You just bought the perfect electric vehicle (EV). But when you plug in using the standard, Level 1 cord that came with the car, it takes dozens of hours to charge.

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That's why most EV drivers install a dedicated electrical line and/or a 240-volt circuit (like the one for a clothes dryer) in their garage or home parking area. This equips you for Level 2 charging, which only takes 4 to 10 hours.

However, there are a lot of Level 2 chargers to choose from. How do you know which one is right for you? How to choose an EV charger can depend on many factors, but start by asking these key questions.

1. What's my Level 2 charger budget?

Level 2 chargers usually range in price from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. But when setting a budget, you&#;ll also need to factor in any necessary electrical services. These can vary greatly for Level 2 EV charger installation.

For example, if there&#;s an electrical panel in your garage or adjacent to where you park, you can anticipate a relatively easy installation of a 240-volt circuit in the $250-$400 range. But in many cases, an electrician will need to do extensive digging or drilling to run an electrical line from the panel in your house to your garage or parking area. That usually costs well over $1,000.

With that in mind:

• Get an estimate so that you know what to expect &#; and how much you&#;ll have left for the EV charger itself.
• Be sure to research incentives for charger installations in your state or region.
• Ask your dealer about financing options. Chase offers auto financing that allows you to include the cost of a home charging station so that you can space out payments.

2. What logistics do I need to account for?

You don&#;t want to buy a Level 2 EV charger only to discover that its cord isn&#;t long enough to reach your vehicle&#;s port or isn&#;t tough enough to withstand your region&#;s extreme temperatures. Important logistics to consider include:

• The distance to the vehicle&#;s port when parked. While gas tanks are generally located near the back tire on either the passenger or driver side, EVs have all different port locations &#; front, back, or side. Depending on where it is located, the orientation of your car when you park, and how tight the space is, you may need a longer cord. Most cords are 18-20 feet, but some are as long as 25. Shorter cords usually result in shorter charging times, but that won&#;t do you much good if it doesn&#;t reach!
• Regional factors like climate and power grid reliability. Will your EV charging station be indoors or outdoors? What&#;s the climate like in your town or city? A lot of EV chargers are rated for outdoor use by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). You may want your charger to have a NEMA 4 rating, which means it is generally safe for outdoor charging. NEMA 4X chargers also protect against corrosion. And some EV chargers come with features like fire resistance and surge protection, which may be important if your area is susceptible to dangers like those.
• Safety and local code/compliance regulations. Are there children or animals in your home &#; or with easy access to where you plan to install the charging station? Does your jurisdiction have regulations in place that you need to consider and/or obtain permits for? Many consumers look for chargers that have been independently certified and tested for safety by the nonprofit Underwriters Laboratory (i.e., are UL-certified). Additionally, check with local authorities about any codes and/or permits that could affect your charger setup.

3. Which Level 2 EV chargers are compatible/optimized with my EV?

It&#;s critical to familiarize yourself with the energy specs listed in your EV&#;s manual before bringing home an EV charger. Not all chargers work &#; or work optimally &#; with all EVs.

For example, while greater amps generally mean faster charging, your EV&#;s battery size may defeat the point of selecting a high-amperage charger. Let&#;s say your EV is limited to 15 charging amps; buying a charger with an 80-amp circuit won&#;t speed up the charging time because the small battery simply won&#;t accommodate that amperage.

4. Which Level 2 EV charger features are important to me?

Some EV chargers have multiple amperage settings, allowing you to toggle between them for different vehicles or accommodate a new EV down the road. Others may tempt you with Wi-fi connectivity, a &#;Made in the U.S.A&#; label, or greater portability. The options can be overwhelming. Think through and weigh what really matters to you.

For example, if you anticipate moving soon, or have a second home that you frequent, you may want to sacrifice speed for portability. A plug-in Level 2 EV charger &#; versus one that&#;s hardwired to your home&#;s power supply &#; can&#;t deliver more than 40 amps, but is easier to relocate. Or perhaps you love the idea of a smart charger that can connect to Wi-fi and allow for convenient tracking and scheduling.

In summary

Most EV drivers install Level 2 home charging stations to speed up charging times. When deciding what EV charger you need, you should consider your budget, logistics, compatibility, and features. Each car, garage, and driver is different, so be sure to walk through these questions before you make your purchase.

Choosing the Best EV Charging Cable for Your Car

A guide offering advice on which cable you need and things to consider when buying a charging cable for your electric car.

Last updated: Jul 24, &#; 6 min read

Related Guides:

Complete Guide on EV Charging

Cost of Charging an Electric Car

How to Charge an Electric Car

EV Charging Connector Types and Speeds

Summary

You&#;ll need a charging cable to plug into most public chargepoints, and at home if you choose a charger without a tethered cable. This guide is to help you pick which charging cable you need.

• Your plug-in vehicle will have either a type 1 or type 2 AC socket, so you'll need to make sure your charging cable has the equivalent connector.
• Your charging cable will enable you to charge from untethered home chargers, workplace chargers and public charging points, the majority of which require you to bring your own cable*.
• Rapid chargers (and a few public AC chargers) have &#;tethered&#; cables meaning you do not need to use an additional cable.
• EV cables vary in length, current rating (usually 16A or 32A) and can carry single or three-phase electricity.

* Please be aware that smart charging cables and adapters aren't permitted on the Pod Point Network.

For more information, please visit what is the signal cable.

When will you need a separate charging cable?

You'll need to use a charging cable if you want to charge from a chargepoint (or socket) that doesn't have a cable attached. Typically, this will be the case when using AC chargepoints on public networks or home chargers that have universal sockets.

While you will generally get a lot of use out of a charging cable, in some situations it won&#;t be required because the chargepoint will already have a cable attached.

For example, you can choose to get a tethered chargepoint installed at home while rapid chargers, and a handful of public AC chargers, also have tethered cables attached.

Socket type Where to find When to use 3-pin plug
Traditional domestic socket. Can do the job in an emergency - albeit slowly. But not best practice to use long term as they are not designed to handle charging loads for extended periods. Type 2
Standard AC charging socket, found in public charging points and non-tethered home chargers. These sockets are perfect for the job of charging cars, use them as often as you can.

Find out more about the different socket and EV connector types.

Tip: Your car will almost certainly come with a charging cable. However, some only offer cables that work with domestic 3-pin plugs. We recommend you check with whoever you are buying/leasing your electric car from that a Type 2 charging cable will be provided.

If you don&#;t have one or want a spare, you can order one from Pod Point when purchasing a home charger.

How do I choose a charging cable?

EV charging cables connect to the chargepoint socket on one side and to the vehicle socket on the other side.

If you need a charging cable, then you will want one with a Type 2 connector. The process for selecting a public cable goes as follows:

1. Pick the right connector for your car - Check whether your car is Type 1 or Type 2 using our car guides. You will always want a universal Type 2 charger plug connector.
2. Choose an appropriate length cable - We recommend 5m as a good compromise between ease of use and ease of storage, but you can get shorter cables (easier to store), or longer cables (offer more reach).
3. Pick a suitable current rating for your car - You at least want one that matches your max AC charge rate (16A = ~3.6kW, 32A = ~7kW for single phase), but getting a higher rated cable means you would be able to charge another car at the higher rate, so may be more future proofed.

Tip: For public chargers to remain safe and in service, it's important to only use approved charging equipment. Adapters and "smart cables" currently on the market shouldn't be used for public charging as they pose a safety hazard and could damage the chargepoints.

Choosing a charging cable examples

Car Car-side connector Cable length requirement Max car current rating Single/three-phase? Cable choice Jaguar I-PACE
Type 2 Long 32A Three-phase - Type2-Type2
- 7.5m
- 32A
- 22kW* Mitsubishi Outlander Type 1 Normal 16A Single-phase - Type1-Type2
- 5m
- 16A*
- 3.6kW* Nissan LEAF Type 1 Very long

32A

Single-phase - Type1-Type2
- 10m
- 32A
- 7kW
MG ZS EV Type 2
Normal

32A

Single-phase - Type2-Type2
- 5m
- 32A
- 7kW

* Though the Mitsubishi Outlander can only draw 16A, getting a 32A, 7kW cable would be recommended should you be likely to use this cable for any other electric car in future

Tip: Check our vehicle guides to see your car&#;s max charging rate.

If your car can draw three-phase electricity, we recommend spending a little extra and getting a three-phase cable. While you are unlikely to have three-phase power at home, you never know when you might find a three-phase charging point and the additional charge rate is always a bonus.

What is the best length EV charging cable?

This will depend on your typical use as an EV driver. If you&#;ll need a cable to reach your chargepoint from a wider distance, a longer cable will be best for you. But if you don&#;t want your cable to take up too much space and are usually able to park next to your charger, a short cable will work fine.

For a compact solution that maximises usability, we like to recommend a cable length of 5m.

Which cable is best for fast charging?

A cable with a current rating of 32A is best for fast charging. This type of cable will charge your electric car faster than a 16A cable, but it&#;s thicker and heavier to facilitate the higher current.

If you&#;re looking to use a rapid charger, you won&#;t need a separate cable as this type of chargepoint is fitted with a tethered cable.

Are all EV charging cables the same?

EV charging cables are not all the same and come in different variations. With a connector on each end, the side inserted into the chargepoint socket should always be a Type 2 connector. On the other end, going into the vehicle socket is either a Type 1 or Type 2 connector.

Electric car charging cables can also have different current ratings. Your cable should match the car&#;s maximum AC charge rate or be higher. Plus, cables can vary in length, with longer cables offering more reach and shorter cables being easier to store.