Most people are familiar with octane ratings (regular, mid-grade, premium) at stations for gas-powered cars and how those different levels relate to their cars’ performance. Electric vehicles (EVs) have their own system that helps drivers and EV businesses figure out which EV charging solution they need. 

EV charging comes in three levels: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 (also known as DC fast charging). These three levels denote the energy output of a charging station and determine how fast an EV will charge. While Level 2 and 3 chargers provide more juice, Level 1 chargers are the most affordable and easiest to set up.

But what is a Level 1 charger and how can it be used for powering up passenger EVs? Read on for all the details.

What is a Level 1 on board charger?

A Level 1 charging station consists of a nozzle cord and a standard household electrical outlet. In that respect, it’s more helpful to think of Level 1 charging as an easy-to-use alternative than a comprehensive EV charging station. It’s easy to recreate inside a garage or a parking structure and requires little to no special equipment, which makes it an affordable way to charge a passenger EV.

How do Level 1 charger work?

Most passenger EVs come with a built-in SAE J1772 charge port, more commonly known as the J port, which allows them to plug into standard electrical outlets for Level 1 charging and use Level 2 charging stations. (Teslas have a different charging port, but Tesla drivers can purchase a J port adapter if they want to plug into a standard outlet or use a non-Tesla Level 2 charger.)

When a driver buys an EV, they also get a nozzle cable, sometimes called the emergency charger cable or the portable charger cable, included with their purchase. To set up their own Level 1 charging station, an EV driver can connect their nozzle cord to the J port and then plug it into a 120-volt electrical outlet, the same type used to plug in a laptop or a lamp. 

And that’s it: They’ve got themselves a Level 1 charging station. No additional hardware or software components are needed. The EV dashboard will indicate to the driver when the battery is full.  

How fast is Level 1 charging?

A typical Level 1 EV charger will output between 1.3 kW and 2.4 kW, which translates into roughly 5 km (or 3.11 miles) of range per hour of charging. That means an overnight charge, assuming the car is plugged in for about 8 hours, will get the EV driver about 30-40 miles of range. However, if the battery is empty, it may take up to 24 hours to fully recharge, and charging times will also vary based on the battery size and EV model. 

Level 1 chargers are the slowest of the three charger levels, which is why the majority of public EV charging stations are not a bunch of 120-volt outlets rigged up together on a wall. Faster, more convenient EV charging requires a specialized set of hardware and software components.