Do Electric Cars Come With Chargers? (Explained)

Although electric cars are getting increasingly popular every day, many people are still skeptical about getting one.

A major fear among enthusiasts is the availability of charging stations.

This is because no one wants a situation where they become immobile because they can’t power up their vehicles.

Keep reading to find out whether or not charging your electric car might be a problem.

Here’s the short answer to whether electric cars come with chargers?

Any electric car you buy today will probably come with a charger. It’s hard to picture an EV without one. However, there’s more to it, as different types perform distinctly. So even if your car comes with a charger, it may not be ideal for you. Most people end up upgrading theirs.

Can You Buy an Electric Car Without Charger?

Unless you’re buying a used car, any electric car you buy would often come with a charger. It may be undependable when you’re in a hurry, but it’ll be a charger. They are called level-1 chargers.

However, Teslas don’t come with chargers anymore so it’s technically possible to buy an electric car without a charger. You’d usually have to buy a level-1 or level-2 charger for less than $500 as additional equipment.

Level-1 chargers are your standard 120-volt chargers. Most electric cars have level-1 chargers that you can plug into a 120-volt outlet. If you’re wondering what that is, a 120-volt outlet is your regular charging outlet at home.

So that settles it. It would be best if you don’t attempt buying an electric car without a charger, not even a used one. It’s never a bad idea to have your level-1 charger on standby.

Even people who frequently visit charging stations use level-1 chargers to power up sometimes. Besides, if you only use your electric car for short drives, a level-1 charger would serve you well.

Do Electric Cars Come With Charging Cables?

They mostly come standard with a level-1 charging cable. This cable is usually classified as part of the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). Think of it as standard equipment in most electric cars.

The great thing about the EVSE is that it doesn’t require any additional installation. This is because the cable is compatible with standard home outlets. So with the EVSE, all you need is a power source.

The rest is pretty straightforward. One end of the cable gets connected to a 120v socket while the other goes into your car’s charging port.

Few electric cars come with level-2 charging cables. Although they provide faster charging, you can’t plug them directly into a regular 120-volt outlet. That means you’d need additional installation if you intend to use them in your home.

Do Electric Cars Come With a Charging Station?

EVs come with level-1 charging cables and that’s it. However, before you hold a grudge, recall that level-1 charging cables don’t require a standard charging point (station). Since you can plug them into the same charging outlets as your phone, a charging station is unnecessary.

Charging stations are mounted systems that serve as charging outlets for level-2 or level-3 chargers. Hence, home charging stations are installed in garages and you’d find public charging stations when you drive out.

So don’t expect the average EV to come with a charging station.

Still, we expect this all to change soon as the EV market gets more competitive by the day. It’s only a matter of time before most automakers equip their EVs with faster chargers, charging stations, and larger batteries.

There are many aftermarket options for charging stations. Level-2 chargers are also the fastest way to charge your car at home. Only level-3 chargers are faster and let’s face it, you can’t install level-3 equipment at home.

Can You Own an Electric Car Without a Home Charger?

Electric vehicles are quite popular and the same can be said for charging stations around the country. While they’re not exactly as widespread as gas stations yet, they’re constantly on the rise.

Therefore, many EV owners can comfortably go for months at a time without ever charging their cars at home.

With that being said, it’s very possible to own an electric car without a home charger. However, a level-2 charger at home would be an asset. Besides, most EV owners charge their cars at home eight out of 10 times.

It is not as fast as a level-3 charger, but it’ll give you the ease of charging your vehicle at home. You could even charge at night and be ready to go in the morning.

If you go to public charging stations, you wouldn’t have this luxury. Instead, you’d have to budget about 15 to 30 minutes to get a full charge. Give or take an hour, depending on your battery capacity and their charger type.

There’s also the distance factor to consider. How far away from the nearest charging station do you live? Chances are; you’d need at least a level-1 charger to power up before you get to the station.

Can You Always Use the Charger in Any Power Socket in the House?

With 120-volt and 240-volt chargers, you can always charge your car at home. However, you won’t be able to always use any power socket in the house.

Regular sockets for your electrical appliances like your laptops would always be sufficient for 120-volt (level-1) chargers. For 240-volt (level-2) chargers, you’d always need 240-volt outlets like the one you use for your air conditioning.

So before you use any outlet, know your charger type and what it requires. You can’t always plug anything anywhere.

Also, cars now have adaptive chargers that increase their versatility. So, you’d be able to use both level one and two chargers with more outlet types.

Are Car Chargers Standardized By Now?

This is another major fear common among people considering EVs. To pacify that fear, most automakers today use the same type of charging plug. Although there are many types of chargers by manufacturer, charging speed, outlet fitting, etc., they mostly have the same connector.

You may compare this to gas-powered cars. No matter the size of the vehicle, a standard nozzle can fit through its gas inlet. Levels one, two, and three electric chargers would usually have the same connector.

This standardization makes life easier at public charging stations. Even if there’ll be variations, they’d be slight and you can easily work around them.

The J1772 is the industry standard for electric car chargers. Most cars have J1722 ports and that’s why you don’t need compatibility tests to find a new charger. You could order one from the internet without wondering whether or not it’s the right fit.

Although Tesla vehicles would have a different connector, with adapters, any charger can charge them.

Related: Do Electric Cars Come With Portable Chargers? (Solved)

Are Chargers Included in the Sales Price on Electric Cars?

We like to think so since they come standard in electric cars. However, it isn’t a cost you’d notice if they take it out of your bill. Level-1 chargers aren’t exactly expensive and they are the most basic form of car chargers.

However, with Tesla as an exception, their chargers aren’t included in the sales price of their vehicles anymore. As we mentioned earlier, you’d now have to get them separately.

If your EV comes standard with a charger, then its price is included somewhere in the sales price.

Related: 13 Electric Vehicles With Range Extenders (With Prices)

Do You Pay For Chargers Separately?

You wouldn’t usually need to pay for a charger separately. The majority of EVs come with a charger and include them in their sales price. So, buy an EV and you find a charger with it.

However, even though you don’t have to pay for them separately, you may want an additional charger. Most EV owners buy level-2 chargers even though they have standard level-1 equipment.

The added speed that level-2 chargers provide is an advantage to reckon with. So although they don’t pay for chargers separately, a higher percentage of EV owners end up going for better options.

Do All Electric Cars Have Chargers?

From all we’ve explained, it’s obvious that not all electric cars have chargers. However, all of them can be powered by chargers.

Few of them don’t come with chargers at all. Some cars may also be old and would not have fully functional chargers. Still, these factors do not mean you cannot use them, since the absence of a charger doesn’t prevent usage.

So if your car doesn’t come with a charger, you’d have to rely on public charging stations. Some employers also include charging stations in their company garages. You’d only need a strict plan to manage your routes to ensure you don’t run out of juice.

If these options aren’t comfortable for you, consider the next subheading.

Related: Do Electric Cars Always Come With Batteries? (Checked)

Can You Buy New Chargers for Electric Cars?

There are many reasons you might want a new charger for your EV.

Perhaps your old one is damaged or annoyingly slow, so it takes days to fully recharge. Maybe your EV didn’t come with one. You’d easily tire of the calculative measures you always take to ensure your battery doesn’t die at home.

The good news is you can buy a new charger. The prices range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars. If you’re in the market for one, then you should go for a level-2 charger.

It’s usually the option that makes the most sense, all things considered.

Final Thoughts

Electric cars are a great way to cut costs since they’re cheaper to recharge. Refilling a gas tank would usually take a lot of money out of your pocket (may even be over $100). Relative to gas-powered cars, electric vehicles cost peanuts to recharge.

They are also cleaner and better for the environment since they do not produce fumes. Not to mention they have cheaper and less rigorous maintenance routines.

Still, although they come with so many advantages, their recharging process is quite slow. Even the fastest 480-volt chargers would usually need at least 15 minutes to recharge a car.

The slowest chargers (level-1) would take an entire hour to deliver 2 to 5 miles of driving range. You can imagine how long it’ll take to charge a 50-mile range electric car.

We’ve explained the basics of charging an EV, so before you buy one now, you’ll understand all of your options.

Sources

Does an electric car come with a charger | GetJerry

How Home Electric Car Charging Works | US News

EV Charging Stations: Where to Find Them, What Type You Need, How to Pay | Car and Driver

Was this article helpful?