I personally believe far too much focus on home; multifamily and street charging is on level 2 charging. Level 2 charging is great, but it's also expensive to build and expensive to maintain relative to Level 1.
Depending on the vehicle and how long it's parked each day, Level 1 charging can add between 10,000 and 15,000 miles of range a year to a BEV or PHEV, well within the annual driving range of the bulk of American drivers.
The availability of ubiquitous 120v or low powered 240v plugs wherever people park their cars for long periods of time (workplaces, city streets, apartments) should be the foundation of any plan for widespread equitable charging access. Ensuring that everyone has access to at least a 120v outlet wherever they park overnight can greatly expand EV accessibility, especially among used car buyers, while taking a significant burden from the far more expensive DC fast charging networks.
Thinker alert. Just like we don't need oversized vehicles or oversized EV batteries, we don't need oversized charging. Most people need to plug in for a small amount of power each day. This approach nails it.
“Obviously this is an overbuilt solution if you’re just sitting there with a plug in your car doing nothing for nine hours.” “So instead of putting one fast charger in, which is the default way, let’s put in 20, and at a much lower cost.”
Could you roll with 50 miles of charge each day, most days?
People always overlook Level 1 charging because they are still stuck in "bigger is better" thinking from the last century. Use the right tool for the right job. Overnight MUD or all-day workplace charging where you only need to dispense ~14 kWh (x 3.5 mi/kWh = 49 miles per day) per vehicle is perfect for L1. Plus, no one needs to move their car after 2 hours of charging like most workplace and common meter MUD policies require. Plus, you do not lose a parking spot to EV charging. Plus, you can add more access points per property electrical capacity. L1 is a great option!
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