Main Line Charging

EV Charging Cost Considerations

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There are several options to recharge an EV.

  • At home
  • At work
  • Public Stations

At Home

Most drivers will recharge their vehicles at home each evening, so before you invest in a Battery Electrical Vehicle (BEV), there are a few things you should know, and understand about charging and the different types of chargers.

Owners should be aware that there is a charging cycle. Therefore it usually takes longer to recharge the last 5-10% of the battery than the first 90%. This is due to the charger reducing the power flow to a trickle charge so as to not overcharge or damage the battery.

Also owners should be aware that many Electric Vehicles are currently limited in how much power they can draw from a charging station, this extends the time it takes to get a full charge. Many manufacturers such as GM recognize this choke point and are currently building their vehicles to be able to accept higher levels of power from different levels of chargers.

Most houses have a 240Volt panel. Panel capacity varies from smaller 100Amp up to 400Amp. Depending on the current load, a dedicated EV charging circuit may require upgrade of the electrical panel, meter socket and service entrance cable. Upgrade of the electrical panel will obviously increase the cost of installation of an EV charging station.

Some charger manufacturers such as Tesla also plan to allow “load sharing”. Load Sharing is when the load is balanced between several charging stations, to ensure multiple vehicles can share the maximum power available on a single EV charging circuit. This alternative should be considered by all multi car households, as it allows several vehicles to be connected to the same circuit, so it may not be necessary to upgrade electrical panels or service if there are multiple EV vehicles plugged in at the same time.

At Work

Many employers provide charging facilities as a benefit for their employees to utilize while they are at work. If you would like us to contact your if your employer to determine if they would be interested in hosting a station, please click here to send us an email.

Public Charging

Many people charge their electric car at public charging stations. They can be free, pay-as-you-go or subscription-based, with prices set by networks or property owners. Some automakers, such as Hyundai, Nissan and Tesla may provide complimentary charging at certain public chargers. It should be noted that the industry is moving toward a fee structure based on kWh used, rather than by the time it takes to charge the car.

Drivers in Pennsylvania may expect to pay around 30 cents per kWh to charge on Public Level 2, and 40 cents per kWh for Public Level 3 (DC fast charging). At these rates, an EV with 330-mile range and 80-kWh battery would cost about $24.00 to fully charge (from empty to full) using Level 2, and $32.00 with DC fast charging.

Several apps and online tools will help you locate public charging, including PlugShare’s and Google Maps database.

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