![]() The voltage will almost always be 240V for Level 2 chargers in the United States. To determine kWs being delivered by the ESVE, we take the voltage the ESVE is connected to and multiply by the amperage of the ESVE, before dividing by 1000. This adds a layer of confusion, but fortunately there is a fairly straightforward way to convert the amps to kWs. Onboard chargers’ acceptance rates are generally measured in kilowatts while Level 2 chargers’ power delivery are usually measured in amps. Part of the reason for this disconnect likely stems from the different units used to describe onboard chargers’ acceptance rates compared to the power supplied by Level 2 chargers. Level 2 EV chargers are perfect for home use, but overlooking the onboard charger’s acceptance rate can result in overestimating how quickly your car will charge. Usually, if you look up fast EV home charging or ask your dealer for suggestions, they will recommend purchasing a Level 2 charger. Onboard charger acceptance rate is a topic that is often overlooked when setting up a charging system. That said, if your EVSE delivers less power than your onboard charger’s max acceptance rate, your car’s charge rate will be limited to the EVSE’s delivery rate. However, if you plugged the upgraded model car into that same EVSE, it would charge at the full 7.2 kW capacity of the upgraded onboard charger, taking only 1.5 hours to charge. If plugged into a 32 amp EVSE that has a power output of 7.2 kW, the standard car would only charge at 3.6kW, taking about 3 hours to fully charge. This is significant because different onboard chargers have different max acceptance rates.įor example, a Porsche Panamera plug-in E-Hybrid comes standard with an onboard 3.6 kilowatt (kW) charger, however, for $1,230 more, the Porsche factory can upgrade the onboard charger to 7.2 kW. Onboard charger specifications vary depending on the make, model, and options of the particular car. A car’s onboard charger accepts the AC power from the home and converts it to DC power, which can then be stored by the battery. To solve this problem, car manufacturers build in onboard chargers. This means when you plug your car in, AC power would be supplied to the battery, which it cannot accept. They are necessary because batteries store energy as direct current (DC), but all homes supply power as alternating current (AC). Onboard chargers are built into every plug-in vehicle by their manufacturer. Illustration by Dean Armstrong, NREL What is an Onboard Charger? Source: USDOE (2012), Plug-In Electric Vehicle Handbook for Public Charging Station Hosts. ![]() (In the illustration below, the JuiceBox, Tesla Wall Connector, or any other Level 2 EVSE would be the “Control Device.”) EVSE simply supplies electricity to your car’s onboard charger which then converts the energy so the car battery can accept it. This terminology distinction is necessary because the device actually charging the car’s battery is an EV’s onboard charger. EVSE (like the “JuiceBox” or “Tesla Wall Connector”) is often mis-referred to as the “charger”, which although used as an industry standard term, is not exactly correct. Aside from the confusion around Level 1, 2, and 3 charging speeds which you can learn about here, one of the key misunderstandings is that charging speed is entirely dependent on the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (ESVE). While charging a plug-in vehicle seems straightforward, there are several factors that add complexity to the process. Did you think your EV would charge faster than it does? Unfortunately this is a common complaint and it primarily stems from misleading marketing.
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