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The popularity of Electric Vehicles (EV) has rapidly grown over the last few years and this trend is showing no signs of slowing down. After all, electrification of vehicles promises to lower carbon emissions and forever change the mobility industry towards a bright and sustainable future. The benefits of lower carbon footprint, superior performance, instant torque and noiseless driving experience are too lucrative to pass by.

With a growing demand to decongest cities and increase energy efficiency, the future is electric and soon fuel-powered vehicles will vanish off the road. However, despite the proliferation of EVs worldwide, there are many unanswered questions in the minds of new drivers, and in this guide, we debunk myths by clarifying the answers to common questions on EV Chargers

1-Where can electric cars be charged? Are they easy to charge?

While traditional cars are refueled only at a fuel station, EVS can be charged anywhere: at your home, office, and public charging stations. A simple plug-in point is all that is required to energize your car for its next ride. Interestingly, most EV owners haven’t encountered any charging-related problems so far with widely available EV charge points. The great news is that the number of publicly available electric vehicle charging stations is swiftly increasing with growing adoption of EVs world over.

2- What are the different types of chargers available?

There are three charging options available for electric vehicles, categorized into level i,2 and 3. The higher the level, the higher the power output and speed of charging your EV. However, charging times are even dependent on other factors such as the type of battery, car’s charging capacity, and the power output of the EV charging station.

Level 1 charger – Plugging your electric vehicle into the socket with a standard AC power plug is a level 1 charge. As a standard household outlet only delivers a maximum of 2.3 kW, Level 1 charging is a slow method giving only 6 to 8 km of range per hour and full charge may take days. Hence this charging option is recommended in emergency situations.

Level 2 charger – This is any standard AC charging station mounted to a wall, on a pole, or erected in the ground. Level 2 charging stations commonly deliver anywhere between 3.4 – 22 kW and are found at residential, public parking, business center, and other commercial locations. At a maximum output of 22 kW, an hour’s charging offers roughly 120 km to your battery’s range. Because of its fast-charging speed combined with smart connectivity and safety features, many EV drivers invest in level 2 charging points at home.

Level 3 charging station – Faster Level 3 charging uses direct current (DC) to charge a vehicle’s battery directly, bypassing the AC/DC onboard converter. Also known as DC chargers, they deliver power directly to the battery within a short time ranging from minutes to hours and are ideal for short-stop gas stations and depots. Charging time can vary for different vehicles as per power outputs. One hour of charging a vehicle will approximately add 278 – 408 km of range.

3- What is AC vs DC power? Why is DC charging much faster?

AC vs DC charging
Alternating Current (AC) alternates direction periodically, whereas Direct Current (DC) flows in a straight line. Without getting too technical, AC can be transported over long distances more efficiently, so it flows out of your socket at your home and office. However, batteries in general can only store DC power. The same principle goes for electric cars. No matter the way you charge, the battery in the car is always charged with DC at the end of the day. (Did you know? Every time you change your phone or electrical devices, the charger converts the AC grid power into DC to charge your device batteries.).

The difference between AC / DC charging depends on whether there is a conversion process or not. With a DC charger, current can flow into the battery directly, while with an AC charger, the electricity must be converted to DC first. Hence this process takes more time as the onboard charger can only take a limited amount of electricity at a time.

4- How long does it take to charge an electric car ?

Now that you’ve understood the different levels of EV chargers and the difference between AC / DC, you can now better relate to the time it takes.
– Level 1 (AC): 10-40 hours
– Level 2 (AC): 1-20 hours
– Level 3 (DC): 7 min –2 hours

5- How far will I be able to drive my electric car?

Most new EV drivers suffer from range anxiety, a fear that their vehicles may run out of power while driving around. The question on every driver’s mind is, ‘how far can I go worry-free on a long-distance trip?’. Well, some years back the best-selling electric cars delivered a maximum range of 175 km only. However, with the advancement in battery technologies, EVs promise a smooth travel up to 313 km to 500 km, allowing you to experience long smooth drives.

The best part is EVs do not suddenly run out of power and modern navigation warning systems help drivers locate the nearest charge points to continue their journey. Read on to know why anxiety is going to be a thing of the past.

We hope this piece has helped you get your head around the questions you had and be the next prospective EV rider on the road.

Electric Way, a top electrical supplier in Dubai, represents leading brands in EV charging technology in the UAE region. The great news is we will be commissioning the first-ever corporate Electric vehicle charging station in our company’s parking lot. To know more about our wide range of EV chargers contact us on +971 4 817 0777 or send an email to sales@electricway.com