You've decided to purchase an Electric or Hybrid vehicle... But what about charging options?
Finding the right charging station for your home can be a bit overwhelming, but we're here to help make things a bit clearer for you.
Firstly. Let's talk about the types of charging.
AC vs DC charging
AC charging is the most common type of charging you will see in homes and public charging stations.
If you're purchasing an electric or hybrid vehicle, the charger you'll most likely have installed in your home is a Level Two AC 7.2kw wall-box charger (as suggested by JET Charge). This is the most common type of charger you will see in garages around the country. It is encouraged that wall-box chargers are installation by a qualified electrician, you can order a wall-box charger through the Callaghan Motors Parts Department
DC Rapid-Charging is the fastest charging type and is most commonly found in public chargers.
Below we will provide you with an estimated charge time, using an AC (Level Two AC 7.2kW) wall-box charger for the vehicles available at Callaghan Motors.
Single-Phase Electricity Only
The good news is, our electric and hybrid vehicles and the wall-box chargers we supply only require single-phase power.This means that the power currently in your home*, is suitable to charge your new electric or hybrid vehicle.
Plug Types
There's more good news, all of our electric and hybrid vehicles available to purchase use a Type 2 Connection (pictured below).
If you're in Warrnambool, and head down the main street to do some shopping, you're in luck! Both chargers in Liebig Street are Type 2 chargers, meaning any electric and hybrid vehicle you purchase from Callaghan Motors can be charged in Liebig Street!
Type 2 Plug
The International Standard
When is the best time to charge my car?
Your phone battery generally starts to run out of battery at the end of the day, so you charge it overnight while you sleep, correct?
Well,...your car is no different, simply plug it in to charge while it's parked in your garage overnight and it'll be ready to go the next day!
How fast do they charge?
This is a regular question around electric cars, how long does it take to charge up. This depends entirely on the type of charger you are using. Let's look into the chargers and their estimated charging times below.
Portable Charging Cable
All of our electric and hybrid vehicles come with portable charging cable in their boot that can be plugged into a regular 240v AC power outlet. This is what we call Level 1 charging. Plugging into a standard 240v (2.4kw) AC outlet will deliver approximately 10km of range per hour of charge. It is a good idea to leave your portable charger that comes with your vehicle in the boot, in case of emergency!
AC Charging Stations
For a reliable daily charge, JET Charge recommends having a Level 2 charging station installed in your home. These units can charge up to 3x faster than a portable charging cable; more than enough for most people's daily driving needs. For AC stations, the charging time will depend mostly on the on-board charger of your EV. If it exceeds 7kW, an AC charging station can deliver approximately 30km of range per hour of charge.If it is less than 7 kW, the maximum charging speed may be limited.
Generally speaking a Level 2 wall charger will take approximately 6 to 8 hours for the battery to be fully charged from empty.
If your battery charge level is sitting at 20%, it will take approximately 2 to 3 hours to reach 80% capacity.
Note: for plug-in hybrids, this is less important since their battery capacity is much lower.
Cost Breakdown - Electric vs Fuel
A common question when a customer is purchasing an electric vehicle is, how long will it take for the cost of purchasing an electric vehicle to balance out with the costs of fuel for an internal combustion engine?
Luckily our EV expert Shane Hicks has created a calculator that can easily tell you of these statistics based on the vehicle you're looking to purchase. To find out a cost breakdown specific for you, give Shane a call on 03 5561 8700 or send him an email: shicks@callaghanmotors.com.au
Top Travel Tips!
We've discussed your options for charging your new electric or hybrid vehicle at home. What about when you're travelling.
If you're heading on a strip away and your car requires charging for your return trip, there are plenty of options. If you're staying at a hotel, It's worth asking if there is a charging bay in the hotel car park or caravan park where you're staying.
If you're travelling for a day trip and not planning on staying overnight, Plugshare is a fantastic tool to find charging stations at your stations at your destination.
There are currently 3,000 public chargers across Australia, 500 across Victoria, 44 in South West Victoria, 11 in Warrnambool and 5 at Callaghan Motor Group.
Brand Specific Chargers & Technology.
For more information on brand specific chargers and technology, please click on the relevant logo below.
*Most homes have single-phase power, if your home is older or you're not sure about your homes electricity capabilities, contact your electricity provider or a qualified electrician.