The average EV driver knows that different levels of chargers charge electric vehicles (EV) at different rates. A Level One charger, which may come with the vehicle at point of purchase, can charge most vehicles overnight, during an 8-14 hour period, at a few miles per hour, but could take more than a day to fully charge from zero. Level Two chargers are faster, usually charging a vehicle at a rate of anywhere from 10-60 miles per kilowatt hour, depending on the charger. However, EVs with bigger battery capacity and longer range are rolling off the assembly line every day, and most EV charging stations have not kept up. High capacity EVs are also not getting the full amount of power they can take because, in the past, no chargers were capable of providing it. Vehicles are becoming more sophisticated with higher battery capacity every day. It’s been some time since EV range was only 50 miles! Now range is over 250 miles in many EVs, the Tesla Model X boasts a range of well over 300 miles, and the newly released GM electric hummer boasts a range of 350 or more miles.
High Capacity Batteries and the Future of EVs
Is there really a difference in the time it takes a charger to charge an average EV vs. a long-range Tesla? The average EV has a battery capacity of around 36 kWh and average onboard power rating of 6.6kW, taking around 5.5 hours to charge the EV from empty to full, with the average Level Two charger. The Model X has a usable battery capacity of 100 kWh while the Tesla Cybertruck TriMotor has a battery capacity of over 200 kWh With a 7.2 kW charger and a 100 kWh battery capacity, the vehicle takes nearly 14 hours to charge completely, while the Tesla Cybertruck TriMotor would take a whopping 28 hours! What’s faster? True, DC Superchargers exist, but they are rare, over $100,000 to install, cost the consumer more to use, and prematurely drain an EVs' battery life.
Power Up
Cars with higher battery capacity are also not getting the power they could be. The average charger can offer up to 7.2 kW of power. The Tesla X can take in up to 11.5 kW, and who knows how powerful the next model or other luxury electric automakers vehicles might be. The difference between 11.5 and 7.2 is what is currently being lost with the average charger. Some Teslas can even take in 19.2 kW! Why buy a car that can handle more power if there isn’t a charger that can provide it? What if there were?
The Blink IQ 200 Just Changed the Rules
The IQ 200 can provide up to 19.2 kW of power. The Blink IQ 200 is ready to give the Tesla even more power than the average model can take. The Tesla X and many other high battery capacity cars can be charged to their highest potential with an IQ 200. A Tesla with a battery capacity of 100 kWh and a power rating of 19.2 kW charges in about 14 hours with other Level Two chargers, but can charge in 5 hours, 12 minutes with the IQ 200. What does the type of charger you use have to do your EV’s charging time? A lot. Yes, DC Fast chargers are faster, but there are not as many around, are more expensive to install, and local incentives for property owners are a lot more abundant for L2 chargers. The IQ 200 is ready for higher average EV capacity than we see today. If your business is future-minded, embracing this innovation now can keep you ahead of the game. Even businesses that don’t currently have the IQ 200 units set up with the full 19.2 kW of power can easily upgrade their amperage without buying new equipment in the future. If you want the smartest, fastest, newest EVs on the market, ordinary chargers just can’t get the most of your machine. The IQ 200 is already ahead of the curve and provides the speed and cost-efficiency property owners and EV drivers look for.