Most Americans haven’t had to learn about how to charge an electric car yet, but we’re all likely to over the next decade. Many automakers have announced plans to go all or mostly electric, and at least three states have enacted to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars after 2035. Odds are quite good that you will own an electric vehicle (EV) someday.
But EVs are a new technology, so the lingo hasn’t standardized yet. One of the companies shaping it just made everything more confusing.
What Is Electrify America?
Electrify America calls itself “the largest public fast charging network in the U.S.,” though no government agency verifies such claims, and Tesla says the same thing about its Supercharger network. EA is a subsidiary of Volkswagen, though its chargers work for any EV (though Tesla owners need an adapter to make them work).
Related: Everything You Need to Know about EV Charging Stations
It operates a network of nearly 800 total charging stations with more than 3,500 chargers in service, spread across 47 states. It even has plans for luxury charging lounges where EV owners can relax and eat while they charge.
The company has revealed a new charger design with two separate charging speeds – Ultra-Fast and Hyper-Fast.
Which one is faster? Well, we can figure it out when we have the press release in front of us. Best of luck to the rest of you.
Related: How Much Does it Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
Types of Charging
There are three types of charging in general for EVs:
Level 1 charging uses a standard household outlet and a charging cord included with every EV. It’s the slowest form, often taking overnight or longer to fully charge an electric car. This is fine for people with short commutes and errands to run around town.
Level 2 charging uses a 240-volt outlet, like an electric clothes dryer. It’s much quicker than Level 1 but still takes several hours to fully charge most EVs. You occasionally see these in public. Some shopping centers have installed free Level 2 chargers, letting EV drivers top off while they shop.
Level 3 charging is what public chargers like those operated by Electrify America offer. It uses much stronger direct current (DC) — up to 350 kW – to fully charge most EVs in a fraction of the time home charging takes. Kia’s EV6, for example, can go from 0% to 80% charge in 18 minutes at 350 kW. These are also called “DC fast chargers,” and there is always a charge for using them (though some automakers offer free fast charging for a set period as a perk for new buyers).
Related: EV Charging Etiquette Guide
But not every EV can accept 350 kW. They’re all built on different architectures. Some electric cars sold just a few years ago can only accept electricity at up to 150 kW. Some of the newest models can accept up to 350 kW.
Comic Book Speed Names
Electrify America’s new chargers will have two settings.
Ultra-Fast is the slower one. It’s good for up to 150 kW.
Hyper-Fast is the faster one. It’s good for up to 350 kW.
They’re both just DC fast chargers and not any faster than any other company’s chargers.
The company will use icons to give drivers a clue – two lightning bolts for Ultra-Fast and three for Hyper-Fast. That may make things a bit easier on drivers.
But it’s quickly becoming apparent that the industry needs to standardize on one jargon for EV charging. Then we can discuss the three types of plugs…
