Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles have been around for many years. The first rudimentary electric vehicle existed as far back as the 1830s, and the first mass-produced hybrid, the Prius, came out in 1997. The technology these vehicles use today is still relatively new. Drivers who grew up filling their cars at gas stations may feel bewildered the first time they visit an electric vehicle charging station and see electric charging spots instead of familiar gasoline pumps. 

The technology for electric vehicle charging is advancing all the time. New, faster and more convenient charging methods and expanded access to charging stations are making owning an electric vehicle more convenient. The guide below will discuss how EV charging stations work and how their capabilities are constantly changing.

Table of Contents

• How They Work
• How They’re Evolving

How Do EV Charging Stations Work?

Electric vehicle charging stations work by allowing cars to regain their electric charge when their batteries are running low. The vehicle connects to one of the chargers at the station, which in turn is connected to the electric grid. 

How long it takes to charge an electric car varies across different types of EV charging stations. Charging stations typically recharge vehicles much faster than personal garage chargers do — cars must sit at personal chargers for hours. But charging a vehicle at an electric charging station still takes longer than filling a gas-powered car with gasoline. The driver must typically wait about 30 minutes or more while the battery slowly recharges. 

The chargers at charging stations charge the battery only to about 80%. Receiving more charge so rapidly would stress the battery, and 80% is usually enough to get the person to the next destination. Once charged, a standard EV can usually travel about 250 miles before recharging, and Teslas may be able to travel closer to 350 miles. 

How Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Are Evolving

Because electric vehicle charging stations are so new, their technological capabilities are evolving rapidly. Here are a few of the improvements they have seen or will soon see in the future:

1. Expanded Networks

One of the most significant challenges with electronic vehicles is their range limitation. Most electric cars can drive only a modest distance before they require recharging. And with electric charging stations currently in low supply, taking an electric vehicle on a substantial journey is tricky. Even if you have charging stations close to home, you likely cannot take an electric car on a road trip if there won’t be any place to charge it once you get out of town. 

How many EV charging stations are there in the United States? The latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center indicate that the United States has just over 27,000 charging stations with 89,000 individual charging outlets. 

The electric car company Tesla has taken the lead on providing more charging stations, with plans to build 13,000 individual chargers around the world. And since Tesla’s charging stations, known as Superchargers, work only with Tesla’s vehicles, other EV companies are following suit with construction projects of their own, slowly expanding EV charging networks across the country. 

The company ChargePoint has added more than 66,000 charging spots, and EVgo has added 1,200 fast chargers. Volkswagon, through a spinoff company known as Electrify America, plans to spend $2 billion to develop a reliable network of electric charging infrastructure as part of a settlement reached with U.S. regulators over the company’s auto emission scandal.

2. Reduced Charging Deserts

“Charging deserts” refers to the current lack of charging stations over large areas. Even in big cities, some areas lack the electronic charging stations that would make driving an electric vehicle more convenient. Many city-dwellers who live in apartments, condos or townhomes also lack access to personal garages where they could charge their cars. 

According to U.S. Census Bureau numbers from 2000, the last year for which we have available data, only 60% of Americans live in detached, single-family homes where personal chargers would be realistic. And residents who do not live in single-family homes may not necessarily live close to charging stations or may find them too expensive because the single available station can charge high prices. In areas without charging access, this hurdle prevents some car buyers from purchasing electric vehicles. 

Network expansion plans have focused more on highway access than on urban settings. But that may soon change. In New York, for example, Governor Andrew Cuomo has a $250-million plan to build charging hubs in locations throughout New York City and the rest of the state. Permitting can raise costs, and the electric grid will need to find a way to accommodate the increased demand for energy. But charging locations may soon become more common sights throughout many cities and more convenient and affordable for residents.

3. Faster Charging

Often, electric vehicles charge slowly, over a matter of hours, while parked for the night or potentially at the owner’s workplace. Drivers need more rapid options for road trips so they can charge the battery quickly and get back on the road. 

Faster charging is on the way. Already, fast chargers can give a vehicle 90 miles of range in 30 minutes. This is still slower than filling up at the gas pump, but it is much quicker than waiting hours. Electrify America’s planned charging stations will be even faster, potentially giving cars 20 miles of range per minute of charging time. 

4. Alternative Charging Methods

How else are electric car chargers changing? Innovations in how electric vehicles charge are likely to make them more convenient in the future. Below are a few alternative charging methods and the reasons why these new EV charging station trends are advantageous:

• Bidirectional charging: Bidirectional charging allows the charge to flow both ways — from the electric grid into the car, as usual, or from the car into the electric grid in a process known as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) energy transfer. At times of peak energy demand, vehicle owners can send energy back into the grid and receive payment for it. This strategy helps alleviate the supply challenges that arise as more electric vehicles hit the road and require electric power. 
• Solar charging: We often think of rooftop solar power or the ground arrays that power homes and businesses, but solar energy can help power vehicles as well. Some methods of solar charging use chargers that work by converting solar energy to electric energy. Others affix solar panels to the vehicle’s roof and use them to supply some of the required power. 
• Wireless charging: Wireless charging allows cars to charge without using wires or cables to connect to an outlet. Drivers merely park on a spot and start charging. Wireless charging eliminates the necessity for building and installing certain infrastructure and may be especially valuable for large-scale charging needs. This could also be helpful for fleets of autonomous vehicles that won’t have drivers to plug them in. 
• Autonomous robotic charging: Autonomous robotic charging may be a solution to the difficulties of building enough charging infrastructure. This innovative charging method will use robotic arms to make charging more convenient. Drivers can merely sit and relax as the robot attends to the car’s charging needs. 

Make Lippolis Electric Your Trusted Source for Home EV Charger Installation

For a reliable home charger for your electric vehicle, partner with Lippolis Electric. We are an experienced, family-owned and operated energy company that has been serving the Westchester area for more than 35 years. We pride ourselves on our great customer service — no job is too big or too small for our friendly, professional technicians to handle. 

We install ChargePoint EV chargers as well as Tesla charging stations to make driving and charging an electric vehicle more convenient. Our two types of chargers — Home Plug and Home Hardwire — make it easy for you to maximize flexibility by plugging your charger into different outlets around your property. These chargers also offer the stability of a more permanent installation. 

Contact us today to schedule an installation or to learn more.