Level 1 Charger

EV chargers are split into level 1 chargers, level 2 chargers and level 3 chargers. Each level determines the energy output and how fast an EV will charge. Level 1 chargers are the most basic and simplest chargers available on the market right now.

What is the level 1 charger?

The level 1 charger uses common residential AC power outlets and depending on country will use a variety of different voltages to charge a vehicle. We generally don't recommend level 1 chargers for full-battery electric vehicles as they can take almost 40-50 hours to charge your car but the time will change depending on country voltage and the car's battery capacity.

How does a level 1 EV charger work?

Level 1 chargers use a SAE J1772 charge port also known as a J port to connect the electric vehicle to a wall outlet. Level 1 chargers have the most flexibility and are often used as emergency or portable chargers as they will plug into any wall socket and with a connector are supported by most major car manufacturers and models.

How fast is level 1 charging?

Level 1 charging times vary depending on a number of factors such as your car make, model and your country's voltage. Most current battery electric vehicles will take between 40-50 hours to charge when using a level 1 charger. For example, a 95kWh battery will take around 47 hours when charging using a level 1 charger on an Australian wall outlet.

Plug-in hybrids on the other hand will charge much faster as the battery sizes are almost 1/10th of a full battery electric vehicle. A PHEV should be able to be fully charged from empty with only 5-6 hours of charging on a level 1 charger.

is level 1 charging bad for an EV battery?

No, level 1 charging is generally not bad for modern EV batteries as most vehicles use battery management systems which prevent damage from slow charging and different voltages.