There are 3 types of EV charging, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, the 3rd being the strongest and the fastest.
Level 3 charging stations can provide direct charging to your automobile’s battery in the range of power outputs between 50 kilowatts (kW) to 400 kW.
At a fast charging station (level 3 charging). For an average medium-sized electric car, charging time will be between 15 and 55 min on average and cost you between $25 and $50.
It is also known as DC charging at level 3. That’s because, unlike the Level 1 and Level 2 variety, Level 3 charging stations convert alternating current (AC) from the grid into direct current (DC) before reaching the vehicle, skipping the slower onboard converter and enabling much higher speeds of 50–100 kWh.
With so many of us now opting for electric mobility, cars (and charging stations) are a pretty familiar sight on our roads and in our cities. But for people who are new to — or aren’t yet familiar with — driving electric cars, it’s normal to be overwhelmed by the number of new things they have to learn.
Especially since many of these new terms can be very technical.
Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 charging explained
Today, there are three types of EV charging — Level 1, Level 2 and Level — that EV drivers can access. A Level 3 charging station (fast or DC charging) is the most powerful, and can fill some EVs in 15 minutes.
There are three distinct types of EV charging, and all of them stem from the amount of power which passes through the charging station. The power output, in turn, is directly related to charging times. The greater the output the quicker the charge. Just like a game level, the higher you go, the more powerful it gets. Here’s a quick rundown of the three levels of EV charging:
Level 1 charging
The slowest (and least safe) way to charge an electric vehicle, level 1 charging is mainly used for charging without a charging station. Since Level 1 charging means plugging your electric vehicle into your existing wall outlet, the most can come from Level 1 charging stations is 1.3 kW to 2.4 kW — roughly 3-5 miles (6 to 8 kilometers) of range per hour.
Level 2 charging
A Level 2 charging station can fast charge an EV quicker than Level 1, providing between 7.4 and 22 kW of power to the vehicle. These stations can typically be found in public parking lots and are ideal for businesses that want to offer EV charging or electrify their fleet. Level 2 > Home EV charging stations Following home EV chargers. Charging one hour at the full 22 kW will deliver a range of approximately 75 miles (120 km).
Level 3 charging
Level 3 EVSE are the fastest chargers available on the market today. Charging with a Level 3 charging station for an hour can add between 173 miles (278 km) and 298 miles (480 km) of range, depending on the output, from 50 kW to 400 kW.
For additional information on the differences between the three levels of EV charging before diving into Level 3 charging, see this blog that explains EV charging levels.
Level 3 charge, fast charge, ultra-fast charge or DC charge?
Given how fast the electric mobility space, specifically the charging infrastructure industry, is evolving, there is often so much nomenclature floating out there.
Many of these terms are tautological, and confusing as they are for drivers. What some refer to as Level 3 charging, someone else may refer to as DC charging, quick charging, fast charging, or even ultra-fast charging or rapid charging.
In general, all of those terms refer to charging stations that change the charge from AC (alternating current) to DC (direct current) before it gets to the vehicle—but more on that shortly.
What is Level 3 EV charging?
When it all closes into one, Level 3 EV charging is the quickest among the three showed levels for EV drivers. A Level 3 charger can provide the power output to charge an EV in minutes, versus hours for Level 1 and 2 chargers.
For example, a Level 3 charger can take anywhere between 15 to 60 minutes to to charge an EV to 80 percent, depending on the power output. We published another article with all the details on the charging speed of various Level 3 charging stations, and how they might vary.
With unlocked fast speeds, Level 3 charging is ideal for quick stops along highways, inner city charging on the go, commercial businesses like gas stations, and business fleets like taxi or delivery vehicles.
How Do Level 3 Charging Stations Work?
First, in order to grasp how Level 3 charging works, one has to know something about the various sorts of electrical current.
Grid power is always alternating current (AC)
DC: Electric vehicles only take DC — Direct Current
The two factors mean that at some point the current must be converted from AC coming in from the grid to DC, which will be stored in an EV’s battery.
For Level 1 and Level 2 charging, the conversion (AC → DC) between electrical currents must happen in the vehicle itself, inside the onboard charger. So Level 3 charging is a process in which the transformation occurs ahead of the energy reaching the vehicle, at which point the slower onboard charger is skipped and the energy simply flows directly into the vehicle’s battery. Even though Level 3 chargers vary in size and design, there’s one common feature: the conversion process occurs outside the vehicle.
Because the current is converted before it reaches the vehicle, Level 3 chargers are faster than either of the previous types since they can deliver power at much higher speeds.
Cost to charge an EV at Level 3 Charging
As a general rule, Level 3 charge sessions will always be more expensive than Level 1, and Level 2 charge sessions — at the time of publication, the average cost of a full Level 3 charge session is somewhere between $25 and $50.
Level 3 charging: When you choose Level 3, you’re partly paying for the convenience of recharging your electric car much faster. You’re also paying for the investment the charge point operator made in the infrastructure, which is typically much higher than Level 1 and 2 charging.
How much you pay in grails, of course, depends on many different factors: Where are you charging? Are you being charged based on your kWh, per minute, or both? Are you on a membership, or pay as you go?
This is much like what Level 3 charging is best for; it comes down to finding the sweet spot between cost and convenience, and of course your specific vehicle. For example, many EVs have what is called a maximum charging capacity, which is expressed in terms of how many kW the battery can accept.
No matter how brisk the Level 3 charging station, it can only push as much juice into your vehicle as your car will take. So, if your car’s maximum DC charging capacity is 50 kW, and you’re at an ultra-fast Level 3 charging station (350 ) kW, you are paying extra per minute for the same range.
Level 3 charging is ultimately costlier than Level 1 and Level 2 charging, but if convenience is what you’re after, the convenience can often outweigh the costs. Check out our full article for more on Level 3 charging station usage here.
Are all EVs able to use a Level 3 charger?
Most modern EVs use Level 3 charging. However, how much power each vehicle can handle varies widely, and is determined by the battery.
That can be 350 kWh for some batteries or just 50 kW for others. A small number of cars — generally, those with smaller batteries or older models, like the Smart EQ Fortwo, for instance — are unsuitable for Level 3 EV charging.
Tesla has their own Level 3 chargers called “Superchargers” but Tesla owners can also use Level 3 chargers, although some models require an adaptor.
You can look up your vehicle’s battery capacity and maximum charging power here.
Level 3 charger at home
But can you install a Level 3 charger at home? And unless your residence is wired with industrial-strength electricity, the answer is no. To deliver that kind of rapid charging, Level 3 chargers require very high powered current – up to 350 kW – while the average US household only uses 30 kWh a day.
The key advantages of these Level 3 charging stations can be taken to public and commercial locations for rapid top-ups rather than as daily charging.
In fact, due more to their price — which is far beyond that of a Level 1 or Level 2 charger — as well as their complexity, Level 3 fast charging stations are not appropriate for home use.
Level 2 EV charging stations certainly are. You can learn more about home charging stations here.
The significance of Level 3 charging in electric mobility
Electric vehicles are surging year-on-year in terms of uptake as they get cheaper and their performance closes on gas cars. For electric mobility to become the new normal and lead the charge, the charging experience itself must also rival a trip to the filling station in terms of speed and convenience.
Gas stations are everywhere and while most EVs can charge under an hour using Level 3 fast charging and new higher output DC fast chargers are available that will unlock up to 400 kW charging, there is much more to be done to make Level 3 charging as available, easy and omnipresent as gas stations are.
One of the biggest barriers to potential EV drivers actually going through with purchasing an electric vehicle is range anxiety — that is, the fear of not being able to charge when you need it, per our research.
The deployment of Level 3 charging stations will certainly make more fast charging available to EV drivers about the country and ease any concerns over range. With this technology rapidly becoming accessible, electric mobility is predicted to dominate within the next few years.
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