Charging 101

Here’s what you need to know to keep your new EV juiced up.

Plug types

Different vehicles use diferent charging plugs and speeds, which can seem confusing at first. However, it’s actually quite easy to understand and navigate.

Most EVs use one of two connectors:

  • CCS: Most non-Teslas are equipped this charging port. J1772 plugs are used for Level 1 and 2 charging and CCS plugs are for DC fast charging.

  • NACS (Tesla): Tesla pioneered the NACS charging design, and increasingly other OEMs — including Hyundai — are adopting this standard.

For vehicles not equipped with NACS ports, many OEMs like Hyundai and Kia are offering adapters so that drivers can access Tesla charging infrastructure.

Courtesy Recurrent Auto

Charging at home

If you have access to an outlet near where you park at home, you can charge your car.

Level 1 charging is possible via a standard household outlet. If possible, try to use a dedicated 15-amp plug. This ensures that your car charges efficiently without being slowed down by other devices on the same circuit. You can expect to add back between 20 and 30 miles of range overnight with this method. If you don’t drive more than 25 miles per day on average, you can get by with a Level 1 charging for a while. If your car doesn’t come with a Level 1 portable charger (ask the dealer!) be sure to ask to have one included.

Level 2 is the most common and convenient form of home charging. Level 2 charging requires at least a 30-amp, 240V connection (like a dryer plug), but most are 40- or 50-amps. You may already have an outlet installed in or near your garage that you can use. If you decide to purchase a Level 2 charger make sure it has a compatible plug.

If you do not have a 240V outlet installed already, your local electrician can either install an outlet our hardwire a charger directly to your panel. Chargers cost between $300-600 on average, and the installation can range from $250 on the low end for a very simple job to $3,000+ if you need to upgrade your electrical panel. This is rare as most electricians are able to find “space” on a panel.

  • California state law requires landlords to approve tenant requests to install EV charging stations in their dedicated parking spaces so long as the tenant is willing to pay for the charging station and associated costs, including installation and utility costs.

    Read California’s state law →

How do I get a charger installed?

Any licensed electrician should be able to install a Level 2 EV charger at your home. If you don’t have someone you know and trust already, we’ve curated a list of the best-rated EV charger installers in the Bay Area according to Yelp:

Energy rates

Charging at the wrong time can cost more than paying for gas. Be sure to switch to the EV rate if you plan to charge at home.

On the standard PG&E TOU rate, you pay the equivalent of $4.30/gal of gas … saving you no money.

Switching to the EV rate and scheduling charging for off-peak times means you’ll pay the equivalent of $2.75/gal. Nice!

For PG&E and community choice aggregator customers (Ava and MCE), you can change your rate to the EV2-A plan by logging into your PG&E account. Once logged in, click the Manage Your Rate Plan button on the right, underneath your current rate plan. You can only do this after you purchase our lease your EV — it requires a VIN.

Public charging infrastructure

  1. Filter by plug type: Whether using the PlugShare app, the in-car navigation system, or any other charging app, make sure you’re looking for a compatible charging station based on your charging port type.

  2. Filter by charging power: If you’re looking to charge your car as quickly as possible, search for charging stations with at least 50kW (kilowatts) of power. The more kW the better! When we road trip, we look for at least 150kW+ stations first. If you’re planning to park and charge your car for a while, look for a Level 2 station, typically 7kW.

  3. Filter by network: If you have free or discounted charging on a particular network, you can search specifically for that network.

There are two types of public charging: Level 2 and DC Fast Charging, with options for each plug type - CCS and NACS (Tesla). Before you drive your EV off the lot, we strongly recommend that you download the PlugShare app. You can also search for charging stations from your in-car navigation system, but we find PlugShare the easiest and best resource for finding convenient charging. It also includes tips for use and community ratings.

How to find charging

Still have questions?

We sure did at this point…

That’s why we’re here. Chat with us via the link below or schedule a personalized EV on-boarding call.