Depending on the EV, DC fast chargers can currently produce a 10-80% charge for a 300-mile range battery in approximately 20 minutes (~540 miles of electric drive per hour of charging).
Currently available DC fast chargers require inputs of at least 480 volts and 100 amps, but newer chargers are capable of up to 1000 volt and 500 amps (up to 360 kW).
A CALeVIP Cost Data analysis found that the unit cost per charger for rebate recipients ranged from a minimum of $18,000 to a maximum of $72,500. The mean and median unit cost per charger was $29,135 and $23,000, respectively.
In addition to higher equipment costs, DC fast charger installations require a commercial electrician from the initial planning phase due to the electrical load and wiring requirements.
DC fast chargers are the highest-powered EV chargers on the market. They often are used as range extenders along major travel corridors for long-distance trips and in urban environments to support drivers without home charging or very high mileage drivers. At current charging speeds, they are ideal for places where a person would spend 30 minutes to an hour, such as restaurants, recreational areas and shopping centers.
It is important to note that not every EV model is capable of DC fast charging, and therefore, they cannot be used by every EV driver. Further, DC fast chargers have multiple standards for connectors, whereas there is only one common standard for Level 1 and 2 charging (SAE J1772). DC fast chargers have three types of connectors: CHAdeMO, CCS and Tesla, though CCS is increasingly becoming the industry standard.
Tens of thousands of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are available in the United States. These charging stations are being installed in key areas throughout the country for public charging and workplace charging as a supplement to residential charging. Most EV owners do the majority of their charging at home.
Find charging stations by location or along a route. Use the Advanced Filters to search for private and planned stations, as well as charging stations to match certain search criteria.
Consumers and fleets considering electric vehicles—which include all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)—need access to charging stations. For most drivers, this starts with charging at home or at fleet facilities. Charging stations at workplaces and public destinations may help bolster market acceptance by offering more flexible charging opportunities at commonly visited locations. Community leaders can find out more through EV readiness planning, including case studies of ongoing successes. The EVI-X Toolbox offers resources to estimate the charging infrastructure necessary to support typical daily travel in a given state or city, charging infrastructure needs to support long-distance travel (100 miles or more) along highway corridors in a given state or county, and to determine how EV charging will impact electricity demand.
The Combined Charging System (CCS), also known as the SAE J1772 combo, charge port on a vehicle can be used to accept charge with Level 1, Level 2, or DC fast charging equipment.
Charging the growing number of EVs in use requires a robust network of stations for both consumers and fleets. The Alternative Fueling Station Locator allows users to search for public and private charging stations. Quarterly reports on EV charging station trends show the growth of public and private charging and assess the current state of charging infrastructure in the United States. Report new charging stations for inclusion in the Station Locator using the Submit New Station form. Suggest updates to existing charging stations by selecting “Report a change” on the station details page.
Learn more about state electrification planning and funding, including information about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. For information on currently available charging infrastructure models, see the Electric Drive Transportation Association’s GoElectricDrive website and Plug In America's Get Equipped publication, which include information on charging networks and service providers. For a list of ENERGY STAR certified chargers, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Product Finder list.
The charging infrastructure industry has aligned with a common standard called the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) protocol with this hierarchy for charging stations: location, EV charging port, and connector. The Alternative Fuels Data Center and the Station Locator use the following charging infrastructure definitions:
Charging equipment for EVs is classified by the rate at which the batteries are charged. Charging times vary based on how depleted the battery is (i.e., state-of-charge), how much energy it holds (i.e., capacity), the type of battery, the vehicle's internal charger capacity, and the type of charging equipment (e.g., charging level, charger power output, and electrical service specifications). The charging time can range from less than 20 minutes using DC fast chargers to 20 hours or more using Level 1 chargers, depending on these and other factors. When choosing equipment for a specific application, many factors, such as networking, payment capabilities, and operation and maintenance, should be considered.
Increasing available public and private charging equipment requires infrastructure procurement. Learn about how to successfully plan for, procure, and install charging infrastructure.
Once charging infrastructure has been procured and installed, it must be properly operated and maintained. Learn about charging infrastructure operation and maintenance considerations.
Another standard (SAE J3068) was developed in 2018 for higher rates of AC charging using three-phase power, which is common at commercial and industrial locations in the United States. Some components of the standard were adapted from the European three-phase charging standards and specified for North American AC grid voltages and requirements. In the United States, the common three-phase voltages are typically 208/120 V, 480/277 V. The standard targets power levels between 6 kW and 130 kW.
Extreme fast chargers (XFC), such as the SAE DC Level 2 standard, are capable of power outputs of up 350 kW and higher and are rapidly being deployed in the United States light-duty and select medium-duty applications (e.g., for in-route charging of electric buses). XFC will also support long-dwell overnight charging for medium- and heavy-duty vehicle applications. A 2022 report looks at the requirements for charging stations that could support in-route charging for heavy-duty EVs. While XFC are currently available from several charging manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Office is pursuing research that will bridge the technology gaps associated with implementing XFC networks in the United States. A 2017 report highlights technology gaps at the battery, vehicle, and infrastructure levels. In particular, many EVs on the roads today are not capable of charging at rates higher than 150 kW. However, vehicle technology is advancing, and most new EV models will be able to charge at higher rates, enabling the use of XFC. You can find additional resources on EV charging and advanced charging system research efforts from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For answers to frequently asked questions about the Megawatt Charging System and SAE J3271, see the fact sheet on Charging for Heavy-Duty Electric Trucks from Argonne National Laboratory.
Inductive charging equipment, which uses an electromagnetic field to transfer electricity to an EV without a cord, has been introduced commercially for installation as an aftermarket add-on. Some currently available wireless charging stations operate at power levels comparable to Level 2, though this technology is more common for transit or other fleet operations at higher power levels comparable to DC fast. The U.S. Department of Energy is conducting research to investigate the feasibility of high-powered wireless charging. More information on inductive charging research efforts is available from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.