Chargeur de voiture électrique 7 kW

Détails rapides

This fact doesn’t stop nearly everybody from calling the wall-mounted box that supplies 240 volts of electricity a « charger. » That box, cord, and plug have a technical name-Electric Vehicle Service Equipment or EVSE-and if you have an EV, you’re going to want to install one at home.

So, it’s slightly misleading to say we’re providing guidance about chargers because we’re really talking about buying an EVSE-which is essentially no more than an electrical device allowing drivers to safely connect an electric car to a 240-volt source of electricity. It’s not rocket science, and you should not overthink the selection and installation of an EVSE.

That said, there are important differences between the various home chargers. And there are a few best practices to keep in mind.

READY TO CHARGE

Home is where EV drivers typically do most of their charging. Surveys show that between 60 to 80% of EV charging is done at home.

Having a Level 2 charging station at home is like having your own fuel station right at your doorstep. Simply plug your EV into your home charger every night, and have your car fully charged and ready for your daily commute in the morning. 

The WATTSC Home charging station is compatible with all electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

• Level I charging requires a standard 120-volt outlet. All electric vehicles come equipped with a cord that you can plug into a common outlet. It’s exactly like charging a smartphone or laptop.

• Level II charging requires a 240-volt outlet and a charging unit. You can purchase a Level II charging unit and install it in your home with the help of a licensed electrician. If you don’t already have a 240-volt outlet in your home for a washer or dryer, an electrician can set that up, too.

How Long Will It Take To Charge?

Charging is totally different from refilling gasoline. Most gas-powered cars are refueled when they are nearly empty. On the other hand, EVs are charged opportunistically; when there’s a plug available, drivers use it.

EV charging takes advantage of all the time cars spend parked, which is estimated to be 95% of the time. Even though it takes longer than pumping gas, charging is not time spent actively attending to the car – it’s time spent sleeping, eating, or working while the car is parked, so don’t be scared away by seemingly long charging times. In fact, since it takes less time to plug in at home or at work than to drive to a station and pump gas, EVs can save time that you would otherwise spend driving to and from the gas station.

The chart below shows the time it takes to go from empty to full charge of some popular EV models.