Cooperative Living September 2021 - 28

SmartConnect | by Sydney G. Roberts, Ph.D., Contributing Columnist
Plug in for Savings
Getting started with electric vehicle charging
P
lug-in electric vehicles are
increasingly popular, with sales
of more than 3 million cars
globally in 2020, a 50% increase over
2019. In general, they are fast, quiet
and comfortable, with models meeting
a variety of needs from family car
to sportster. Because EVs run on
electricity only, they do not produce
any pollution at the tailpipe and are
considered a vital component of our
clean energy future, as electricity
generation continues to transition
to a lower-emissions future.
Electric vehicles are powered
by motors that get their energy
from batteries. There is no internal
combustion engine, no radiator and
no gas tank. Charging the battery is
similar to charging your cellphone,
only on a much larger scale. Like a
cellphone, there are a few standard
types of connectors used by manufacturers,
and adapters are available
to allow you to use the charging
infrastructure appropriate for each
vehicle.
For this article, we are focusing
o on passenger cars and trucks, although
n passenger cars and trucks, although
we recognize that there are very
exciting electric mobility options in
everything from bicycles (e-bikes)
and scooters to motorcycles and
heavy trucks.
C Charging at home is safe, convenien
Gasoline savings
often more than
offset the added
electricity costs
of an EV.
Whereas a typical internal combustion
engine car owner may fill up their
car for $25 every week, they probably
don't think of that as a $100 per month
gasoline charge. Adding an EV to the
household will increase electricity
costs, but they will likely be more
than offset by gasoline savings.
TYPES OF HOME CHARGING:
LEVEL 1 & LEVEL 2
Electric vehicles can be charged
harging at home is safe, convenient
and typically less expensive than
fueling a conventional car. Consumer
Reports estimates the fuel savings at
$4,700 in the first seven years. Most
EV owners do the majority of their
charging at home, and supplement
their energy with charging at work,
in commercial areas and at charging
stations adjacent to major highways.
One thing to remember is the
cost for charging at home appears
monthly as par of your electricity bill.
monthly as part of your electricity bill.
by plugging the vehicle directly into
a standard 120-volt outlet using the
charging cable that comes with the
vehicle. This is called Level 1 charging.
For a typical EV, this can add 4 miles
of range per hour. Many households
use a top-off strategy of daily overnight
charging with Level 1.
Alternatively, Level 2 charging
stations are stand-alone units that are
sold separately from the vehicle and
run on 240-volt power. They can either
be plugged in or hard-wired. Level 2
charging provides approximately 25
miles of range per hour, depending on
the charging station, amperage of the
connection and the specific EV. With
Level 2, a family can either top-off or
can completely recharge a vehicle that
is nearly empty in a single evening.
Unless you can use an existing dryer
plug, installing a Level 2 charging
station is a job for a licensed electrician.
In addition
In addition to faster charging,
to faster charging,
there is currently a federal tax credit
for home Level 2 charging stations
installed before Dec. 31, 2021 of 30%
of the cost of the charging station
and installation, up to $1,000.
ON THE ROAD
Fortunately, there are growing
networks of public charging stations
at shopping centers, workplaces and
along travel routes. Most of those
located at shopping and work
destinations are Level 2.
26 | Cooperative Living | September 2021
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Cooperative Living September 2021

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