
To use a networked charger, also known as smart public charging stations or connected stations, you must subscribe to the network. In most cases, registration is free and fees only apply when you use their chargers, although some of them can be used free of charge. You’ll need the RFID card or the mobile app of the network to activate and use the charger.
ChargePoint
Membership Required
USA + Canada
Blink (CarCharging)
Membership Required
USA + Canada
SemaConnect / SemaCharge
Membership Required
Activate and pay directly from the ChargeHub app
USA + Canada
EVgo
Membership Required
USA
Electrify America / Electrify Canada
Membership Required
USA + Canada
Webasto (Formerly Aerovironment)
Membership Required
USA
Shell Recharge
Membership Required
USA + Canada
FLO
Membership Required
Canada
ZEF Energy
Membership Required
USA
OP Connect
Membership Required
USA
GE WattStation
Membership Required
USA + Canada
Circuit Électrique
Membership Required
Quebec, Ontario
myEVroute
Membership Required
Ontario
Tesla (Superchargers & Destination)
Membership not required, but limited to Tesla vehicles
USA + Canada
EVduty
Some EVduty chargers require membership while others do not
Canada
eCharge
Membership Required
New Brunswick
Sun Country Highway
No Membership Required
USA + Canada
Volta
No Membership Required
USA
Astria
Membership Required
USA + Canada
Independent public chargers are installed by local businesses or by individuals who want to make charging available on their property. It’s not necessary to be a member of a network to use those chargers. Some conditions may apply to some of them.
Workplace charging works very similarly to home charging. It is offered by an employer to their employees. The employees therefore have access to parking spaces with level 2 or level 1 charging stations during the day. Depending on your habits, charging at work could provide enough power for all of your travels.
When combined with home charging, workplace charging can double your daily electric range. This is particularly interesting for plug-in hybrids, as you can use the electric motor for longer distances and therefore save money on fuel.
Level 2 charging allows you to charge faster, which is particularly interesting for part-time employees or for workplaces where employees are not in for the entire day.
The electricity costs of workplaces charging are often taken on by the employer, which means employees can charge at work for free. In other cases, the employer charges fees to use the charger, but the cost is usually lower than charging at a public charger.
In order to encourage employers to install charging stations for their employees, many governments have put in place programs that reduce purchasing and installation costs, as well as different advantages for the employer. However, many employers are unaware of the existence of these programs, and it falls on the shoulders of interested employees to talk to them about it.
Now that you are more familiar with all types of charging for an electric car or plug-in hybrid, we suggest you read our guide on how to choose your level 2 home charger. Since 80% of your charging will be done at home, it’s really important to choose a charging station that answers your needs.
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Just like with how long it takes to charge an EV, the cost of charging depends on multiple variables including where you charge it, or the type of vehicle you drive.
Before we get into it in greater detail, here are the approximate costs of charging four different size vehicles (with battery packs from small to large), at three different types of charging stations, so that you can get a ballpark idea of charging costs for your new EV.
Important: Prices for each charging segment are approximations based on our experience and do not represent a real-life situation. These calculations are based on a median guesstimate charging tariff and represent the cost to charge from zero to 100 percent.
The first thing you need to know when calculating how much it costs to charge your EV is the size of your battery. As shown above, the larger the battery, the more kWhs it can store; the more kWhs it can store, the more power it takes to fill the battery; the more power it takes, the more you have to pay to fill your battery. Simple, right?
Vehicles with a larger battery cost more to charge, but can often drive further on a single charge too.
For instance, a Tesla Model 3 Long Range with an 82 kWh battery costs about $12.30 to fully charge at home but has a range of roughly 614 km (381 miles). However, a Fiat 500e with a much smaller 42 kWh battery, while costing a fraction of the price to charge, only has a 321 km (200 miles) range.
Once you know how big your new EV’s battery is (measured in kWh), you can approximate how much it costs to charge at different charging stations. The three main options are at home, at public locations, or at fast-charging stations.
Charging from home is the cheapest way to charge your new car. Because there’s no middle man standing in between you and the cost of energy, you’ll always get the cheapest rate available to consumers at home.
How much it costs to charge at home is an easy equation. Simply take your latest energy bill and find the price per kWh you pay at home and multiply it by the size of your battery.
On average, residential prices for electricity vary from around €/$0.10 on the low end in Europe and North America to €/$0.32 on the higher end.
At the time of writing this guide, we’ve taken some averages around the world from Energybot (US), the European Union (EU), and Nimblefins (UK):
That means if you’ve just bought a Tesla Model 3 with an 82 kWh battery and pay $0.15 for electricity, you’ll be set back around $12.30 to fully charge your EV.
While this calculation gives an estimation of home charging costs, it doesn’t take into account the battery’s current state of charge, the state of your battery in general, weather conditions, or the type of charger, which can all impact your actual costs.
Public charging stations can range from offices to curbside stations and commercial parking garages to shopping malls, restaurants, and hotels. The truth is that today, there’s no shortage of businesses big and small investing in EV charging. At the same time, cities and governments are investing in EV charging infrastructure to accelerate the shift towards sustainable mobility. When you put both together, you’ve got charging stations springing up in a range of locations.
Public charging stations can be either Level 2 or Level 3 (AC or DC charging stations) stations but, for simplicity, we’ve split them into two categories and will discuss them separately as they usually come with very different costs.
In both cases, public charging has a middleman providing the service (called charge point operators), so public charging stations usually have a marked-up price in comparison to home charging. How much it costs to charge depends on the base price of electricity in your location and how much the provider charges you for the service.
In some cases, like workplaces and offices, the provider is also an employer and will provide EV charging as an employee benefit and may charge less, or even allow employees to charge for free. Others, like parking facilities and shopping malls, will take the price of electricity and mark it up to make a profit on it, like any other service they offer. Some, like restaurants and hotels, may use EV charging as a way to attract new customers and offer free or discounted charging to patrons.
Just like the diversity in how much it costs, how these providers will calculate costs also differs greatly. Below is a list of the four most common ways to calculate charging tariffs.
For example, a charging provider might charge $0.35 per kWh with a $1 service fee, meaning it would cost you $29.70 to fully charge a Tesla Model 3 with an 82 kWh battery.
How much it costs in practice for you depends on the provider, your country and region. While public charging tends to be more expensive, it is often faster than charging at home, and still cheaper than gas.
Level 3 or DC charging is the fastest way to charge an EV. Depending on the power output and your vehicle’s fast charging capabilities, it will likely take somewhere between 15 minutes and an hour to charge your EV up to 80 percent full. These speeds make DC charging stations perfect for quick top-ups at on-the-go locations like highway rest stops, gas stations, or supermarkets.
However, DC charging stations are also the most expensive to build and run. To enable these charging times, DC charging stations have to deliver serious amounts of power to a vehicle’s battery—think between 50 and 350 kW rather than 22 kW, the maximum output for AC charging stations.
As a result of these high installation and operating costs, charging service providers will often ask for a much higher price to pass on some of their expenses to the customer. In some cases, DC fast charging stations can cost double, or even triple, the kWh price of electricity—making the costs here similar to the cost of filling up your tank with fossil fuels.
Typical costs can range from $0.60 per kWh with a $2 service fee to a flat rate of $0.99 per minute. This means that to fully charge the same Tesla Model 3 as above, it would be closer to $50 for a full battery. But where filling up your tank at the gas station is the only option for ICE vehicles, DC fast charging is more of a sporadic convenience on long trips than an everyday tool for your daily commute.
One of the questions we hear potential EV drivers ask us all the time is, are EVs cheaper to charge than filling up a conventional fossil-fuel vehicle? As you may have guessed by now, the answer to that question is almost always yes.
Regardless of charging costs for individual sessions, when you take into account that most EV drivers charge at home, occasionally topping up when shopping or at the workplace, and using fast charging for long-distance journeys, EV charging is usually a lot cheaper than filling a car with gasoline or diesel.
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