The GOEVIN Guide to EV Charging Ports: Tips to Understand Everyday EV Charging

By Danielle Hayes | April 4, 2024

Introduction:

One of the first priorities of being an Electric Vehicle (EV) driver is understanding how you are going to recharge. Sounds simple enough, but there are a few different charging connectors and ports that you might come across. Hopefully, you have never found yourself in need of a charge without the correct adaptor, but this is a scenario that individuals have commonly encountered while on their EV journey. Fret not; after reviewing this guide, you will never be at a loss when arriving at your next charging station!

Just like with a typical fuel vehicle, it is important to understand your vehicle’s limitations and range. EV range has drastically advanced within the past couple of years and is projected to only improve. Today’s modern EV range is about 200 miles per full charge.

Fun Fact: Some models have extended-range battery capacity to achieve over 300 miles of range. The Tesla Model S Long Range Plus has been clocked at a range of 402 miles on a single charge. This could put EVs in competition with the range of the typical gas vehicle!

AC Charging vs DC Fast Charging:

AC charging includes your level 1 and level 2 charging. This is the most common method of charging, which will make up about 80%-90% of your typical charging done at home or at your workplace. A more typical method of charging is overnight AC charging. If you have time to sleep, you have time to charge up.

DC Fast Charging is your destination fast charging. Are you traveling across the state and need to “juice up”? This is your 30-minute pit stop to gain a battery charge of about 80% or more to continue your journey. Tesla’s DC Fast Charging is called Supercharging.

Common EV Charging Ports and Connectors:

There are a few different charging connectors that you will come across: J1772, NACS (Tesla), CCS1, and CHAdeMO. J1772 is the AC Charging port for non-Tesla vehicles, and CCS1 and CHAdeMO are the DC Fast Charging connectors for non-Tesla’s. Tesla’s NACS connector is universal when it comes to AC and DC charging.

Magic Dock Adaptors:

There are options when charging, but be sure to have the correct equipment. If you are a Tesla driver, you can easily plug into their NACS connectors, but not to other DC Fast connectors. This is the same with non-Tesla EVs when it comes to charging at a Supercharger station. The solution for this is an adaptor. The Magic Dock is a universal tool that EV drivers could find helpful with destination charging.