Mar 28, 2025
Electric Vehicle Charger Types Explained: Choosing the Right EV Charging Infrastructure
Kavita Jadhav
With electric vehicles (EVs) becoming the norm, understanding how to charge them is just as important as choosing which one to drive. Whether you’re a builder, business owner or a fleet operator, the right charger can transform your EV experience.
⚡ Why Choosing the Right EV Charger Matters
Think about buying the latest smartphone—but using a 10-year-old cable to charge it. That’s what it feels like when your EV is paired with the wrong charger: slow, frustrating, and inefficient.
As EV adoption grows, so does the need for smarter, faster, and more reliable charging infrastructure. But not all EV chargers are created equal. They differ in speed, setup, and ideal use case. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most common electric vehicle charger types and how to choose the one that fits your needs—whether you're powering a single car or planning large-scale EV charging infrastructure.
🔌 Types of EV Chargers Explained
EV chargers are typically grouped into three types, based on charging speed and power capacity:
1. Level 1 Charger – Slow and Simple
What it is: A portable charger plugged into a regular 15 A socket (like your home appliances).
Speed: Adds about 10 – 15 km of range per hour with a charging rate of 2 – 3 kW, requiring 8 to 30 hours for a 100% charge.
Best for: EV owners residing in independent houses with short commutes and low daily mileage.
Pros:
No installation required
Very low cost
Enables charging in locations with no EV charging infrastructure
Cons:
Extremely slow, not ideal for daily high-usage
No energy metering, requring manual meter reading and billing
No authentication, enabling any person to use the charger
Does not support load management, leading to potential overloading of the electrical system
Basic electrical safety mechanisms
2. Level 2 Charger – The Practical Everyday Choice
What it is: Uses a 240 V (like an air conditioner) or a 415 V (3-phase) connection and requires professional installation.
Speed: Adds about 30 – 100 km of range per hour with a charging rate of 3 – 22 kW, requiring 4 to 8 hours for a 100% charge.
Best for: Homes, residential soceities, offices, and commercial buildings.
Pros:
Faster charging for daily use
Access control with configurable user list
Comprehensive electrical safety protections
Cons:
Higher upfront cost
Smart Level 2 Chargers offer:
Scheduled charging for off-peak hours
Load management for efficient energy use
Real-time energy metering integrated with billing and payments
Data and reports integratable with CMS / BMS / EMS
3. Level 3 / DC Fast Charger – Speed Meets Scale
What it is: High-powered charger that delivers direct current (DC) directly to the battery.
Speed: Charges up to 80% in 15–45 minutes with a charging rate of 30 – 300 kW.
Best for: EV fleets, public highways, and commercial spaces with high traffic.
Pros:
Ultra-fast charging
Great for high turnover environments
Cons:
Higher cost and energy demand
Requires robust electrical infrastructure
⚡ What is a Mixed-Level Charging Solution?
In many real-world scenarios, a combination of Level 2 and DC Fast Chargers offers the best results. This is especially useful for mixed-use sites like fleet depots, office campuses, and commercial or residential properties.
Level 2: For long-stay or overnight charging
DC Fast: For short-stay, high-turnover charging
This hybrid approach balances cost, convenience, and energy efficiency.
🤔 Which EV Charger Type Is Right for You?
It depends on:
Frequency of vehicle use
Parking duration
Number of existing and forecasted EV users
Available power at the location
Type of EV
💡 Planning Your EV Charging Infrastructure? Think Long-Term.
Choosing the right electric vehicle charger type is not just a technical decision—it’s a strategic one. Whether you're planning EV charging infrastructure for a building, a business, or a fleet, make sure it is:
Scalable: Designed to expand with the growth of EV adoption
Smart: Seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure
Insightful: Offers data insights and user-friendly features
Reliable: Built for uptime and performance
Cost-effective: Designed with total ownership cost in mind