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About Electric Vehicle Charging

Why Install an Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station?

Charging in a single-family home, typically in a garage, is convenient and inexpensive. For those reasons, most EV drivers do more than 80% of their charging at home using either a Level 1 charger cord or a faster-charging Level 2 charger.

For public host sites like businesses, municipalities, or multi-family residential complexes, installing an electric vehicle charging station can increase workplace loyalty, demonstrate sustainability commitments, strengthen relationships with customers and attract new ones.

EV charging at a public site or workplace can help reduce the environmental impact and cost of employee and customer commuting while supporting the growth of EV fleets. Click here to find an Efficiency Maine Qualified Partner near you with experience installing Level 2 electric vehicle chargers. 

About EV Charging Stations

There are three primary types of charging equipment:

 

Description

Best Suited

Power Supply

Approximate Charging Time

Typical Costs* 

Efficiency Maine Funding

Level 1

Typically the charger included with an EV purchase or lease.

Residential, workplace

Standard 120V outlet (standard home outlet)

8-15 hours

$300-$1,500 equipment; 0-$3,000 installation

N/A

Level 2

Most home and public chargers are Level 2.

Residential, workplace, multifamily dwellings

240 V
(similar to an electric dryer outlet)

3-10 hours

$400-$6,500 equipment; $600-$12,700 installation (networking typically increases costs)

N/A

Level 3 or
DC Fast Charging

Fastest kind of charging available.

Sites catering to through-travelers or sites with high demand

20-150 kW

20 min – 1 hour

$10,000-$40,000 equipment; $4,000-$51,000 installation

N/A

*Costs Associated with Non-Residential Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, November 2015) accessed April 1, 2019.

About Charging Connections

Electric vehicle being chargedThe most common (and preferred) connector for Level 2 charging stations is the SAE J1772. It is the connector used by most current models of electric vehicles. A CHAdeMO and SAE Combo CCS connector will make a Level 3 charger compatible with most makes and models of electric vehicles, although some older electric vehicles are unable to charge at Level 3 stations. Some electric vehicles, like Tesla models, have proprietary charging connections. For example, Tesla vehicles can only charge at Tesla chargers and would require an adapter to use other charging stations.

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