Electric Vehicle Charging Explained

Dipayan Dutta explains the various nuances that you should know about electric vehicle charging from types of chargers to understanding the battery capacity of your electric car and the types of chargers it can work with

- Dipayan Dutta

Time-efficient charging is the cornerstone of practicality for an electric vehicle. As electric vehicles continue to evolve in pursuit of becoming the default mobility solution for the masses, it’s important that we understand the various technologies so that we can make better-informed decisions with regard to the vehicles that we are interested in. Broadly speaking, a good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that DC (Direct Current) charging technology is the faster charger, AC charging is relatively slower. Now AC charging is further subdivided into Level 1 chargers, the kind that works on a 15A wall socket, and Level 2 charging that usually comes through an AC charging box that comes with the electric car. DC fast charging is broadly categorized as Level 3 chargers, although their speed is dictated by the voltage they produce. For example, Tesla’s Supercharger V3 is widely regarded as the benchmark for DC fast chargers in the world of electric vehicles, this 480V DC fast charger can supply each car with 250kW. For a Tesla Model Sowner that means roughly 25km being added to the range every minute. Whereas most DC fast chargers in India on average range between 70kW to 150kW on average. It’s worth noting that most DC fast chargers are usually part of the public EV infrastructure since they need direct access to high voltage lines.

It is important to remember, that just because the technology exists it doesn’t mean that it will apply to your electric car. So before we jump into the types of charging, here are some pointers to remember when it comes to things that you need to know about your electric car’s battery and charging capabilities.