This article discusses EV wall chargers found in the home, garage, and commercial areas such as hotels and parking lots. They are typically smaller machines with a 7kW AC power source.
So, in some ways, a standard domestic socket in your garage may be considered a wall charger. Depending on the country you live in, you may charge your electric car at a rate of around 2kW using this outlet. To fill a Hyundai Kona from 0 to 100%, it would take slightly over 30 hours. But, since we're not going to talk about domestic sockets.
The regular EV Wall Charger are physically larger than a standard household outlet, and they will also be more powerful. Some units are small, about the size of a small pot and others used in more commercial contexts are much bigger.
Tesla Home Charger
On single-phase energy, charging speeds for these types of units will be around 7kW -11kW. That's enough power to get your car to travel 40 kilometres per hour. Obviously, this is much slower than the DC chargers found at gas stations and other locations, but let's face it: if you're sleeping in your bed, it doesn't matter how long your car charges overnight...it'll be full when you get up the next morning!
However, there are some limits to be aware of. Some earlier EVs, such as some early Nissan LEAFs, could only charge at a rate of little over 3kW on AC. So even if you had a 7kW charger, you'd only be able to use roughly half of it. On the other hand, many current EVs can handle more than 7kW. The car might absorb 22kW in the case of the Renault Zoe and the future Nissan Ariya but would obviously be restricted to the 7kW of the charging device itself.
Wiring and electrical systems in the home is a bit more complex. Different countries have varied levels of power supply. Some countries, for example, use a low voltage of 120 volts or a higher voltage such as 240 volts. In the UK, it's nearly unheard of for a home to have anything other than single-phase power. In some other countries, however, three-phase power is more popular and provides significantly more power to the home. Many commercial buildings and offices will, of course, have a more reliable power supply and may be able to support a whole bank of chargers for their customers and employees.
Another consideration is the quality of your home's electrical system. It's possible that the wiring in some older homes hasn't been changed in a long time. Have you ever had an electric shower installed in your home and told that you needed to upgrade something by the electrician? It's a similar concept. Installing a charger may not be as straightforward as you think. To keep the charger safe and avoid overloading your home's power supply, they may need to install diverter switches.
Commercial Wall Chargers for EVs are built for profit and they will be the most crucial as we move to an EV future. Consider how many kilometres a commercial vehicle travels in its lifespan. Taxis, couriers, postal vans, police cars, buses, and a variety of other vehicles are all available. They're currently emitting diesel fumes, and it would be fantastic if they could all be converted to electricity. However, they will need special and large enough places for charging.
Tesla Public Charger
Because many of these commercial vehicles run on a weekly schedule, they will spend their evenings and weekends in a depot. There will be plenty of time to recharge for the next day's job. Many city delivery trucks use only 5 to 10 kWh of electricity each day, therefore they may be charged in the time it takes the driver to eat their lunch!
But home charging is the most convenient for the average EV driver especially when it can be charged overnight and you wake up with a ‘full tank’.
Most electric cars come with a portable charger that can be plugged into a standard power outlet. These chargers should feature a built-in control and protection system (ICCPD). It's risky to utilise a charger that doesn't have an ICCPD.
If you have a space in your garage or around the house where a wall-mounted charging device can be installed, this is a terrific option to charge your electric car much faster than using a regular connection. However, we recommend hiring a qualified electrician to inspect the wiring and plugs in your home before acquiring a wall charger just so you have peace of mind that everything is in perfect working order. An electric vehicle (EV) is a massive battery that will be drawing electricity from the grid on a daily basis - be sure your home is prepared to handle the load.
