Drivers of electrical vehicles (EVs) are searching for charging stations.<\/p>\n
Despite the desire to positively impact the planet and climate, the demands of EVs are not being met.<\/p>\n
For example, using a regular U.S. electrical outlet of 120 volts, you would need five days to charge a large 250 kwh battery.<\/p>\n
One man documented his experience on video. \u201cThis is a brand new hummer and it\u2019s got the largest battery you can buy,\u201d he said. \u201c250-kilowatt hours of battery in this truck.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says, \u201cNow it\u2019s Sunday morning, let\u2019s see how long it takes to charge it just using the truck\u2019s charger and plugging it into a standard wall outlet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I\u2019ve got the charger, I\u2019ve got the plug. Keep in mind it\u2019s Sunday morning, so let\u2019s plug her in, and let\u2019s see what the truck says about how long it will take to charge.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTime to complete charge: Friday at 8:30 am and range increase is one mile per hour,\u201d he said, making a total charge time of five days.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s what happens when you try to charge the largest battery truck using a 120 outlet,\u201d he says. \u201cOf course, you could have a level two or fast charger which would make it a lot quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pro-EV nonprofit organization called Coltura has created \u201cThe EV Home Charging Cheat Sheet.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are upgrades to speed up charging. It is said that if your driving doesn\u2019t require more than 40-50 miles daily, you can get by with a 120-volt charge.<\/p>\n
Coltura\u2019s cheat sheet stated that a 250v would run a Level 2 charger. It seems that most homes have some 250v circuitry, and with a 30 amp capacity, you could get 25-30 miles for each hour of charging.<\/p>\n
The cheat sheet also said, \u201cYou might want to consider 40 or 50 amps to better future-proof your charger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso, level 2 charging equipment can cost \u201cfrom $500 to $2,000 before installation,\u201d although they noted you might get some money back from \u201cstate and utility incentives.\u201d \u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd they strongly recommend hiring an electrician, which for a job like this presumably would run $300-$500 (really depends on needed wiring alterations).\u201d<\/p>\n
The cheat sheet recommends only charging it up to 80 percent, which would extend the life of the battery.<\/p>\n
There are still questions about EVs and the infrastructure to accommodate recharging stations.<\/p>\n