The obvious is that it takes mains power and puts in into the car battery, but how exactly?
The mains supply which feeds the EV charger is alternating current (known as A.C and theorised by Nicola Tesla) at a typical voltage of 230-250 volts at 50Hz – which means 50 cycles per second.
This enters the EV charger and is monitored whilst exported into the EV.
Onboard the car is an A.C to D.C (Direct current) converter. This converts the power into DC which is required for charging batteries.
(1) A dedicated domestic EV charger has an output of around 7kW – 7.4kW.
(2) Plug top chargers which connect into regular socket outlets are usually rated at 2.3kW.
A dedicated EV charger has an output over 3 times greater than a plug top charger and charges in an equally faster duration.
Less downtime = vehicle can be charged overnight and are ready to go in the morning with a full battery.
Lower cost = taking advantage of electricity tariffs with lower overnight rates mean the vehicle can charge when the cost of electricity is lowest. This is typically during the night when there is less demand. There is dedicated EV tariffs which are proving very popular due to the cost savings available.
No trailing leads = No running an extension lead outside from your house or garage socket, potentially at low level causing a trip hazard.
Reduced risk of overloading = A 2.3kW plug top charger can potentially overload a circuit and given the long charge duration can cause a significant increase in heat which could contribute to a fire under extreme circumstances.
Reduced risk of nuisance tripping = A dedicated EV charger with its own circuit should not cause the electrics in the home to trip in the event of a fault, if it is designed and installed correctly.
Income generation – If you are located in a densely populated area and your driveway is typically free during the day you can rent your EV charger out to other motorists who can pay using their debt or credit card via an app and the chargers built-in RFID card reader.
It is absolutely worth having a dedicated EV charger installed at home or in the workplace – overnight charging on cheap rate electricity alone could make the financial payback outweigh the outlay of the charger. Not to mention the safety and convenience aspects.
