What Is a Level 2 Charger, and Should You Get One?
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Level 2 charging refers to a hardware standard used by most electric vehicles. An electric vehicle, or EV, plugged into a Level 2 charger can add about 25 miles of range per hour, which is about five times faster than a Level 1 charger, and it’s the most powerful EV charger you can install at a residential location. About 3 in 4 public chargers are Level 2 chargers.
What is a Level 2 charger?
Level 2 chargers are the fastest available at-home charging method for electric vehicles. They’re able to fully charge most batteries overnight.
Most EVs are compatible with three different levels of charging. The biggest difference among them is speed. Level 2 charging represents a middle ground between Level 1 and Level 3 charging:
It attaches to your car with the same connector as Level 1 charging, but it charges about five times more quickly, due to the more powerful connection on the other end of the charger: 240 volts compared to Level 1’s 120 volts.
A Level 2 connector is a universal standard: Nearly every new EV can connect to the same Level 2 charger. The outlier is Tesla, which uses a proprietary connector. You can use an adaptor to charge a Tesla with a standard Level 2 connector.
Level 2 chargers can be installed at residential locations, but they’re also popular public chargers: More than 140,000 Level 2 charging ports are available across the country at public locations.
Public chargers appear in a variety of places, including parking decks, retailers, downtowns and workplaces.
Explore the auto-buying platforms from our partners below.
AD
Edmunds - New Purchase
on Edmunds
Est. APR
5.74-27.90%
Loan amount
$500 - $100K
Min. credit score
None
on CarMax
Other EV charging levels
Level 1 charging is the slowest, adding about 5 miles of range per hour. But it is highly flexible: Nearly every new EV comes with a Level 1 charger, and you can plug it directly into a standard electrical outlet. Charging at home is usually cheaper than charging at a public charger, so it’s also a budget-friendly option.
Level 3 charging is fast. You can add hundreds of miles in less than an hour. It is usually the most expensive option, however, and charger locations are concentrated along interstate highways or other large thoroughfares. These high-powered chargers typically can’t be installed at residential locations due to power requirements.
Installing a Level 2 charger at your home
Although the connection to your car is the same as with Level 1 charging, Level 2 charging taps into a more powerful 240-volt connection where it connects to your home's electrical system.
Before installing Level 2 hardware, you’ll need this type of connection available. If you don’t, be sure to check local building codes, which might list additional requirements. In most cases, you’ll need a professional electrician to install it.
Because the Level 2 connector is nearly universal, you can shop around if you’re looking to install one. Here's where you can find them:
Some car manufacturers offer their own Level 2 chargers.
Buy directly from a company that makes home chargers.
Compare options at electronics stores, home improvement stores and online marketplaces.
Between hardware and hiring an electrician, installing a Level 2 charger can cost a few thousand dollars. But you might end up paying less if you qualify for tax rebates or other government programs that seek to expand EV use. The Department of Energy keeps a database of state and federal EV incentives; search it to discover what’s available where you live.
» MORE: EV Buying Guide: Know the Basics
Where to find Level 2 chargers on the road
If you want to charge away from your home, you have thousands of options:
Nationwide charging networks like Electrify America and ChargePoint have apps and maps with which you can quickly find nearby locations.
Search services like PlugShare, which compile locations from multiple charging networks.
The U.S. Department of Energy has an extensive map of EV charging locations throughout the country.
GoElectricDrive, a website maintained by the Electric Drive Transportation Association, has a website and an app that list locations of public chargers.
