You must already be aware of the two types of EV charging, i.e., AC (Alternating current) and DC (Direct Current). But, do you know the different levels they belong to? As an Electric vehicle charging station company in India, we manufacturing both level 1 and level 2 AC and DC chargers, in this blog we will throw some light on each.
Like the grades for gasoline, EV charging is categorized by levels. These levels determine the speed at which the charger will charge the battery of an EV. Their capacity of power output is measured in kilowatts (kW). Each kilowatt is equal to 4 miles of conveyance of a standard passenger electric vehicle. In short, the more the output, the faster the charging.
Without any further ado, let’s start with the classification:
Level 1
Level 1 is the slowest type of AC charger. It is plugged into a 120V AC grid giving an average output of up to 2.4 kW of AC power that equates to 3 to 4 miles per hour. With this type of charging it may take up to 24 hours to completely charge an empty EV battery. Further, charging overnight can increase the mileage to up to 50 miles that are sufficient for within the city conveyance for most people. The charging rate of many existing EVs is limited hence higher output may not be required unless newer models with higher capacity. That explains the widespread application of level 1 chargers. However, these types of chargers are best suited for residential rather than public use. They come in form of a cable that can be plugged into an AC socket. Most modern EVs include a level 1 charging cord with themselves, so the cost pertaining to level 1 charging is the cost of electricity rather than acquisition.
Level 2
Level 2 chargers are another type of AC chargers that are faster and operate at the voltage of 208 to 240 and gives an output of up to 19 kW. With this extended output, an improved mileage of up to 28 miles per hour can be achieved. Unlike, level 1 it takes less time to charge comparatively. To fully charge an empty EV charger can take up to 8 hours of time. L2 chargers are mostly deployed at public charging stations, parking garages of commercial buildings, malls and more. People also prefer the home installation of level 2 chargers for the convenience of charging overnight. Application of level 2 AC chargers requires considering acquisition and installation cost.
Level 3
At present time, there is a scarcity of DC charging networks which Griden Power -EV charger manufacturer in India is thriving to overcome with its advanced DC chargers. These fall under the category of level 3 chargers, also known as Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC). They are the fastest chargers providing an output of up to 350 kW. However, the charging rate also depends on the acceptance rate of the EV. New models of Porsche and Tesla are capable of charging over 200 kW.
DC charger can mostly be seen in public charging stations rather than residential given its cost. However, it is a fallacy. Griden provides exceptionally effective DC charging stations that can be deployed at home or anywhere else. DC chargers are a promising investment in the long run. Additionally, Griden’s DC chargers adhere to Bharat DC 001 specifications and offer DC charging units with capacities ranging from 15 kW to 150 kW at an output voltage of 40 to 100 VDC.
The Bharat DC Specifications
The Committee on protocol standardization for EV Charging Infrastructure has issued standards that include AC and DC charging requirements for electric vehicles in India. Bharat EV Charger AC-001 and Bharat EV Charger DC-001 are the names of these standards. According to Bharat DC 001, DC chargers are classified into two levels:
Level 1: Public DC Chargers of 48V / 72V, power outputs of 10 kW / 15 kW, and a maximum current of 200A.
Level 2: Public DC chargers of 30 kW / 150 kW and output voltages up to 1000V.
On a final note, Griden Power provides superior Bharat DC 001 chargers that are powered by artificial intelligence and cloud technology. It’s time to level up the EV infrastructure for a better tomorrow!
