Last Updated on February 5, 2024 by John Robinson
It may be quite difficult to find a suitable EV charger, given that they are relatively new on the market and many people are unfamiliar with how they function and what to look for. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for EV charging. Electric vehicles have varying charging capacities and requirements, and each owner has unique driving needs. However, there are certain tips in buying a EV car charger that might help you for your electric car that is both convenient and useful. Read on to discover more about this significant purchase.
Tethered or Untethered?
The charging wire is constantly linked to the charging unit when it comes to a tethered EV charger. Most customers prefer this option since the wire is always available – simply uncoil it and plug it into your car. However, with a tethered charger, you are restricted to the wire lengths supplied by the company. The normal length is generally five meters, but you may switch to a longer cable for an additional fee in some situations. If you want greater freedom when it comes to cord length, an untethered charger may be a better solution for you.
An untethered EV charger is simply a socket with no cord firmly affixed to the device. This means you must provide your own charging cable and plug it into both the charging device and the car when charging. You’ll also need to locate a place to keep the cable, such as in your car or at home.
An untethered charge point provides greater versatility. Because the socket is quite universal, it can charge any electric car, and you are not limited in terms of cable length because you can just buy your own.
Location
Many people neglect to consider where they will park their EV. Install your charger close enough to the charging port on your car that the wire can reach it. Simultaneously, you should place the charger near your electrical panel to save money on long conduit lines. As the people at www.mantapower.co.uk explain, the only way to begin traveling with more electric cars is to construct the infrastructure required to enable this, which means starting with our homes and places of work and travel. This is why it is critical to ensure that the charging stations in your house are conveniently accessible and correctly fitted in order for them to perform effectively.
Fortunately, in many new homes, the electrical panel is positioned just outside the garage, allowing your electrician to install an outlet directly into the garage with the least amount of conduit run required. The lengthier wire route will almost certainly entail additional charges if your house has a detached garage or if your panel is located some distance away from your garage or carport.
How Much Power Do You Need?
A typical error that new EV owners make is purchasing the most powerful charger, only to discover that a less expensive charger would have sufficed. The time it takes to charge your EV to 100% shouldn’t be the most important factor. You simply need to replace the energy you expended that day.
Don’t get the most powerful EV charger until you’ve determined how many miles of range you’ll need to replace on a regular basis. Look for a charger that can charge the battery from 0 to 100% overnight.
Additional Features
Many of the new EV chargers on the market include a variety of smart connection options. Some allow you to monitor and manage charging from practically anywhere using a smartphone app. Moreover, some suppliers will let you arrange for your car to be charged during a lower-cost period. Many will also allow you to watch your EV’s electricity use over time, which might be important if you use it for business.
Cable Length
Ensure that the cable connecting your charging station to your vehicle is constructed of tough materials to provide shock protection while charging in rainy weather.
When searching for chargers, consider the cable length as well as whether the charging station will be indoors or outdoors.
Check that the length of your cable can reach the connector. A cable that is shorter than it should be, for example, may be troublesome since it requires you to park in a certain manner to plug into the charger.
We hope that this information will assist you in becoming familiar with the many types of electric car chargers and what characteristics to look for when selecting a charging system for your electric vehicle. Electric cars are becoming more popular owing to their multiple benefits, so learning about every aspect of them may dramatically improve your driving experience and turn you into a lover of these vehicles.
