At Bailey Electrical Services, we carry out EV charging point installation for both domestic and commercial customers. One of the most common questions we get asked is ‘how do car charging stations work?’
Well, there are a number of different ways to charge your electric car, but all work in fundamentally the same way. You plug your car into the charging point with a special connector – the type varies from car to car – while the charging point is connected to the electricity grid. Some are directly connected to it, while other, more powerful chargers require the installation of additional equipment.
Three main types of chargers are available, which vary in power output, cost and ease of installation. Those able to output higher voltages will be able to charge your car quicker.
Level 1 Chargers:
These charging points use standard 120 V AC plugs and connect to a regular power outlet, making them the easiest and cheapest to install. Because they’re limited to 120 V, however, they won’t charge your car as quickly; every hour of charging will typically boost your car’s range by between two and five miles. While this is a modest amount, if you’re charging your car overnight at home, it may be sufficient.
Level 2 Chargers:
As you’d expect due to their higher voltage outputs, Level 2 chargers can top-up your electric vehicle much more quickly than Level 1 devices – up to 60 miles of range can be regained per hour of charging, in fact. They utilise 240 V residential or 208 V commercial power outlets, but more equipment has to be installed for them to accept this additional power. This makes them a fair bit pricier, but if you need to charge your car in a hurry then it may be worth the cost.
Level 3 Chargers:
Utilising DC electricity, Level 3 chargers – also known as CHAdeMO stations – are the most rapid chargers currently available. In 20 minutes, they can regenerate your car’s range by between 60 and 100 miles, but they’re much more expensive to install as they require specialised equipment and regular maintenance. Not every EV is equipped to handle the additional power supplied by one of these fast charging stations, so it’s important to check yours is compatible before pulling the trigger on one.
We are an approved installer of Rolec charging points, allowing us to offer each level of charger from the company’s expansive range. Rolec has 25 years’ experience with electrical systems, and has become a leading supplier of EV charging points internationally.
Companies which rely on Rolec charging points include the likes of Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota, Tesco, the NHS and UPS.
Whether you’re looking for an affordable solution for your home or a state of the art group of rapid chargers for your business premises, we can help. Rolec offers Europe’s most diverse range of electric vehicle charging systems, so whatever your requirements, Bailey Electrical Services can supply and install a solution that works for you.
To find out more about our installation services or the Rolec range, visit our EV charging page or contact us today.
