With growing environmental concerns, people are trying to reduce their carbon footprint and help the planet. Electric vehicles are increasing in popularity because they are a green form of transportation, and they potentially save vehicle owners money by eliminating the dependence on gasoline for travel.
Buying an EV can improve environmental concerns, but owners must consider hidden costs, sacrifices, and safety. EVs need frequent recharging. With emerging technologies, vehicles can travel further on a single charge, but on average, EVs have a range of 194 miles for a single charge.
Vehicle to grid charging (V2G) describes a system where EVs communicate with the power grid to sell demand response services by either returning electricity to the grid or by throttling their charging rate.
V2G storage capabilities can enable EVs to store and discharge electricity generated from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, with output that fluctuates depending on weather and time of day.
Unfortunately, the country’s infrastructure still lags behind modern technology, so many homeowners need to charge their vehicles at home for convenience. However, if you buy an EV, upgrading to an EV charger is necessary. Experts explain that there are several reasons to install and use a device-specific charger.
1. Increase Charging Speed
A domestic socket is not the best choice for charging your new EV. Regular sockets produce a maximum output of 3.7 kW, despite 2.3 kW being the maximum recommendation. Putting aside the safety concerns of pushing your home’s system to its limits, your car will take several hours to charge completely.
A Lectron battery charging cable can produce an efficient charge with a 7.7 kW output, more than twice that of a typical household outlet, but much safer. Some chargers and public stations can offer rates of 22 kW, meaning your vehicle receives a full charge in under an hour, most often under 30 minutes. Most smart chargers are 10 times faster than domestic outlets.
2. Security in Your Charger
Many people underestimate the security or safety concerns about using domestic outlets with connection cables. While connecting your vehicle directly to the grid might sound practical, you must consider current conversion and power demand.
When you connect your car battery directly to the grid, it charges at full power the entire time. Most EVs need 10 hours for a full charge from a standard outlet. Plugging an EV into the grid without the proper cord and connection is like running a hairdryer at full heat and power unsupervised for 10 hours, which is dangerous. The heat builds up at the outlet, presenting serious safety concerns.
The fire risk is why mode 1 charging cables connected to the grid directly is prohibited. The safer charging option is a mode 2 device. Smart devices, like the Lectron battery charging cable, can also safely improve charging speed at home and public charging stations.
3. Improve Cost-Efficiency
If you install a smart device in your garage with the appropriate connections, you can save money. Some in-home charging stations have smart features that allow homeowners to reduce charging rates or manage charging times for maximum efficiency and cost savings. The effects of smart devices will vary by region and country, but you can still expect some savings or benefits.
EVs offer a lot of promise for the future, but the current national infrastructure is still trying to catch up to technological developments. If you want to learn more about EVs and efficient charging methods and solutions, check out a local auto parts retailer.
