Types of Commercial EV Chargers

There are currently three types of commercial EV charging stations, with differences you should understand.  Here’s what you need to know about the three types of commercial EV charging stations for your electric vehicle.

Level 1 Charging Stations (12 hour charge/6-8 miles of range per hour)

When you plug your EV into the wall socket behind your garage workbench, you have just created a Level 1 charging station. Level 1 stations are called for where only a 120V AC outlet is available, and less than 5% of all public charging stations are of this type.   

Level 1 stations are the slowest charging stations.  A 12-hour charge using 120V power only delivers about 96 miles of driving range for a normal mid-size electric vehicle.  Still, most EVs are delivered with a Level 1 cord set that features a NEMA standard three-prong home plug connector on one end and an SAE J1772 connector on the other that plugs into the car. 

Level 2 Charging Stations (2-6 hour charge/15-80 miles of range per hour)

Level 2 charging stations are the most common type of EV charging station for both residential and commercial applications.  At home, they typically operate on 240V electrical service, while public Level 2 charging stations normally feature 208V service.  

Public Level 2 stations can operate at up to 80 amperes and deliver 19.2 kW, but most home-based Level 2 stations are designed to operate at around 30 amperes and to deliver around 7 kW of power.

Level 2 charging equipment uses the same J1772 connector used for Level 1 charging, and all commercially available electric vehicles can be charged using both Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations.

Level 3 DC Fast Charging Stations (15-45 minute charge/100-350+ miles per charge)

In 2020, just over 15% of public EVSE ports in the U.S. were direct-current (DC) fast chargers.  Charging stations that feature fast charging ports typically rely on 208/480V AC three-phase input.

DC fast-charging stations are normally found along heavy traffic corridors, where they can service the most EVs, and typically involve more engineering and electrical infrastructure to provide for their safe operation.  Today, DC fast-charging stations feature three different connector types: SAE Combined Charging System (CCS), CHAdeMO, and Tesla.  

CCS connectors - sometimes referred to as “J1772 Combo” connectors - are almost identical to the J1772 connectors, but include two additional bottom pins.  CCS connectors allow users to use Level 1, Level 2, or DC fast charging equipment with only one connector.

CHAdeMO connectors are the most common fast-charging connectors, and Teslas all come with unique connectors and adaptors that allow users to charge their EVs at every type of charging station.