EV Charging & Battery Life

Electric cars need to be recharged frequently for efficiency. However, charging an electric car is a much different experience than refueling a gas or diesel vehicle. Instead of a few minutes, charging an EV can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over 30 hours. This is because there are actually three levels of electric car charging.



Levels of Charging

NeoCharge provides a breakdown of the three levels of EV charging. Each level of charging is defined by the amount of voltage, which directly correlates to the speed or quickness of the charging session. Level 1 (120V) is the slowest, followed by Level 2 (240V), and finally Level 3 (400+V).




Level 1 charges your EV at a voltage of 120V. At this level, electric cars take at least 30 hours to fully charge, although it takes just 5-6 hours to fully charge a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation.

At Level 2, your electric car generally charges faster than in Level 1. Level 2 chargers can be founded at many commercial businesses and can be installed at home. EVs charge at 208V in many commercial areas and up to 240V in residences at Level 2 and can take 4-10 hours to fully charge your EV.

Level 3 charging, also known as DC fast charging, charges your EV rapidly at 480V and can reach up to 80% in under an hour. Only businesses and commercial centers have Level 3
charging stations. A Tesla Supercharger is a version of Level 3 charging for electric vehicles, which can get your Tesla Model S to half-charge in only 20 minutes.

Charging Cost

Normally, businesses and enterprises, such as IKEA, that have charging stations are responsible for setting their own EV charging rates. Most charging stations charge between $10 to $30, but IKEA has yet to announce the costs. EV owners who subscribe to companies such as Electrify America benefit from great discounts while charging their electric cars. Electrify America’s partnership with IKEA envisions having more than 200 individual ultra-fast chargers in 18 states.

IKEA’s partnership with Blink allows customers to charge their electric vehicles, monitor the progress while shopping for convenience, and still benefit from discounts offered through the app.

You can always charge your electric vehicle in your local IKEA and stay informed using your phone’s various EV Charging apps, like ChargePoint, ChargeHub, Chargemap, Charge Way and EV Connect. A unique feature of PlugShare is that homeowners can share their home chargers with other PlugShare users.

With ChargePoint, you even get to charge your electric car for free at your IKEA charging station up to 30A or for 5 minutes. This means you never have to worry if you’re stuck on the way home. Signing up for these apps could get you huge discounts, especially if you often use your EV, and help you save a lot of money.

With the great push for more sustainable energy, vehicle owners are happy to know they can conveniently switch to EVs without worrying about running low on power, thanks to the expansion of EV charging stations.

How Long Do Batteries Last?

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), EV batteries usually perform for between 10 to 15 years, depending on climate and how they’re maintained. After that time, they must be replaced at an estimated cost of $10,000.

In addition, an all-electric vehicle (AVE) can travel up to 370 miles on a single charge, which is 320 fewer miles than a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV). However, an AVE only contributes 1.8-3.5 metric tons of greenhouse gasses per year, while an HEV ranges from 2.8-9.0 metric tons per year.


Conditions That Weaken Battery Range

Naturally, the length an EV battery stays charged depends on a variety of conditions. What’s true regarding fuel economy with petroleum-based vehicles generally holds true for EVs.

Here are a few conditions that undermine EV battery range:

• Aggressive driving, such as rapid acceleration or braking
• Driving on hills or mountainous terrain
• Improperly inflated tires or other out-of-tune automotive parts
• Cold weather
• Idling or unnecessary accelerating and braking in traffic
• Use of snow tires or chains

Here is an informative video that explains how EV cars operate.