EV Charging Equipment

Summary

EV charging equipment ranges from Level 1 cords on 120 V outlets and Level 2 wall or pedestal chargers on 208 V or 240 V circuits to DC fast chargers fed by three-phase power, often networked with load management. Charging adds large loads to the electrical service, so EV-ready and EV-capable spaces, conduit, panel capacity, accessible charging spaces, and pedestal locations must be planned with the parking layout.

Cols

Image

EV Charging Equipment.png

EVSE: electric vehicle supply equipment
Level 1: 120 V outlet charging; slow
Level 2: 208 V or 240 V AC charging; homes, workplaces, and destinations
DC fast charger (DCFC): off-board DC charging, commonly 50 kW to 360 kW
J1772: North American AC connector
CCS: combined charging system; J1772 with added DC pins
NACS (SAE J3400): Tesla-developed connector being standardized by SAE
EV-capable / EV-ready / EVSE-installed: spaces with raceway only, a circuit and outlet, or a charger
Power control / load management: limits total charging load on a service

Standards

Ratings

DC fast chargers typically need 480 V three-phase service and utility coordination
Accessible charging spaces required where charging is provided

Test standards

UL 2594: electric vehicle supply equipment
UL 2202: DC charging equipment for electric vehicles
NFPA 70 (NEC): EV power transfer system requirements
Energy and building codes: EV-ready and EV-capable space requirements where adopted

Components

Charger: wall-mounted or pedestal Level 2, or DC fast charger cabinet and dispensers
Circuit and raceway: branch circuit, conduit, and conductors
Distribution: panels, switchboards, or transformers for large installations
Network and payment: cellular or Ethernet connectivity, software
Site elements: bollards, wheel stops, signage, and striping

Detailing

Run conduit to future spaces during construction; retrofitting trenching is costly
Locate chargers to reach both vehicles from shared pedestals
Protect pedestals with bollards or curbs
Provide accessible spaces with accessible routes to chargers and operable parts within reach ranges
Use load management to share service capacity across many ports

Uses

Specific uses

Single-family garages
Multifamily parking structures
Workplace and retail parking
Fleet depots
Highway and destination fast-charging hubs

Pros and cons

Pros

Supports electrification and tenant demand
Load management reduces service upgrades
Networked chargers enable billing and monitoring

Cons

Large electrical loads and service upgrades
Trenching and utility work dominate costs
Hardware and connector standards are changing

Manufacturing and cost

Construction

Electrician installs circuits, conduit, and chargers; utility may upgrade service; network commissioning follows

Main manufacturers and suppliers

Trade association: NECA.

Typical costs

Commercial Level 2, installed: about $3,000 to $15,000 per port
DC fast charger, installed: about $50,000 to $250,000 per port, driven by electrical service and utility work

Sources

AAA: types of EV chargers, https://ev.aaa.com/articles/types-of-ev-chargers/
Lectron: EV charging technology explained (J1772, CCS, NACS), https://ev-lectron.com/blogs/blog/ev-charging-technology-explained
Qmerit: how much does a commercial EV charging station cost, https://qmerit.com/blog/how-much-does-a-commercial-ev-charging-station-cost-the-3-top-factors-to-consider/
Recharged: how much does a commercial EV charging station cost, https://recharged.com/articles/how-much-does-a-commercial-ev-charging-station-cost/
UL Standards: UL 2202 DC charging equipment for electric vehicles, https://www.shopulstandards.com/standards/en/standard_2202
AmpUp: electrician guide to EV charger installation, https://www.ampup.io/blog/electrician-guide-ev-charger-installation
Wikimedia Commons: Electric vehicles plugged into lamppost illustration.svg, by domdomegg (CC BY-SA 4.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electric_vehicles_plugged_into_lamppost_illustration.svg