Charging time depends on the battery’s capacity, power density, and charging power. The larger the capacity, the more charge the battery can hold (analogous to the size of a fuel tank). Higher power density allows the battery to accept more charge per unit time (the size of the tank opening). Higher charging power supplies more energy per unit time (analogous to a pump’s flow rate). An important downside of charging at fast speeds is that it also adds stress to the electric grid.
Charge time can be calculated as:
Charging Time (h)=Battery capacity (kWh)Charging power (kW)
The effective charging power can be lower than the maximum charging power due to limitations of the battery or battery management system, charging losses (which can be as high as 25%), and vary over time due to charging limits applied by a charge controller.
EV Charging Connector Types
Whether you want to charge your electric vehicle at home, at work or at a public station, one thing is essential: the outlet of the charging station has to match the outlet of your car. More precisely, the cable that connects the charging station with your vehicle has to have the right plug on both ends. Makes sense, right? Four types of plugs exist, two for alternating current (AC) which allow charging up to 43 kW and two for direct current (DC) which allow fast charging up to 350 kW.
Let’s start with AC. There are two types of AC plugs:
- Type 1 is a single-phase plug and is standard for EVs from America and Asia. It allows you to charge your car at a speed of up to 7.4 kW, depending on the charging power of your car and grid capability.
- Type 2 plugs are triple-phase plugs because they have three additional wires to let current run through. So naturally, they can charge your car faster. At home, the highest charging power rate is 22 kW, while public charging stations can have a charging power up to 43 kW, again depending on the charging power of your car and grid capability.
Two types of plugs exist for DC charging:
- CHAdeMO: This quick charging system was developed in Japan, and allows for very high charging capacities as well as bidirectional charging. Currently, Asian car manufacturers are leading the way in offering electric cars that are compatible with a CHAdeMO plug. It allows charging up to 100 kW.
- CCS: The CCS plug is an enhanced version of the type 2 plug, with two additional power contacts for the purposes of quick charging. It supports AC and DC charging. It allows charging at a speed of up to 350 kW.
Vehicle Plug Requirements
Tesla Model 3 vehicles use two charging standards for their inlets:
- Type 2: Used for charging at home or at public slow and fast AC points.
- CCS (Combined Charging System): Used for rapid DC charging from a CCS connector.
Additionally, it’s mentioned that SAE J1772 connectors (also known as the J plug) are widely used in North America for Level 1 (120 volt) and Level 2 (240 volt) AC charging. However, Tesla vehicles do not use the SAE J1772 connector as their primary charging standard.
In summary, Tesla vehicles use a combination of Type 2 and CCS connectors for charging, but not SAE J1772.
What type of EV Cars & Trucks are Available
Car & Driver lists all 2024 EV Vehicles Available in the USA
What plug types are available on each EV Car & Truck
Connector Type and Range for 2024 EV Cars & Trucks
Key Facts
Some charging stations have a fixed cable. An attached cable can make a lot of sense at places where you always charge the same car, like at home or at a fixed employee parking spot. It’s convenient because you don’t have to carry around a cable in your vehicle. Be aware that if you charge your car at a public charging station with a fixed cord, you’ll have to check if the attached cable fits into your car’s socket.
o Four types of plug exist, two for AC (type 1 and 2) and two for DC (CHAdeMo and CCS).
o Type 1 is common for American vehicles, it’s a single-phase plug and can charge at a speed of up to 7.4 kW.
o Type 2 is standard for European and Asian vehicles from 2018 onwards, it’s a triple-phase plug and can charge at a level of up to 43 kW.
o CCS is a version of type 2 with two additional power contacts. It allows very fast charging.
o CHAdeMO can be found in Asian cars and allows for high charging capacities as well as bidirectional charging.
North America
As of October 2023, there are 69,222 charging stations, including the Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast charging stations, across the United States and Canada.
As of October 2023, in the U.S. and Canada, there are 6,502 stations with CHAdeMO connectors, 7,480 stations with SAE CCS1 connectors, and 7,171 stations with Tesla North American Charging Standards (NACS) connectors, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center.
As of August 2018, 800,000 electric vehicles and 18,000 charging stations operated in the United States, up from 5,678 public charging stations and 16,256 public charging points in 2013. By July 2020, Tesla had installed 1,971 stations (17,467 plugs).
Colder areas in northern US states and Canada have some infrastructure for public power receptacles provided primarily for use by block heaters. Although their circuit breakers prevent large current draws for other uses, they can be used to recharge electric vehicles, albeit slowly. In public lots, some such outlets are turned on only when the temperature falls below −20 °C, further limiting their value.
As of late 2023, a limited number of Tesla Superchargers are starting to open to non-Tesla vehicles through the use of a built in CCS adapter for existing superchargers.
Other charging networks are available for all electric vehicles. Networks like Electrify America, EVgo (offers some of the fastest charging speeds available in the U.S., deploying high-powered chargers capable of delivering up to 350 kilowatts (kW) for compatible vehicles. EVgo provides stations with a minimum of 50 kW and a maximum of up to 350 kW for simultaneous charging, which can be found in their newest stations.), ChargeFinder and ChangePoint (950 stations August 2024) are popular among consumers. Electrify America currently has 15 agreements with various automakers for their electric vehicles to use its network of chargers or provide discounted charging rates or complimentary charging, including Audi, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Lucid Motors, Mercedes, Volkswagen, and more. Prices are generally based on local rates and other networks may accept cash or a credit card.
In June 2022, United States President Biden announced a plan for a standardized nationwide network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2030 that will be agnostic to EV brands, charging companies, or location, in the United States. The US will provide US$5 billion between 2022 and 2026 to states through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program to build charging stations along major highways and corridors. One such proposed corridor called Greenlane plans to establish charging infrastructure between Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. However, by December 2023, no charging stations had been built.