New EV Charging Station at NLI

Earlier this year, Northern Lights Inc. installed a DC fast charger for electric vehicles at our office in Sagle. This is available for the public to use. There is a fee to charge at the station: a $1 flat fee plus $0.30 per kilowatt-hour. NLI received a grant to help pay for a portion of the charger and installation. Since installing it, we have had about 130 charges occur, and the use continues to increase.

Idaho has 157 public charging locations statewide, and Montana has 130 locations, according to the U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center. For comparison, California has 16,518 and Washington 1,940.

EV chargers are typically classified into 3 levels: Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast. Level 1 uses a 120-volt outlet and typically requires 9 to 24 hours to charge a vehicle fully. Level 2 uses a 240-volt circuit, similar to what you plug your range or dryer into. Level 2 generally takes four to 6 hours to charge a vehicle. A DC fast charger uses 480 V—and generally three-phase power—and can charge a vehicle in 20-45 minutes. These are generally public chargers used when EV users need a quick charge, such as when traveling longer distances.

Why the range in charge times? EVs have different capacities, or ranges, much like a gas-powered vehicle’s gas tank size depends on the vehicle. Vehicle models have different charge acceptance rates that vary greatly. This means the vehicle’s charging speed varies depending on the charger and the vehicle.

If you are thinking about buying an EV and want to have the convenience of charging at home, you will need to make sure your current electric system in your home can handle the additional load. Typically, home chargers are Level 1 or Level 2 due to the cost and utility infrastructure required to run them. The higher-powered chargers, including Level 2, may need additional electrical upgrades to your home and may even require NLI to upgrade your transformer and service that supplies electricity to your home. Before buying a charger, talk with your electrician or feel free to give NLI a call.

EVs and charging technology are evolving and changing quickly as more people buy EVs.