Whether you’re in the market for your first EV or considering upgrading, it’s only logical that you’re comparing your options. One of the major differences between owning an EV and a traditional vehicle with an internal combustion engine (ICE) is how you fill your proverbial tank. Many find switching from putting gas in a tank to charging a battery with electricity the scariest transition; what if you run out in the middle of nowhere?
In reality, EV range anxiety has as much to do with psychology as it does with the range of electric cars (or the availability of charging stations). In fact, being able to charge your battery is one of the best things about driving an electric car.
The biggest difference between driving gas and electric is that when you’re driving electric, you can charge potentially anywhere.
EV charging locations
It may sound obvious, but with a gas vehicle, you can pretty much only fill up your tank at a gas station. With an EV, however, you can charge your car pretty much everywhere: at home, at the office, at a restaurant, whilst doing your shopping, whilst parked on the street, or you can top-up your car’s battery at a (no longer aptly named) gas station.
So, the decision to get an EV and thinking about how to charge it go hand in hand. However, because it works a little differently than what we’re all familiar with, it can get quite confusing, especially because there are many new definitions you have to wrap your head around.
Electric car charging explained: why is the terminology so complicated?
As a relatively young, scattered, and rapidly growing industry, EV charging terminology is all over the place. There are different charging levels, cables and plugs (which differ depending on where you are), battery capacity possibilities, and estimated actual range.
Charging stations can also vary depending on the type of current they use (AC or DC), their power output, and their charging speed. It doesn’t help that many EV charging terms are similar and often used interchangeably. For example, how fast is fast charging really? And what is rapid or even ultra-fast charging?
If you’re thinking about buying (or have just bought) an EV, then it’s understandable that all this new information can feel a bit overwhelming.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about EV charging so you can start your transition toward electric mobility well-informed.
