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What is a Level 2 Charger: Electric Vehicle Charger Guide

Mother Nature gives so much that it’s hard to see how we as individuals can really give something back. We chop trees to make houses, we tear the ground to find precious metals, and we pollute the air with extraordinary amounts of carbon emissions from our cars to get around.

What is a Level 2 Charger

One small but significant thing we can do is to switch our gas-guzzling vehicles for a more environmentally friendly option. We’re talking about electric-powered cars. Electricity can cut the number of carbon emissions flying into the air by up to 0%. Furthermore, some electrical vehicles can travel hundreds of miles on a single charge.

The best thing about electric vehicles is that you basically just plug it into an electrical outlet and wait for the battery to charge. In addition, there are several charging stations all over the country, so you don’t need to worry about being stranded in the middle of your journey.

More than 90% of people with electric vehicles do the majority of their charging at home. In order to do this, there are a few factors that you need to consider, the most basic of which what charger you plan on using.

What is a Level 2 Charger: Electric Vehicle Charger Guide

What are the Charger Levels?

The chargers that you use on electric vehicles fall into three categories: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. The most common types you’ll find in recharging stations are Levels 1 and 2. Level 3, also known as DC Fast Charging, is rather rare, but it provides the most efficient charging times out of them all.

As you already know, you don’t need to drive or push your electric car to the nearest charging station in your city. Instead, you can purchase your own charging cables so you can charge your car overnight at home.

Essentially, each charger level determines how much electricity is flowing and how long it’ll take for your car’s rechargeable battery to reach maximum capacity. The higher the level, the quicker the charge, meaning the less time you’ll spend waiting around.


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What Are Level 2 Chargers?

All vehicles that can be charged at home (except for Tesla vehicles) utilize a standard electric vehicle plug that connects to your car. The other end of the cable can either be plugged directly into the nearest outlet or hardwired. A Level 2 charger is no exception.

The main difference between the different charger levels is how long it takes to charge a battery. A Level 2 Charger is a 240V portable power cord or wall-mounted station which delivers power from a wall outlet to your vehicle’s onboard charger. The average range to fully charge an electric vehicle’s battery from empty to full is between 2 and 10 hours. Of course, this depends on your car and the size of the battery.

On average, this is considerably faster than the best you could hope from a Level 1 charger. From a completely empty battery to full, a Level 1 charger would normally take you between 7 and 29 hours depending on your car. Outrageous, we know, but if your daily commute is less than 20 miles a day, you could get by with a Level 1 charger filling your car’s battery overnight.

Electric Vehicle Charger Guide

Why Buy a Level 2 Charger?

Time is life’s most precious commodity and stands still for no man or vehicle. The main benefit of having a Level 2 charger at home is because it provides quicker charging. Basically, if your daily commute is between 30 and 40 miles a day, you’re not going to have enough time to charge your vehicle overnight with a Level 1 charger.

In terms of how many miles you can get per charge between a standard Level 1 and Level 2 charger, we’re talking about a difference of 10 to 20 miles per charging hour. It could even be greater depending on your model and the charger.

Level 2 Charger: What to Look For

If you’ve decided that you’re in the market for a Level 2 charger, here are some key features that you need to consider.

Type of Charger

Electric vehicle chargers for your home are available in three different models – hardwired, universal, and Smart Grid.

A hardwired charger needs to be plugged directly into your home’s electric panel. This means feeding long wires through walls and floors into your basement. There are plenty of instructions available online on how to install a hardwired vehicle charger, but the simplest way to get it done is by calling the pros.

A universal, or portable, charger is a basic plug-and-play power cord. One end connects to your vehicle’s charging port while the other end plugs into an indoor or outdoor NEMA plug. You can take this portable cord wherever you go since you don’t need to hard wire anything.

A Smart Grid charger is similar to a universal charger – portable and plug-and-play – but it comes with extra features such as Wi-Fi connectivity. This lets you gauge the charging status of your vehicle on your Smartphone while you’re away or chilling indoors.

Level 2 Charger

Voltage and Amps

Level 2 chargers use 240V circuits to supply greater amounts of power to your vehicle. If your utility company supplies your home with 120V, then your only option would be to stick to a Level 1 charger.

There are different amp sizes for Level 2 chargers, but the most common sizes are 30 and 40 amps. The higher the amps, the quicker the charge, but you also need to be aware of what your vehicle can handle.

Indoor or Outdoor

An indoor Level 2 charger would be one that is placed in your garage, whereas an outdoor-safe model can be used wherever a NEMA plug is available. You should select a charger based on where you park your vehicle. Note that an indoor-only charger can be resistant to small droplets of rain but will be of no use during torrential rainfall.

Level 2 Charger Guide

Related EV Charger Articles

Buying Guides
 • Best Home Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Info Articles
 • Level 1 vs. 2 vs. 3 EV Charging Stations
 • How Do Electric Vehicle Chargers Work?
 • What is a Level 2 Charger: Electric Vehicle Charger Guide

Final Remarks

If you’re thinking of getting an electric vehicle, you need to make sure that your home is equipped to recharge your car’s battery. The most efficient way to charge your car’s battery at home is with a Level 2 charger since it can bring an empty battery back to 100% in about 10 hours. You also need to make sure that your home can support a Level 2 Charger – i.e. 240V outlet. If you’re stuck with 120V, then a Level 1 charger is your only option.

What is a Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger

Our Recommended EV Chargers


Best of the Best!
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Budget Option
ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV Charger,...
JuiceBox 40 Smart Electric Vehicle (EV)...
MUSTART Level 2 Portable EV Charger (240...
ChargePoint Home Flex
JuiceBox 40
MUSTART
• 16 to 50 Amp
• Level 2
• WiFi Enabled
• UL Listed
• NEMA 14-50
• Indoor/Outdoor
• 23ft Cable
• 32-40 amp
• Level 2
• WiFi Enabled
• UL Listed
• Indoor/Outdoor
• 25ft Cable
• 26-40 Amp
• Level 2
• NEMA 6-50P
• Indoor/Outdoor
• 25ft Cable
The Home Flex is Charge Point's newest, fastest and most advanced Level 2 home charger, charging up to 50 amps and adding up to 37 miles of driving range per hour of charging.
The JuiceBox 40 is one of the best-selling smart home electric vehicle chargers. Enjoyed by many satisfied EV drivers, JuiceBox delivers all the safety and smart charging features you need.
The MUSTART upgraded 40A level 2 EV charger is a sturdy, waterproof, abrasion resistance charger that can charge your car up to 2.5X faster than the 16A level 2 EV charger.
Best of the Best!
ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV Charger,...
ChargePoint Home Flex
• 16 to 50 Amp
• Level 2
• WiFi Enabled
• UL Listed
• NEMA 14-50
• Indoor/Outdoor
• 23ft Cable
The Home Flex is Charge Point's newest, fastest and most advanced Level 2 home charger, charging up to 50 amps and adding up to 37 miles of driving range per hour of charging.
Also Great
JuiceBox 40 Smart Electric Vehicle (EV)...
JuiceBox 40
• 32-40 amp
• Level 2
• WiFi Enabled
• UL Listed
• Indoor/Outdoor
• 25ft Cable
The JuiceBox 40 is one of the best-selling smart home electric vehicle chargers. Enjoyed by many satisfied EV drivers, JuiceBox delivers all the safety and smart charging features you need.
Budget Option
MUSTART Level 2 Portable EV Charger (240...
MUSTART
• 26-40 Amp
• Level 2
• NEMA 6-50P
• Indoor/Outdoor
• 25ft Cable
The MUSTART upgraded 40A level 2 EV charger is a sturdy, waterproof, abrasion resistance charger that can charge your car up to 2.5X faster than the 16A level 2 EV charger.


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Last Update: 2024-03-27 | Affiliate links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About the author

Hi I’m Alex, founder of HouseholdMe.com and I’d like to say thank you for dropping by. Like most of you, the first thing I look at before buying something online is reviews or buying guides. By reading what other people say will help me gauge whether or not a product is good or not.  I am trying to help people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired.

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