Overall, there are a few other things to keep in mind. One, you’ll rarely charge your battery from completely empty to completely full. EV drivers are far more likely to “top off” their battery—making charging times quicker in practice. (In general, most manufacturers suggest keeping the battery’s charge in the range of 20 to 80 percent to extend its life.)
And, of course, not every car has the same battery capacity. General Motors’ 2022 all-electric Hummer, with its massive 212 kWh battery, could take hours longer to fully charge than the Chevy Bolt’s more modest 65-kWh battery. That said, Level 2 charging can generally charge even the biggest EV batteries overnight.
Additionally, not every battery can accept electricity at the same rate, a limitation that’s most relevant when it comes to Level 3 charging. The first generation of EVs was often only capable of charging at 50kW, so they cannot take advantage of the 350kW Level 3 charging stations that are increasingly the industry standard and which can provide hundreds of miles of range in about as much time as it takes to get a coffee and use the restroom.
EVs have distinct charge ports, which are like outlets on the car. This means that the shape of the plug you connect to your EV varies as well. It’s important to know what plug your car uses, as not every public charging station will be compatible with every kind of plug.
For Level 1 and Level 2 charging, all EVs sold in the United States (besides Teslas) use a J1772 plug (also known as a J-plug). For speedy Level 3 DCFC, all U.S. EVs (again, besides Teslas) use either CCS (which stands for “combined charging system” and is the most common) or CHAdeMO plugs, depending on the brand of car. Teslas use the same proprietary plug for all levels of charging—including at Tesla Supercharger stations. They also come standard with a J1772 adapter.
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