February 23, 2023
Dianne Russel
If you're thinking of switching to electric cars, the first thing you need to do is find out about charging stations. There are several types of charging stations, depending on power, charging speed and other factors. It's important to know which one is right for your needs and the car you plan to buy. Discover the different charging stations available in Quebec.
Level 1 charging stations are considered the least powerful on the market and offer the slowest charging time. To charge your car, simply plug the cable that came with your vehicle into a standard wall outlet. The level 1 charging station uses alternating current and has a power of 1.2 kW.
The recharging time is relatively long: it takes up to 20 hours to obtain 36 kWh, which is the equivalent of a 180 km range. This terminal is therefore not very practical for obtaining autonomy quickly. On the other hand, since you are using a regular wall socket, you can charge your car almost anywhere.
Level 2 charging stations use alternating current. They range in power from 6.2 to 7.2 kW, but some commercial models can go up to 19.2 kW. This is currently the most common and recommended charging station for electric vehicle users, whether for home or commercial use.
Level 2 charging stations take up very little space and are fairly inexpensive to install. Level 2 charging stations in Quebec use a universal SAE J1772 connector that is compatible with all major North American electric vehicle models.
Three subcategories of Level 2 charging stations are available, namely:
- Residential or domestic terminals;
- Commercial terminals;
- Public terminals.
This type of station is installed at home for domestic use. It is essential to have one at home if you have an electric car. This station allows you to recharge your vehicle when you are not using it, giving you full autonomy every time you go out with it. It recharges your battery five times faster than a Level 1 station, allowing you to fully charge your car overnight. Residential charging stations can be installed both indoors and outdoors. All major brands can withstand temperatures ranging from -40°C to 50°C.
Unlike residential charging stations, commercial models are intended for more intensive use. A charging station can charge a fleet of cars and has a power rating of up to 19.2 kW. It can be installed in an open-air parking lot or indoors, and depending on the model, it can be mounted on a base or fixed to the wall. Some bollards are also equipped with a cable management system to minimize the risk of cable damage in busy areas. Finally, intelligent functions can be installed on commercial bollards. This allows, for example, to distribute the power evenly over the entire network of bollards in a building.
Level 2 public charging stations are typically located in curbside parking areas. These devices are specifically designed to allow for fast charging and heavy use. These stations are highly resistant to drops and potential vandalism. Public charging stations are used both by people who do not have charging stations in their homes, and by people who are passing through a public area and want to take advantage of it to fill up.
This third type of charging station uses direct current to operate. The recharging time is very fast, restoring nearly 80% of the car battery's capacity in a very short time. Beyond this percentage, the recharging speed slows down in order to preserve the battery. The power of a level 3 charging station can range from 25 kW to over 350 kW.
This type of charging station is particularly expensive to install. Indeed, it is much more cumbersome because of its power. The use of direct current also requires a special infrastructure to be put in place.
Level 3 charging stations are very useful when you are making long trips that cannot be done in one go with your vehicle's range. With this device, you can be back on the road in a few handfuls of minutes, the time to have a lunch or to take a break at a rest area.
Typically located in public areas, Level 3 charging stations are designed to be weatherproof and vandal-proof. They are highly reliable and compatible with almost all existing electric cars.
Charging stations are a symbol of the switch to electric vehicles, which is an effort to preserve the environment. The Quebec government, like many other authorities around the world, welcomes this gesture and encourages households to go electric. For this, a subsidy of $600 is offered for the purchase and installation of a 240V charging station in your home.
As of January 1, 2021, you must provide proof of installation of your device in order to receive this financial assistance. According to the "Go Green" program introduced in Quebec, a $7,000 bonus is given to you when you purchase a new electric vehicle with a maximum MSRP of $65,000.
RQB 5791-9938-01
2024 © ERCO All rights reserved.
