As electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular, it’s important to understand the basics of charging. In this article, we will explore the different types of chargers available and their charging speeds.
Types of Chargers
Your Hyundai EV comes with three charging options: level one, level two, and level three. Each type of charger has its rate of charge, which can be found in your owner’s manual.
Level One Charger
Level one charging, also known as portable charging, is the slowest option. This charger uses a normal 120-volt AC household electric current and is included with every Hyundai EV. It can take up to 68 hours to charge your vehicle to 100% battery level.
Level Two Charger
Level two charging is up to four times faster than level one. This charging solution requires a 240-volt charger, which is typical of home EV charging units and is commonly found at public charging stations. Level two chargers can take up to seven and a half hours to charge a vehicle to 100% full battery.
Level Three Charger
Level three, or DC fast charging, is the fastest solution. It uses industrial-level 480-volt and 800-volt high-power charger units at public charging stations. DC fast chargers are commonly found at 50, 100, and 150-kilowatt rates, and some stations offer ultra-high-power 350-kilowatt chargers. Level three DC chargers can charge up to 80% of battery level in less than one hour. Some Hyundai EVs can charge up to 80% in as little as 20 minutes when using ultra-high-power 350-kilowatt chargers.
Read More: How to open an Electric Car Charging Station in India
Factors Affecting Charging Time
The actual charging rate and time will vary based on several additional factors. For instance, when using level three charging, the vehicle controls the charge rate to manage battery temperature and voltage. As the battery state of charge (SOC) approaches 80%, the charge rate is significantly reduced to prevent overvoltage that could harm battery life.
It may be more suitable to use a level two charger when charging in the range of 80 to 100% since level three DC chargers are more expensive and may be limited on user session time. Additionally, charging rates may be lower at high or cold temperatures, and the charging sites can occasionally reduce the maximum available power due to local conditions.
Charging Connectors
Level one and level two charging stations commonly have what’s called a J plug. Level three charging on your EV uses a combo connector or CCS. Most public charging stations will have the correct plug for your vehicle, but be sure to confirm when searching for charging stations on your vehicle’s navigation screen.
Charging Settings
There are also available vehicle settings for charging and battery usage that allow you to customize your EV. Max percent charge lets you set the maximum amount of charge for your battery based on charging type. You can reduce the max percent charge if there is a desire to reduce the charging amount received at a certain charger type. Maximum charging current lets you set the maximum current to be used for AC charging. This can be used if you need to lower the current drawn from your home outlet due to circuit breaker loads.
When you’ve selected a DC charging site as your destination through in-vehicle navigation, turning on battery conditioning mode will allow the EV battery to preheat ahead of arrival to help optimize DC charging. This is useful when outside temperatures are cold, and some EVs have a utility mode that allows the high-voltage battery to power electronic devices connected to the vehicle as well as features like audio and lights.