Electric Vehicle Charging Follow

UNDERSTANDING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING - Provided by Omega Electric (847) 228-5559 

Electric vehicle chargers work at three (3) different levels.

Level 1 is 120 Volts
Level 2 is 208-240 Volts
Level 3 is 480 Volts

Applying more amps can increase the charging speed at each level. However, the chargers built into each vehicle have a maximum amperage acceptance rate. If fewer amps are applied, then the vehicle charges a bit slower.

Level 1, which is fine for hybrid vehicles but extremely slow for pure electric cars, typically charges at a rate of (3-4) miles of range for every hour the car is plugged in.

Level 2 is the most popular and can quickly charge a pure electric vehicle overnight or in a few hours for hybrids.

Level 3 is the only option that is an actual charger. Levels 1 and 2 are not chargers, but safety switches known as EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) and supply power to the chargers installed in the vehicle.

Some vehicles have Level 2 cords that plug into a 240V receptacle to charge the car. These cords have safety switches (EVSE) built into the cable that disconnects the power when it's not plugged into the car, even though the cord may still be plugged into the 240V receptacle. The end that plugs into the car is dead so that no one can get shocked by touching the end, but these EVSE safety switches have a dual purpose.

If the cord is plugged into the vehicle and there is a power outage, the EVSE switch opens so electricity does not backflow from the battery to the power grid. Level 3 chargers are usually called "Super Chargers," which can charge a car in 20-40 minutes, bypass the onboard chargers in the vehicle and directly charge the battery with DC Power. These units are expensive and harder on the battery than a Level 1 or 2 and cannot charge a hybrid vehicle.

VOLTS-AMPS - WATTS
The difference between volts, amps, and watts can best be described as a garden hose filling up a bucket of water. The volts are the pressure, the amps are the hose's diameter, and the watts are the filled bucket. If you increase the volts from 120V to 240V, you'll fill the bucket twice as fast. Increase the amps (diameter of the hose), and you'll also increase the amount of water filling the bucket. Lowering either the amps or volts will slow the filling of the bucket. No matter how fast or slow you fill up the buckets, you only pay for the amount of water in the bucket, which is the wattage electricity suppliers charge you for.

WHICH MEANS OF CHARGING IS BEST FOR YOUR BUILDING

If each unit owner's electric meters are nearby, then tapping into their service wires is the best option. Electricity suppliers then charge the unit owner directly for the energy used, there are no additional fees, and the owner can take advantage of the hourly pricing offered by ComEd, which allows the owner to pay less for electricity if they charge at night. However, if the meters are not convenient and the building power supply is the only option, then you must determine how you want the building reimbursed for the electricity used.

LOAD BALANCING
For high-rise buildings, load balancing is an important feature that will allow more EVC units to be installed with less available power. Keep in mind that not everyone will be charging at the same time. If many are charging simultaneously, drawing more amps than the electric panel can support, load balancing will lower the amps to each unit, slowing the charging speed so as not to overload the panel. If less are charging, the amps increase to use the available capacity. Of course, the more amps brought to a garage means more cars can charge simultaneously without load balancing. Load-balancing products communicate via WiFi or a cellular signal.

SMART CHARGE UNITS
These units are designed for high-rise multi-unit buildings and have load-balancing capabilities, and offer built-in usage meters. This removes additional work by the association to bill back for electricity used from their meter. The downside to these units is the initial cost of the EVSE units and the monthly fees. Here is what the approximate cost would be for the charging unit from each manufacturer and their monthly fees:

ENEL X JUICEBOX PRO
Cost $1,200-1,500 (MSRP)
Fees: $10 per month + $.30 per use + cost of electricity + credit card processing fee

WALLBOX PULSAR
Cost $750 (MSRP)
(3) year warranty from the date of installation
Free software fees with up to (25) devices in a group.
Fees: Cost of electricity + 11% processing fee
Single line and load sharing are available
Underground garage Bluetooth service available
Founders are from Tesla and built in the US with customer service support from the US.

CHARGEPOINT
Cost: $2,200-2,500
Fees: $19.99 per month + cost of electricity + credit card processing fee
EVERCHARGE
Cost $1,400-1,700 (MSRP)
Fees: $15 per month + $1per use + $.30/kwh + cost of electricity + credit card processing fee

With each of these manufacturers, the building determines the amount they want to be reimbursed for the cost of electricity. These EVSE units will require either a WiFi signal or a cellular signal. Although a cellular signal would require less work, the monthly cost will certainly increase; WiFi may require repeaters installed throughout the parking garage. However, the fees for internet service, if not already available, will be minimal.

TESLA ALTERNATIVE
There is a cheaper alternative option that can eliminate most fees. Tesla is currently working on EVC units with the universal J1772 plug for vehicles other than Tesla. These are currently unavailable, but Home Depot is selling Tesla to J1772 adapters so that an EV can be charged from a Tesla wall connector. The Tesla wall connectors have built-in load balancing at a cheaper cost. Unfortunately, they currently do not have usage meters available, but with the use of EKM sub-meters at the cost of around $500 per unit and a one-time software fee of $200, the building can then generate its own monthly invoice through EKM's software for each EVSE unit. This system will require more work from the building management but eliminates the expensive monthly usage fees associated with the other EVSE units.

CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE
As electric vehicles become increasingly sought after, the infrastructure will be another roadblock for many buildings since they may have little to no capacity in the current electrical system. Some buildings may require installing a new service from ComEd with new electrical panels on each parking garage floor. If your facility requires additional power, Omega Electric, a Division of Temperature Service Company, can design and engineer a system to accommodate your needs to allow for EV charging at your building.

TAX CREDITS
There is currently a 30% Federal Tax Credit for installing EVSE units until January 1st, 2024. Businesses can receive up to $33,000 in tax credits, whereas residential installations only qualify for a maximum of $1,000 credit.