Counting Up the Basics of Electric Vehicles and Their Chargers

One, two, three. That’s all the math you need to understand electric vehicles and their chargers. Out on the road today, there are three types of electric vehicle chargers for two types of electric vehicles with one goal in mind: a greener planet.

The two types of electric vehicles are plug-in hybrid vehicles and battery (or fuel cell) electric vehicles. The difference is simple. Plug-in hybrids use electric charging, but you can also stop by the gas station to fill up your tank when the battery runs low. Battery electric vehicles are fully electric—no stopping at the gas station to fill up!

Plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles have a number of incentives across different levels of government when a consumer purchases a car. Recent legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act created a tax credit for consumers of up to $7,500 if you purchase a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle. States may have additional rebates and tax credits for individual consumers and businesses as well, like Pennsylvania’s rebate program for individuals and grant program for municipalities, schools, and businesses.

But you might be wondering, how will I charge my car since there are no ‘gas stations’? 

The infrastructure in place for electric vehicle charging is growing, and consumers and commercial entities alike can find incentives to install chargers at their home or business. While chargers might seem sparse, they are on pace to overtake traditional gas stations within the next ten years.

In a previous post, we covered the three different types of EV chargers for your plug-in hybrid or battery electric car. To recap, Level 1 charging plugs work on a 120 volt outlet that you’ll find anywhere in your home, but they charge slowly, like five miles an hour slowly. If your battery had a 250 mile range, it would take over two days for your car to charge. Because of that, Level 1 chargers work best for plug-in hybrids with shorter ranges.

Level 2 and Level 3 chargers are designed more for battery electric vehicles, but more recent plug-in hybrids may be compatible with these chargers as well. Level 2 chargers use a 240 volt outlet, and they charge at 25 miles an hour. For a 250 mile range, that’s about 10 hours. Plug it in while you sleep or while you work, and you’ll have a nearly full battery. Level 2 chargers use a 240 watt outlet that you may find at home connected to your washing machine or dryer, but plan to install a specific outlet in your garage, since it will be safer for the car and your home.

Level 3 chargers will fill your 250 mile battery range to 80 or 90 percent in 45 minutes. These are commonly used at public chargers. Stop into the grocery store, watch an episode of TV, or read a good book for the short time it takes to fill up your battery. For more information on electric vehicle charging, you can visit the EPA website or the Department of Energy website.

If you’re interested in installing a charger for your business, you can learn more about your utility’s incentives and rebates for them at UtilityGenius. Installing a Level 2 or Level 3 charger can be as much as $12,000 for a business owner, but with your utility’s rebates and incentives for the charger, you can save on thousands on installation.

Some states will offer tax credits on vehicles and/or chargers, too. Between the tax credits on a new vehicle and rebates on a new charger, you could save over $10,000, depending on your state and utility, for a $40,000-$50,000 investment in your energy efficiency and the future of our planet. For larger projects, the investment will grow, but so will your savings from the incentives offered. Before you know it, your fleet will be electrified.