The most common concern Americans have when it comes to the adoption of electric cars is the difficulty of charging their vehicle and having it ready to go at a moment’s notice. With a standard vehicle, a full tank of gas and dozens more hours of travel are available at nearly every street corner. Electric vehicles have still not yet been able to match this level of speed and convenience, although the number of charging stations is growing. However, as time goes on and electric charging becomes more standardized, consumers have been able to use an electric vehicle without worrying about running out of battery or being unable to use their car when needed.
Public Charging Stations – Wider Adoption and Variety
For most consumers, a home charging station is more than enough to keep their vehicle fueled and ready for the next day. Still, there are many situations where needing to refuel on the go is helpful, and a vast network of charging stations has sprung up that provide charging services to different vehicles depending on the manufacturer. Some of the most exciting news to grace the electric vehicle sphere in recent times was the announcement by Tesla to open up its charging connector design to any interested company or party.
In its announcement late last year, Tesla allowed their charging design (used in their vehicles and ‘Supercharger’ charging stations) to be widely adopted by other companies and charging stations. While the myriad of other companies making electric vehicles generally used similar designs on their cars, Tesla has a unique charging connector that made other manufacturer vehicles charging at a Tesla charging station nearly impossible. Going forward, this change will mean that cars created by companies like Ford or Chevrolet can freely use Tesla charging technology in their designs, eventually benefitting from the extensive network of Tesla stations available. Furthermore, Tesla hopes that other charging stations will now include a Tesla-style charger at their locations, giving more places for Tesla owners to recharge on the go if a Tesla supercharger location is far away.
Tesla has long hoped that their charging connector would become the new standard, with them even dubbing it the ‘North American Charging Standard.’ Whether or not other companies flock to the design is yet to be seen, but this announcement all but confirms that the widespread adoption of electric vehicles is not slowing down but instead becoming easier and easier for consumers to swap to.
Home Charging Options
Having a network of electric vehicle charging stations seems essential, as electric vehicles generally have less range than other cars, and these stations act as gas stations to refuel. However, most electric vehicle owners have no need to visit these stations during their day-to-day activities. At-home charging, either a slow Level 1 charger or a faster Level 2 charger, is an inexpensive and relatively simple solution that guarantees your car will be fully charged by morning if left in the garage overnight. A Level 2 charger can fully charge almost every EV on the market in roughly 6 hours, depending on the manufacturer and power supply. Charging stations act as a good safety net and are helpful on long road trips, but the days of electric vehicle owners worrying about how to reliably charge their daily driver is long in the past.
For more information on installing electric vehicle chargers at your home or commercial location, call the professionals at Promise Electric. We can assess your garage space and provide upfront pricing for your EV charging station installation. You can trust us to obtain all necessary permits and complete the installation to your complete satisfaction.
