The number of electric vehicles being sold in Australia is small in comparison to traditional ones but the rise has been encouraging year on year. Many predict that EVs are the future and that they are likely to surpass petrol cars in time. Technological improvements are helping to hasten the pace of adoption. For example, the range of newer cars is far superior than that of the old ones. Many can go for several hundred kilometres in one charge. Still, it is helpful to know that there are many charging options for owners. Below are the three types of car charging stations Australia:
Socket Outlet
For Level 1, we have the basic outlets that can be found in any home of office. These are usually rated between 10 to 15A. Cars come with their own plugs that can be used directly for this purpose. Owners can leave their vehicle plugged in overnight so that it’s adequately charged by the next day. The process can take several hours so it is best to sleep while you wait. You will gain 10 to 20 km of range for every hour that the EV is plugged in. This is a viable option if you are only doing your regular commutes to the office. Overnight charging via socket may not be sufficient if you plan to embark on a long drive.
Wall Recharger
A better approach would be to have a dedicated charger installed in a home for the EV. This may also be found at shopping centres, offices, apartment complexes, hotels, and other places where the vehicle is likely to be parked for a while. This is rated at 7kW and 32A. Cars can extend their range with up to 40 km per hour. This should be sufficient for most days of light driving. If left plugged overnight in a home or parking lot, then this can deliver a full charge the next day. This is the better option to take for those weekend warriors who go far for adventures during their free time.
Fast Charging Station
Lastly, there’s Level 3 which is another dedicated EV charger rated at 25kW to 350 kW with current between 40 to 500A. These are the car charging stations Australia residents want to see when they run low on battery in the middle of the road. They can add up to 150 km of range per hour. In some cases, advanced chargers can even provide a full charge in only 15 minutes.
EV battery and charging technology has truly come a long way.
