Amazing to see Brian back in action. Been watching his videos for 10+ years. I'm a fan. Great guy and great educator. Breaks down complicated stuff for laymen like me. I was confused about electrical charging for EVs at home. Now I have a basic understanding. Thank you Mr. Cooley!
My Chevy bolt euv came with an interchangeable level 1 and 2 charger. And they paid for half of the installation cost. I hear the next bolt will no longer come with the charger so I bit the bullet on that one.
2:30 I think this aspect is sadly overlooked in the discussion of EV's. With a L1 cord you can literally charge an EV anywhere there is a plug. No need to go out of your way to find a gas station, just plug in to any plug and as long as you have time you can charge. I once had to stop and plug in at a sandwich shop to get a couple extra miles to get to work. If I had run out of gas in an ICE car I would have been hoofing it to the closest gas station and back.
Honestly I’m fine with just the 120V outlet located in my garage. I only used a Supercharger once for fun. It’s not bad bc I can get back 12% juice when I sleep and everything is close by
Great video! One additional point, many utility companies have rebate/incentives to help offset the cost of installing Level2. It’s worth looking into.
I get 8 miles per hour with the level 1 device that came with my car so even a short 8 hour charge puts back 64 miles, far more than I use on any typical day. Good advice since most people really do not require level 2 but install it anyway because they think they need to.
I could 'get by' with Level 1 charging, but with a 240v NEMA 14-50 outlet in my garage I can get your 64 miles of range back in less than 2 hours. Great for extra errands in the evening.
VERY useful for new car buyers. I already have a 220v outlet in my washroom next to the garage from a previous outer. Did not know they were sooooo expensive.
They sound expensive, but I spent $240 in gas in the first 3 weeks this month. Makes a one time purchase of $500 not sound so bad. I also just bought a plug in hybrid last weekend, driven 270 miles so far and the gas still shows nearly full.
They're not that expensive. I paid $300 to have a 240v 50amp plug installed by an electrician in my garage, and $240 for a Level 2 32amp evse from Amazon.
Cost of 240v circuit totally depends on your situation... room in the panel, length of run (conduit and big #8-6-4 gauge cable can be expensive)... plus, you might be able to use or share a 240v outlet in garage (for dryer etc) also, many EVs that include the portable charge cable for free (or small like $200 Tesla now), CAN already work on 240v as level2, maybe just needs a $35-50 adapter ... so, often no need for the $500-700 EVSE wall unit! Most are limited to 32A (often on 50A circuit or NEMA 14-50 plug), but that is plenty fast, and most EVSEs are too. Some wall chargers can be faster, 48A+ , but you need very big hefty circuits/wires/breakers for that, and only big EVs like trucks that are inefficient need that power to charge overnight.
@@SkaBob May I ask what model plug model in hybrid you purchased. I live in Central Florida and tried to purchase a Toyota Highlander at three dealers with no luck.
@@larryf6993 We got a kia niro plug-in. However they are out of stock pretty much everywhere now. We got lucky and only had to wait for 3 weeks for ours to come in.
If you drive more than a few miles a week, the 120v connector that comes with the car will not be enough. You'll want at least a NEMA 14-50 connector or just go all the way and get a wall charger setup. I was originally going to just have a 14-50 connector installed, but it was going to cost the same as having an electrician install the wall charger. I paid $500 for the charger and about $1200 for the install. This is south of Atlanta for reference. I also submitted the GA Power rebate of $250 for installing an EV charger, but have yet to see that money after a month.
@@DirtRoadRemedy a charge station is a dedicated 240v line for your car, often retrofitted in homes.. the source is exactly the same as a generic 240v outlet that you already have
@@JogBird I dunno, I asked you for a source and you didn't provide anything I think you're mistaken. The EV won't come with a 240V cable, that's the purpose of the charge station. The cable that comes in the car is only for 120.
@@DirtRoadRemedy I'm assuming what he means is that most manufacturers include a level 2 "travel charger" with the purchase of the vehicle. I have 2 EVs. An E tron and a Polestar. They both came with cables with adapters for both 110 outlet and Nema 14-50 outlets. Tesla has just announced they will no longer include a cable with a purchase of a car . When I was shopping around, the VW ID4 included a cable, but it only had the 110 volt adapter. You had to buy 220 volt adapter. Still cheaper than buying a dedicated wall charger. So maybe that's what he meant?
Great video. I'm one of those folks who only needs the level 1 at home so far. That said, many car companies will install a level 2 for you with purchase of an EV for free or a huge discount.
One other home option that I have been using for nine years is a level two cable/connector 240 VAC without the need for an EVSE. The 240 V AC receptacle in the garage is the same type that is used for a clothes dryer. When I go on longer trips, I just have to remember to put this cable in the car in case I need it.
Great video with everything factually correct. Thanks for the in depth discussion! I think the decision to lead with confusing semantics discussion might scare some people away. Might have been nice to mention that many of the level 2 stations can be installed outdoors (are there any that can't?). I get that question a lot from riders in my car.
Really informative piece! You did an amazing job explaining all of what you need to know when charging at home! 6:40 You can actually install a DC charger at home, with a charger like our dcbel r16 🏡🔌⚡🚘 Thank you for sharing!
My Tesla wall connector install was $1000 and I had to wait weeks for the electrician to come so I suggest you install it before you get the car. I did have a 240 socket with a 60 amp breaker I could use but if you only was 120 it's going to be super slow charging. The Tesla mobile connector was able to do 30 miles per hour and the wall connector can do 50 miles per hour so it was worth the upgrade. Plus I don't have to get the cable out of the truck each time, I just unroll some wire and plug it in, very handy. Also, some connectors have to be hard wired like my Tesla and some can just plug into a 240 socket. If you plan on installing a 240v NEMA 1450 I recommend using the expensive HUBBELL HBL9450A if you are going 50 amps or more. Those $15 ones at home depot won't cut it.
If you know what you're doing, and have done any electrical work before, you can install the necessary 240 volt outlet yourself. You will have to be able to use a conduit bender, or snake a heavy romex cable to run the line from your breaker panel to the outlet location, and install and wire a new circuit breaker into the panel. You have to be careful here, once you remove the panel cover there is live and deadly current flowing about in the heavy bus bars in the panel! However running the cable from the breaker to the outlet is safe IF you have the new breaker in the OFF position! If you are 'chicken', you can throw the main breaker and kill power to your breaker panel while you install the new breaker, but that will leave your entire house dark for the duration. The outlet you will install will be a three or four prong heavy type typically used to plug in a dryer or electric range, usually rated between 40 and 60 amps. Some oi these outlets are call "crows foot" due to the spacing of the prongs. If you do your own wiring, you might not need to pull a permit, but you DO need to do the wiring per local code.
Our LYRIQ came with a Level 1/2 adapter, the Level 2 appears to just be a standard NEMA 14-50 plug, so basically a 50amp RV outlet. It'll cost me about $75 to install one of those.
Most average normal homes run about 1000 kw hours per month. Not per day. Add even 10 kw/hours per day times 30 time @ .14$ per KW hour and calculate your electric bill on top of your normal usage.
My 2018 Leaf came with a Nissan 120/240 charging cable, and it was OK for months at 120v. We then installed a 240v NEMA 14-50 outlet, the same as a kitchen's electric range. No need for a third party EVSE because the cable from Nissan does the job!
My daughter charges hers with 120VAC. If they’re going to drive outside the area they use her husband’s car. She sees no need to install anything more.
Be sure to install a level 2 charger so your friends can save the most money when they visit and ask if they can plug in. Good video.... Thank You...........................
You say the terminals of the J-1772 corresponds to Black, White and Green. That would only give you 120 volts. You need Line 1 and Line 2 for 240 volts Black => L1 (Line 1 - Connected to one end of Secondary). Red => L2 (Line 2 - Connected to other end of Secondary). White => N (Neutral Conductor or Grounded Current Carrying Conductor , Center Common of Secondary). Green => Equipment Grounding Conductor. L1 to N => 120 volts L2 to N => 120 volts L1 to L2 => 240 volts. The Neutral is connected to the center tap of the secondary windings of the Utility Transformer. Either Line to Neutral gives you 120 volts. From end to end of Secondary gives you 240 volts, the two 120 volts add to give 240 volts. At the first electrical panel the Neutral Bus Bar, Equipment Grounding Bus Bar and the Ground Rod System are all bonded together (Connected together). At the first electrical panel the only difference between Neutral and Equipment Grounding Conductor is the Neutral (Grounded Conductor) Conducts electrical current, the Equipment Grounding Conductor is there just for saftey. There is not electrical current flowing through it unless there is an electrical fault. The second or any other electrical panels have the Neutral and the Equipment Grounding Conductor (green or bare) seperated. They do not want current flowing through both the Neutral and Equipment Grounding Conductor back to the first panel, remember the Equipment Grounding Conductor does not have current flowing through it (for saftey). With 3 Phase Power L1-L2-L3 (208 volt) the Voltage and Current of one Line are 120 degrees apart from another Line. The graph of each legs sinewave is 120 degrees apart from another. The most used winding is called a "Y", where there are 3 legs and a center common. Any Line to Center Neutral is 120 volts. L1 to L2 => 208 volts, L2 to L3 => 208 volts, L3 to L1 => 208 volts Since any of the Lines to Common => 120 volts. If you drew out the "Y" with the 3 legs of 120 units (volts) and meeting at the center 120 degrees apart. Then measured or calculate end of one leg to end of another leg you would get 208 units.
May not need the charge device. Just install the 240 outlet and use the other charger that comes with the car. may be sufficient. Install cost of 240 line has risen substantially in some areas.
Nice overview. Sounds like he says "FC" but he defines it as "service equipment" - actually it says FC on the chapter marker too. Wonder what "FC actually stands for?
Thanx for the info however, DC fast chargers are NOT level three. They are DC Chargers. AC interface, ie level 1 or level 2 provide AC power for the internal DC charge converter in the vehicle. DC chargers are frequently and wrongly referred to as Level 3 chargers, which they are not.
How long do you anticipate that "standard" connector will be the standard connector? Or do you anticipate it will go the way of all the different USB charging connectors - like USB-A, USB-B, USB-C, USB-mini and USB-micro?
Almost all of my charging is done in my garage with a Tesla wall unit at 44 miles per hour. This means that the longest trip I typically take to visit my parents 90 minutes away I pull the car into the garage mid afternoon. By the end of dinner, I'm recharged. I see that the Ford EV charger recharges at 28 miles per hour. Remember that when recharging an EV you're not standing over the car, its quietly recharging while you go about your business. My electrician charged $750 to pull 100' of the 60 amp wire from my breaker panel.
Never mind what it costs to install. Lets look at the charging electrical costs. IN my area now, it's $.14 per KW hour. In many areas it is higher.. I saw one add that a car can charge at 150 kw. Most people have no idea what a KW or a KW hour charge is. 14 cents per kw hour sounds cheap. Multiply it by 150 and it's not. Multiply it by 30 day application and in my case I'd spend less than 1/3 the electrical cost on gasoline. Not an anti electric car person here, just doing simple math.
Had a quote for the line install in my garage. Not $1500, try $4K. My issue is a bit unique in the fact that I have no more room on any panels in my home or on the custom panel on the side of my house, so I'd either have to add a sub panel or replace a panel with a larger one. SIGH!!!!! Great explanation video btw.
Agree! Europe mandates that ALL cars must use the same plug (even Tesla). In North America the CHAdeMO plug was finally outdated (the last cars that use it have finally switched over) and now it's just J1772 vs. Tesla. There are adapters that let Teslas charge via J1772 and let non-Teslas use Tesla AC chargers (emphasis on AC only ... these adapters DO NOT work at Tesla SuperChargers (which are DC Fast Chargers)). But Elon Musk has announced that Tesla will start to open up markets to allow non-Tesla's to use Tesla SuperChargers. The plug is not compatible -- or long enough for most cars. So they would need to add a 2nd charge cord with the CCS connector (CCS = Combined Charging System ... this is the DC Fast Charger plug design that Brian showed on the Rivian when he opened the little flap that exposed two more pins). Once that is done ... Musk *could* start making North America cars with just the CCS1 plug if he wanted (don't know that he would do that ... his plug is smaller so the cars would need a bigger charge port door.). But theoretically ... all cars could eventually just get ONE plug.
@@getoffamylan6844 That's not good. In 2020 Nissan announced they were switching to CCS. But your reply prompted me to go dig and I did see that they have yet to switch over the Leaf. Meanwhile, Electrify America has already announced plans to phase out CHAdeMO. It'll start getting harder to charge a Leaf if they don't switch over (or just discontinue to the Leaf and replace it with something else.)
Good video but 4 key points that should be addressed. 1. Some EV's come with both the 120 and 240 volt adapters as does the kit provide by Ford as is the case with my Mach-E. 2. Since most electrical panels in today's homes are in the garage the cost to install a 240 outlet is much less than the estimate given. 3. If the 240 dryer outlet is in reach of your EV's cable, as is the case for my Mach-E a $35 adapter is available to allow you to use that outlet. 4. Although higher amps allows for faster charging it is much more detrimental to the life of the battery pack than the 15 amp circuit. I use a 120 15 amp outlet and charge at 4 miles per hour. In a 12 hour overnight charge I get at least 48 miles of added range. If I use my 30 amp outlet I get 20 miles of range added per hour. What should also be noted is that you should not charge beyond 90% to conserve battery life.
Mike Coppola not sure where you got the information that level 2 charging is more detrimental to the battery than level 1. Level 1 is actually less efficient and in ten years of driving EVs I have never heard or experienced that. Level 2 is considered "standard charging" by manufacturers. However DC fast charging (DCFC) can be damaging to battery life if done regularly due to heat build up, although much less so in cooled battery packs installed on all mass market cars except Nissan Leaf.
What about if your present circuit breaker box is full? Cost to run another 100 amps to your home is?? What about city dwellers ie street parking? How to charge EVs who's owners live in Townhomes ? What about neighborhoods that are 50 years old or older ? Can more than 1/2 of the homes have another 100 amps run to there house?
Since CNET has viewers from all over the world you might want to think outside of USA when talking about charging standards and setup. The most common charging connector in Europe is CCS Type 2, even Tesla uses that connector in Europe.
Not as easy, if they have parking try to make a deal with the owner or manager, maybe split the cost, even a 110v outlet for slow charging overnight would help. If I was in an apartment with no charging I'd still drive an EV and use public charging, that's not for everybody though.
I bought my Prius Prime figuring I would just use it a a hybrid until I bought a house. I found 3 different free charging stations near me, so when I go for my morning walk, I charge my car, takes about 2 hours.
*My Kia EV6 would charge up to a 300 Mile range on the dash board meter when I first drove it away from the dealer. After the 6th charge at 800 miles the highest charge I could get is 250 miles maximum. Is it common to loose 1/6th of my driving range after only one month of charging?*
Tesla not even on the list in your article? Higher amperage, J1772 option available, able to chain them together on the same circuit. Great information in the article, but I think you left one of the best off the list.
Great video. I paid $450 to have a 240v outlet installed because I lucked out in that my breaker box was close to where I needed the 240v outlet to be installed. No wires/conduit to run. I know not everyone will have this option. So in order to cut down on installation cost, try to have the 240v outlet be as close to the breaker as possible.
I had the same luck. Paid an electrician $250 to wire up a NEMA 14-50 outlet in my garage. My 200amp breaker panel was right above the location where I wanted the plug. Paid $240 to buy a 32amp evse from Amazon. For $500, I have a Level 2 charging station.
It is safe to charge in the rain. Much of what the EVSE does is keep you safe. When not connected to the car, the high-voltage pins are actually shut off (there is a relay in the EVSE that switches off the power). There are two smaller pins on the J1772 connector and these are used to detect when the car is connected and also tell the car how much load it can safely draw. Once the car is plugged in and the negotiation is completed the EVSE will switch the relay to let the high-voltage power flow. This means that when you are connecting or disconnecting, the power is actually completely off -- no risk to you even in a downpour. The EVSEs are weather sealed and designed for outdoor use (even outdoor installation of the whole thing). They have a built-in GFCI and would trip off the power immediately if they were to detect any problem. If you use the "mobile" charger that tends to be included with most EVs, those are also safe to use in the rain and are weather sealed BUT ... the 'brick' on the mobile charger should not be allowed to lay in a puddle of water. They are weather sealed and getting wet in the rain isn't a problem -- but they should NOT be underwater (they aren't sealed enough for that.)
What is the cost going to be if your 200 amp electrical box is full and you need to add 30 amps at 240 volt AC? That's going to be significantly higher?
It's nice to have, I would and did install 1. A longer a range EV, 200 + miles, would be easier to get by on 110v slow charging, but L2 220v makes life much easier.
why can't they make a drivers seat that generates enough static electricity to power your car, all the driver needs to do is move about quickly ion his seat as he drives
Prospective EV buyer here. I’d fall into the 30ish miles a day category. Would using a level 1 charger every night cause unnecessary strain on the battery leading to faster degradation? I rent currently rent and won’t be able to add a level 2. Thanks!
This info was accurate a month ago, but in the intervening time Tesla has stated that they will NO LONGER PROVIDE THE BASIC CHARGING CABLE with their new cars -- rather it has become a $200 "option". I guess when you have a years worth of production back orders you can get away with stunts like this. This does not look good for Tesla. Shame on them.
You are only screwed if you live in the city, apartment or rent and the landlord says no. You forgot to mention that if you only have a 250 Amp service and need more you are in trouble and will cost you a ton more
Always good to see Brian Cooley at his best at explaining and making things easier to understand.
The moment I see a sensible headline for the video from CNET, it would be Brian Cooley. Never disappoints.
Amazing to see Brian back in action. Been watching his videos for 10+ years. I'm a fan. Great guy and great educator. Breaks down complicated stuff for laymen like me. I was confused about electrical charging for EVs at home. Now I have a basic understanding. Thank you Mr. Cooley!
The Tesla Mobile Charger supports level 2 with adapter plugs. It's pretty sweet, unfortunately it's no longer included with teslas.
I wish they all include a Level 1 adapter with every car, but they don't. Great video!
My Honda Clarity came with a Level 1 evse. Never used it. Too slow. Bought a $199 Level 2 evse off Amazon which charged much faster.
My Chevy bolt euv came with an interchangeable level 1 and 2 charger. And they paid for half of the installation cost. I hear the next bolt will no longer come with the charger so I bit the bullet on that one.
2:30 I think this aspect is sadly overlooked in the discussion of EV's. With a L1 cord you can literally charge an EV anywhere there is a plug. No need to go out of your way to find a gas station, just plug in to any plug and as long as you have time you can charge. I once had to stop and plug in at a sandwich shop to get a couple extra miles to get to work. If I had run out of gas in an ICE car I would have been hoofing it to the closest gas station and back.
Legit only subscribed still because I love watching videos of this guy by far some of the best content on cnet
Honestly I’m fine with just the 120V outlet located in my garage. I only used a Supercharger once for fun. It’s not bad bc I can get back 12% juice when I sleep and everything is close by
Great video! One additional point, many utility companies have rebate/incentives to help offset the cost of installing Level2. It’s worth looking into.
This was excellent. Thank you very much sir. Long live Cooley!
I get 8 miles per hour with the level 1 device that came with my car so even a short 8 hour charge puts back 64 miles, far more than I use on any typical day. Good advice since most people really do not require level 2 but install it anyway because they think they need to.
I could 'get by' with Level 1 charging, but with a 240v NEMA 14-50 outlet in my garage I can get your 64 miles of range back in less than 2 hours. Great for extra errands in the evening.
VERY useful for new car buyers.
I already have a 220v outlet in my washroom next to the garage from a previous outer.
Did not know they were sooooo expensive.
They sound expensive, but I spent $240 in gas in the first 3 weeks this month. Makes a one time purchase of $500 not sound so bad. I also just bought a plug in hybrid last weekend, driven 270 miles so far and the gas still shows nearly full.
They're not that expensive. I paid $300 to have a 240v 50amp plug installed by an electrician in my garage, and $240 for a Level 2 32amp evse from Amazon.
Cost of 240v circuit totally depends on your situation... room in the panel, length of run (conduit and big #8-6-4 gauge cable can be expensive)... plus, you might be able to use or share a 240v outlet in garage (for dryer etc)
also, many EVs that include the portable charge cable for free (or small like $200 Tesla now), CAN already work on 240v as level2, maybe just needs a $35-50 adapter ... so, often no need for the $500-700 EVSE wall unit!
Most are limited to 32A (often on 50A circuit or NEMA 14-50 plug), but that is plenty fast, and most EVSEs are too.
Some wall chargers can be faster, 48A+ , but you need very big hefty circuits/wires/breakers for that, and only big EVs like trucks that are inefficient need that power to charge overnight.
@@SkaBob May I ask what model plug model in hybrid you purchased. I live in Central Florida and tried to purchase a Toyota Highlander at three dealers with no luck.
@@larryf6993 We got a kia niro plug-in. However they are out of stock pretty much everywhere now. We got lucky and only had to wait for 3 weeks for ours to come in.
Excellent video. Very informative.
brian makes it so easy to understand the high tech! and btw, i love my level 2 charging! wake up and ready to go!
If you drive more than a few miles a week, the 120v connector that comes with the car will not be enough. You'll want at least a NEMA 14-50 connector or just go all the way and get a wall charger setup. I was originally going to just have a 14-50 connector installed, but it was going to cost the same as having an electrician install the wall charger. I paid $500 for the charger and about $1200 for the install. This is south of Atlanta for reference. I also submitted the GA Power rebate of $250 for installing an EV charger, but have yet to see that money after a month.
Yikes, glad I don't live there. A licensed electrician installed a NEMA 14-50 outlet with a 50amp breaker in my garage for $300.
I'm shocked he didn't mention that you can plug the EV directly into a 240v outlet for level 2 charging without needing a charge station.
are you sure? Interested to hear more, or do you have a source? Thought you always needed a charge station for level 2.
@@DirtRoadRemedy a charge station is a dedicated 240v line for your car, often retrofitted in homes.. the source is exactly the same as a generic 240v outlet that you already have
@@JogBird I dunno, I asked you for a source and you didn't provide anything
I think you're mistaken. The EV won't come with a 240V cable, that's the purpose of the charge station. The cable that comes in the car is only for 120.
You can buy portable Level 2 evse's for around $250-300 that will do 32amp charging.
@@DirtRoadRemedy I'm assuming what he means is that most manufacturers include a level 2 "travel charger" with the purchase of the vehicle. I have 2 EVs. An E tron and a Polestar. They both came with cables with adapters for both 110 outlet and Nema 14-50 outlets. Tesla has just announced they will no longer include a cable with a purchase of a car . When I was shopping around, the VW ID4 included a cable, but it only had the 110 volt adapter. You had to buy 220 volt adapter. Still cheaper than buying a dedicated wall charger. So maybe that's what he meant?
Great video. I'm one of those folks who only needs the level 1 at home so far. That said, many car companies will install a level 2 for you with purchase of an EV for free or a huge discount.
One other home option that I have been using for nine years is a level two cable/connector 240 VAC without the need for an EVSE. The 240 V AC receptacle in the garage is the same type that is used for a clothes dryer. When I go on longer trips, I just have to remember to put this cable in the car in case I need it.
This guy's videos are great
Great video with everything factually correct. Thanks for the in depth discussion! I think the decision to lead with confusing semantics discussion might scare some people away.
Might have been nice to mention that many of the level 2 stations can be installed outdoors (are there any that can't?). I get that question a lot from riders in my car.
Absolutely agree, all EVSE are at least outdoor rated some to a greater threshold thatn others.
Really informative piece! You did an amazing job explaining all of what you need to know when charging at home!
6:40 You can actually install a DC charger at home, with a charger like our dcbel r16 🏡🔌⚡🚘
Thank you for sharing!
My Tesla wall connector install was $1000 and I had to wait weeks for the electrician to come so I suggest you install it before you get the car. I did have a 240 socket with a 60 amp breaker I could use but if you only was 120 it's going to be super slow charging. The Tesla mobile connector was able to do 30 miles per hour and the wall connector can do 50 miles per hour so it was worth the upgrade. Plus I don't have to get the cable out of the truck each time, I just unroll some wire and plug it in, very handy. Also, some connectors have to be hard wired like my Tesla and some can just plug into a 240 socket. If you plan on installing a 240v NEMA 1450 I recommend using the expensive HUBBELL HBL9450A if you are going 50 amps or more. Those $15 ones at home depot won't cut it.
If you know what you're doing, and have done any electrical work before, you can install the necessary 240 volt outlet yourself. You will have to be able to use a conduit bender, or snake a heavy romex cable to run the line from your breaker panel to the outlet location, and install and wire a new circuit breaker into the panel. You have to be careful here, once you remove the panel cover there is live and deadly current flowing about in the heavy bus bars in the panel! However running the cable from the breaker to the outlet is safe IF you have the new breaker in the OFF position! If you are 'chicken', you can throw the main breaker and kill power to your breaker panel while you install the new breaker, but that will leave your entire house dark for the duration.
The outlet you will install will be a three or four prong heavy type typically used to plug in a dryer or electric range, usually rated between 40 and 60 amps. Some oi these outlets are call "crows foot" due to the spacing of the prongs. If you do your own wiring, you might not need to pull a permit, but you DO need to do the wiring per local code.
Finally, someone PERFECTLY explains this. Fantastic video and host.
Our LYRIQ came with a Level 1/2 adapter, the Level 2 appears to just be a standard NEMA 14-50 plug, so basically a 50amp RV outlet. It'll cost me about $75 to install one of those.
Probably the best video to explain level 1 and 2 charging at home.
Brian Cooley is the best! CNET should feel lucky to have him.
Brian Cooley please never stop making car videos, love the way how u explain things, and ur honest opinion, thanks 😊
I was told you need at least 250 amp breaker service. If you have less It may cost you $4,000 or $5,000 USD to upgrade your service extra cost
This is truly an excellent overview using technically correct but understandable terminology. THANKS!
Most average normal homes run about 1000 kw hours per month. Not per day. Add even 10 kw/hours per day times 30 time @ .14$ per KW hour and calculate your electric bill on top of your normal usage.
I finally understand how this charging works! Thank you
My 2018 Leaf came with a Nissan 120/240 charging cable, and it was OK for months at 120v. We then installed a 240v NEMA 14-50 outlet, the same as a kitchen's electric range. No need for a third party EVSE because the cable from Nissan does the job!
My daughter charges hers with 120VAC. If they’re going to drive outside the area they use her husband’s car. She sees no need to install anything more.
Be sure to install a level 2 charger so your friends can save the most money when they visit and ask if they can plug in. Good video.... Thank You...........................
yup quebec give 600$ to buy one so the tesla one here cost 635 soat the the charger level 2 adapter cost 35$ plus installation fee from electrician
Well done. Straightforward.
Very good explanation of the types of chargers. Thank you.
You say the terminals of the J-1772 corresponds to Black, White and Green. That would only give you 120 volts. You need Line 1 and Line 2 for 240 volts
Black => L1 (Line 1 - Connected to one end of Secondary).
Red => L2 (Line 2 - Connected to other end of Secondary).
White => N (Neutral Conductor or Grounded Current Carrying Conductor , Center Common of Secondary).
Green => Equipment Grounding Conductor.
L1 to N => 120 volts
L2 to N => 120 volts
L1 to L2 => 240 volts.
The Neutral is connected to the center tap of the secondary windings of the Utility Transformer. Either Line to Neutral gives you 120 volts. From end to end of Secondary gives you 240 volts, the two 120 volts add to give 240 volts.
At the first electrical panel the Neutral Bus Bar, Equipment Grounding Bus Bar and the Ground Rod System are all bonded together (Connected together).
At the first electrical panel the only difference between Neutral and Equipment Grounding Conductor is the Neutral (Grounded Conductor) Conducts electrical current, the Equipment Grounding Conductor is there just for saftey. There is not electrical current flowing through it unless there is an electrical fault.
The second or any other electrical panels have the Neutral and the Equipment Grounding Conductor (green or bare) seperated. They do not want current flowing through both the Neutral and Equipment Grounding Conductor back to the first panel, remember the Equipment Grounding Conductor does not have current flowing through it (for saftey).
With 3 Phase Power L1-L2-L3 (208 volt) the Voltage and Current of one Line are 120 degrees apart from another Line. The graph of each legs sinewave is 120 degrees apart from another. The most used winding is called a "Y", where there are 3 legs and a center common. Any Line to Center Neutral is 120 volts.
L1 to L2 => 208 volts, L2 to L3 => 208 volts, L3 to L1 => 208 volts
Since any of the Lines to Common => 120 volts. If you drew out the "Y" with the 3 legs of 120 units (volts) and meeting at the center 120 degrees apart. Then measured or calculate end of one leg to end of another leg you would get 208 units.
Consider DCC-12 or DCC-9 for your condo if your capacity is limited! Electric Vehicle Energy Management System.
May not need the charge device. Just install the 240 outlet and use the other charger that comes with the car. may be sufficient. Install cost of 240 line has risen substantially in some areas.
Nice overview. Sounds like he says "FC" but he defines it as "service equipment" - actually it says FC on the chapter marker too. Wonder what "FC actually stands for?
Thanx for the info however, DC fast chargers are NOT level three. They are DC Chargers. AC interface, ie level 1 or level 2 provide AC power for the internal DC charge converter in the vehicle. DC chargers are frequently and wrongly referred to as Level 3 chargers, which they are not.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this 🙂. Great video, clarifies things a lot for someone like me looking to dive in to the EV world soon.
How long do you anticipate that "standard" connector will be the standard connector? Or do you anticipate it will go the way of all the different USB charging connectors - like USB-A, USB-B, USB-C, USB-mini and USB-micro?
Almost all of my charging is done in my garage with a Tesla wall unit at 44 miles per hour. This means that the longest trip I typically take to visit my parents 90 minutes away I pull the car into the garage mid afternoon. By the end of dinner, I'm recharged. I see that the Ford EV charger recharges at 28 miles per hour. Remember that when recharging an EV you're not standing over the car, its quietly recharging while you go about your business.
My electrician charged $750 to pull 100' of the 60 amp wire from my breaker panel.
Never mind what it costs to install. Lets look at the charging electrical costs. IN my area now, it's $.14 per KW hour. In many areas it is higher.. I saw one add that a car can charge at 150 kw. Most people have no idea what a KW or a KW hour charge is. 14 cents per kw hour sounds cheap. Multiply it by 150 and it's not. Multiply it by 30 day application and in my case I'd spend less than 1/3 the electrical cost on gasoline. Not an anti electric car person here, just doing simple math.
Wasn't expecting that Depeche Mode cameo.
Very informative, and easy to understand. Thank you!
Had a quote for the line install in my garage. Not $1500, try $4K. My issue is a bit unique in the fact that I have no more room on any panels in my home or on the custom panel on the side of my house, so I'd either have to add a sub panel or replace a panel with a larger one. SIGH!!!!! Great explanation video btw.
That electric bill going sky rocket
But the price of the overall energy use of the person goes down. Gas transactions on your credit card are still energy costs
It def will not. I drive 1200 miles a month and my electric bill went up $40 a month. It def beats using gas!!
@@justinstewart3248 🐠 y
Not that much & less than half what you'd be putting on your gas card.
@@TheTmcabral3 my home rate is 8 cents per kilowatt hour. It’s between 35 and 45 bucks extra per month. Driving a Model 3.
Was looking for this guide for a while. Thanks!
We should have all the same Chargers around the World
Agree! Europe mandates that ALL cars must use the same plug (even Tesla). In North America the CHAdeMO plug was finally outdated (the last cars that use it have finally switched over) and now it's just J1772 vs. Tesla. There are adapters that let Teslas charge via J1772 and let non-Teslas use Tesla AC chargers (emphasis on AC only ... these adapters DO NOT work at Tesla SuperChargers (which are DC Fast Chargers)).
But Elon Musk has announced that Tesla will start to open up markets to allow non-Tesla's to use Tesla SuperChargers. The plug is not compatible -- or long enough for most cars. So they would need to add a 2nd charge cord with the CCS connector (CCS = Combined Charging System ... this is the DC Fast Charger plug design that Brian showed on the Rivian when he opened the little flap that exposed two more pins).
Once that is done ... Musk *could* start making North America cars with just the CCS1 plug if he wanted (don't know that he would do that ... his plug is smaller so the cars would need a bigger charge port door.). But theoretically ... all cars could eventually just get ONE plug.
@@TheVirtualTim Last I heard, the 2023 Leaf is still using CHAdeMO. Don't ask me why; it makes ZERO sense.
@@getoffamylan6844 That's not good. In 2020 Nissan announced they were switching to CCS. But your reply prompted me to go dig and I did see that they have yet to switch over the Leaf. Meanwhile, Electrify America has already announced plans to phase out CHAdeMO. It'll start getting harder to charge a Leaf if they don't switch over (or just discontinue to the Leaf and replace it with something else.)
@@TheVirtualTim The sad thing is the Leaf is a GREAT car, crippled by that one decision.
Nobody calls chargers FC, FC usually stands for Fuel Cell used in Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles
Good video but 4 key points that should be addressed.
1. Some EV's come with both the 120 and 240 volt adapters as does the kit provide by Ford as is the case with my Mach-E.
2. Since most electrical panels in today's homes are in the garage the cost to install a 240 outlet is much less than the estimate given.
3. If the 240 dryer outlet is in reach of your EV's cable, as is the case for my Mach-E a $35 adapter is available to allow you to use that outlet.
4. Although higher amps allows for faster charging it is much more detrimental to the life of the battery pack than the 15 amp circuit. I use a 120 15 amp outlet and charge at 4 miles per hour. In a 12 hour overnight charge I get at least 48 miles of added range. If I use my 30 amp outlet I get 20 miles of range added per hour. What should also be noted is that you should not charge beyond 90% to conserve battery life.
Mike Coppola not sure where you got the information that level 2 charging is more detrimental to the battery than level 1. Level 1 is actually less efficient and in ten years of driving EVs I have never heard or experienced that. Level 2 is considered "standard charging" by manufacturers. However DC fast charging (DCFC) can be damaging to battery life if done regularly due to heat build up, although much less so in cooled battery packs installed on all mass market cars except Nissan Leaf.
Very good video, easy to understand.
Great video!
What about if your present circuit breaker box is full? Cost to run another 100 amps to your home is?? What about city dwellers ie street parking? How to charge EVs who's owners live in Townhomes ? What about neighborhoods that are 50 years old or older ? Can more than 1/2 of the homes have another 100 amps run to there house?
@CNET Very informative!
Can you please do a video about bidirectional charging and what vehicles have the capacity to do so. Thanks!
Since CNET has viewers from all over the world you might want to think outside of USA when talking about charging standards and setup. The most common charging connector in Europe is CCS Type 2, even Tesla uses that connector in Europe.
What about the people who live in apartments or buildings?
Not as easy, if they have parking try to make a deal with the owner or manager, maybe split the cost, even a 110v outlet for slow charging overnight would help.
If I was in an apartment with no charging I'd still drive an EV and use public charging, that's not for everybody though.
I bought my Prius Prime figuring I would just use it a a hybrid until I bought a house. I found 3 different free charging stations near me, so when I go for my morning walk, I charge my car, takes about 2 hours.
DCC-9 can help you get charged if your meter is accessible. Ask your electrician.
Excellent Information.
*My Kia EV6 would charge up to a 300 Mile range on the dash board meter when I first drove it away from the dealer. After the 6th charge at 800 miles the highest charge I could get is 250 miles maximum. Is it common to loose 1/6th of my driving range after only one month of charging?*
Tesla not even on the list in your article? Higher amperage, J1772 option available, able to chain them together on the same circuit. Great information in the article, but I think you left one of the best off the list.
CCSIs quickly replacing J1772 plugs.
Great video.
I paid $450 to have a 240v outlet installed because I lucked out in that my breaker box was close to where I needed the 240v outlet to be installed. No wires/conduit to run. I know not everyone will have this option. So in order to cut down on installation cost, try to have the 240v outlet be as close to the breaker as possible.
I had the same luck. Paid an electrician $250 to wire up a NEMA 14-50 outlet in my garage. My 200amp breaker panel was right above the location where I wanted the plug. Paid $240 to buy a 32amp evse from Amazon. For $500, I have a Level 2 charging station.
Could you please do a security video? Is it safe to charge when charger is wet? during rain? what to do and not to do.
It is safe to charge in the rain. Much of what the EVSE does is keep you safe. When not connected to the car, the high-voltage pins are actually shut off (there is a relay in the EVSE that switches off the power). There are two smaller pins on the J1772 connector and these are used to detect when the car is connected and also tell the car how much load it can safely draw. Once the car is plugged in and the negotiation is completed the EVSE will switch the relay to let the high-voltage power flow.
This means that when you are connecting or disconnecting, the power is actually completely off -- no risk to you even in a downpour.
The EVSEs are weather sealed and designed for outdoor use (even outdoor installation of the whole thing). They have a built-in GFCI and would trip off the power immediately if they were to detect any problem.
If you use the "mobile" charger that tends to be included with most EVs, those are also safe to use in the rain and are weather sealed BUT ... the 'brick' on the mobile charger should not be allowed to lay in a puddle of water. They are weather sealed and getting wet in the rain isn't a problem -- but they should NOT be underwater (they aren't sealed enough for that.)
T.T what about apartments?
nice review! well done!
Wonderfully informative video. Thanks.
Great explanation but I must say I've never heard EVSE said like that. Evee S E
Thankyou! Electric Vehicle Service Equipment, E V S E . The acronym made into a word, 'Evsy or Evsie' was a tad confusing. I was hearing FC.
Ty
Brian Cooley is fantastic. Need to see more of him! I hope he's wearing sunscreen for all these videos!
Great Primer!!
great info
This was an informative video thank you
super explanation!
What is the cost going to be if your 200 amp electrical box is full and you need to add 30 amps at 240 volt AC? That's going to be significantly higher?
Can you make a video regarding bidirectional charging between an EV and a home?
It is a charger.. the one inside the car is a voltage converter. same thing with laptops and smarphones
nice.
Most countries in the world operate on a 220v-240v system. Would such countries need the level 2 charger at home?
It's nice to have, I would and did install 1. A longer a range EV, 200 + miles, would be easier to get by on 110v slow charging, but L2 220v makes life much easier.
Yes, you need a higher amperage
Good deal
CNET, we see you.... we see that R1T in the into!
why can't they make a drivers seat that generates enough static electricity to power your car, all the driver needs to do is move about quickly ion his seat as he drives
Amazing information! How does it work with a house with Solar energy?
Looks like a Soup dispenser
Which equipment is best for apartment residents?
Prospective EV buyer here. I’d fall into the 30ish miles a day category. Would using a level 1 charger every night cause unnecessary strain on the battery leading to faster degradation? I rent currently rent and won’t be able to add a level 2. Thanks!
Level 1 is perfectly fine for any EV battery.
Is this charger only for Ford and EV recharging? Or is it a hybrid, and can also refuel at gas station? Suggestion: Ford cars are too big in design.
Excellent video.
guys how much is level 3 charger ?? and what are the best vendors who make it ??? thank you
So is it more beneficial to wire a home in DC than AC? We barely use AC anyway
This info was accurate a month ago, but in the intervening time Tesla has stated that they will NO LONGER PROVIDE THE BASIC CHARGING CABLE with their new cars -- rather it has become a $200 "option". I guess when you have a years worth of production back orders you can get away with stunts like this. This does not look good for Tesla. Shame on them.
Cooley is my co-pilot
Level One sucks. I installed my own Tesla Wall Connecter, 48 AMPS on 6 gauged wire. Easy peezy for my 8 foot run.
You are only screwed if you live in the city, apartment or rent and the landlord says no. You forgot to mention that if you only have a 250 Amp service and need more you are in trouble and will cost you a ton more
I have trypophobia. I find your choice of thumbnail frightening. Thank you. These EVSEs need to be censored like flashing lights. 🙀😱
What does the box actually do? Why did the EV car salesman say that all we needed was a 240V receptacle?
Give this guy his own channel
Imagine if we're allowed to use Tesla's invention of the power stick that plugs into the Earth, you would just go to the local park lol