How to Charge your Electric Vehicle at a Public Charging Station: Step by Step

Charge an electric vehicle at a public charging station can be an easy and convenient way to keep your vehicle running. With our comprehensive guide, you’ll learn about the different types of charging available for EVs, as well as tips on how to safely charge your car at a public charging station.

Level 2 charging stations, found at public locations like restaurants, retail stores, and hotels, are responsible for the majority of EV charging that occurs outside of the home. These stations provide a charging rate of 10 to 50 miles per hour, depending on the amount of power the charger can supply and the capacity of the electric car’s battery. However, even at the upper limit of this range, it takes approximately four hours to fully charge your EV.

If you’re looking to recharge quickly and get back on the road, Level 3 charging, or DC fast charging, is the way to go. However, DC fast chargers are currently less common than Level 2 chargers, due to their higher initial cost and the greater amount of electric current they require.

How to check if an EV battery is fully charged

This section will help you to understand if you need to charge your EV or if you can postpone the charging for later.

Check the Battery Level, Most EVs come equipped with a dashboard display that shows the current battery level. This can give you a good indication of how much charge is remaining.

Check the Range, Many EVs also display an estimated range based on the current battery level and driving conditions. This can help you understand how far you can travel before needing to recharge.

Pay Attention to Performance, As your EV’s battery level gets lower, you may notice a decrease in performance, such as reduced acceleration or slower charging times. This can be an indication that it’s time to recharge.

How to monitor my EV battery remotely, Use an App. Many EVs also have smartphone apps that allow you to monitor the battery level and receive notifications when it’s time to recharge.

Confirm Your Car’s Power Requirement

Before you begin charging your vehicle, it’s important to understand your car’s power requirement. There are different types of charging stations that support various levels of power output, so you’ll want to be sure you connect to the right station for your car.

So how exactly to consider your requirements……

Battery Capacity, The first step is to determine the battery capacity of your EV. This can be found in the owner’s manual or by contacting the manufacturer. Once you know the battery capacity, you can estimate how much time is needed to fill it up.

The range of your EV is also an important factor in determining your power requirement. If you typically drive short distances, your power requirement will be lower than if you frequently drive long distances. This means that the time you’d invest inside the public charging will be shorter as you don’t need to use the whole battery capacity for your day-to-day usage. On the other hand, If you’re driving long distances and not sure where will be your next charging place then of course it would be a different story

The charging time of your EV will also impact your power requirement. If you have limited charging time, you may need a higher power level to charge your EV quickly. Meaning high-power delivery DC charging station that can fill up the battery in 20-30 minutes.

Confirm Socket Types Compatible with Your Vehicle.

Once you’ve determined the power output your vehicle can accept, it’s time to find a compatible public charging station. Confirm your car is compatible with the socket type listed on the station, as some vehicles require specific connectors and adapters.

The socket type supported by a public charging station should be listed on the charging station itself, either on the charger unit or on a nearby information board. The type of socket can also be found on EV charging station maps or apps that list the charging station details.

The most common types of EV charging sockets are the CCS (Combined Charging System), CHAdeMO, and Type 2 (also known as Mennekes). Some charging stations may support all three types of sockets, while others may only support one or two.

Public EV Charging Station Pricing and Costs

The pricing of the public charging stations are derived from the commercial electricity fees shown in this table. Many public charging stations list their pricing information right on the charger itself, but it pays to double-check online before using.

The fees charged at public charging stations can vary widely depending on the location, network, and pricing structure. here are some of the plans and options available

Pay-per-use, Some public charging stations require a fee to be paid at the time of use. This fee may be a flat rate or based on the amount of time you spend charging.

Membership plans, Some charging networks offer membership plans that allow you to access their charging stations for a discounted rate or flat fee.

Subscription plans, Some charging networks offer subscription plans that allow you to access their charging stations for a monthly fee.

Idle fees, Some charging stations may charge an idle fee if you leave your vehicle plugged in after it has finished charging.

Session fees, Some charging stations may charge a session fee for each time you initiate a charging session.

Network fees, Some charging networks may charge a fee to access their network of charging stations.

Peak pricing, Some charging stations may charge higher fees during peak usage hours.

Connection fees, Some charging stations may charge a fee for connecting to the charging station.

Minimum fees, Some charging stations may require a minimum fee to be paid regardless of how much electricity you use.

Depending on the state, you may be charged sales tax on charging fees.

The fees charged at public charging stations can vary widely depending on the location, network, and pricing structure. It’s a good idea to research the fees in advance and factor them into your overall charging costs when planning a trip.

Park and Connect to Begin Recharging

After you’ve found the right public charging station and park your car in the designated spot, you’ll need to authenticate yourself to start the charging session. This could involve using an RFID card, a mobile app, or a credit card to pay for the charging session. EV owners should use extra caution here to ensure that cords are clear from any potential hazards. Open up the charging cord handle, connect the plug to your car’s onboard charger port and then shut off the cord handle. Congratulations — you’re now ready to recharge.

Monitor Recharge Progress and Disconnect Same as Plugging In

Stay near your car while it’s charging and monitor the charging session to make sure that it’s progressing smoothly. Check the charging station’s display or your EV’s dashboard to see how much time is left until the battery is fully charged.

When your EV’s battery is fully charged or you’re ready to stop the charging session as you don’t need 100% capacity, follow the instructions on the charging station to stop the charging session. Disconnect the charging cable from your EV’s charging port and return it to the charging station.

How many EV charging ports are there?

The EV charging ports refer to the physical locations that are open to the public for charging electric vehicles.

us news stated recently that In the United States, ChargePoint is the leading provider of electric vehicle charging stations, boasting an impressive 27,000 stations and nearly 50,000 individual charging ports. This makes it the largest charging network in the country, and it continues to grow every day. In comparison, Tesla, which is the next closest rival, has approximately 6,000 station locations and around 28,000 charging ports. While Tesla’s network may be smaller than ChargePoint’s, it is still a significant player in the electric vehicle market.

It’s worth noting that there are several other electric vehicle charging providers in the US, such as EVgo, Greenlots, and Electrify America, each with their own networks of charging stations. With the increase in electric vehicle adoption, these networks are expanding, and new charging stations are popping up all over the country. In fact, there are now over 100,000 public charging ports across the US, making it easier than ever for electric vehicle owners to charge up and hit the road.

Conclusion

We reviewed all there is to know about public charging stations. Whether you just bought a new EV or considering buying one, we hope you are more knowledgeable and can save more money on your EV charging.