Why does it take all night to charge my car?

A Level 1 charger plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet and ships with most EVs. There is nothing to install, which is its entire appeal.

It also adds only about 4 to 6 miles of range per hour. On a 60 kWh battery, going from empty to full can take the better part of a day. For a plug-in hybrid or a very short commute it is genuinely fine. For anything else it quietly becomes the reason you resent your car.

Level 2 runs on a dedicated 240-volt circuit and needs professional installation. In exchange it delivers roughly 25 miles of range per hour, completing a full charge in about 8 to 10 hours.

That is the number that matters: it fits inside a night. You plug in when you get home and you never think about it again, which is the actual promise of owning an electric car.

Level 3, or DC fast charging, reaches roughly 80 percent capacity in 30 to 45 minutes. These are the public stations you use on a road trip.

They are not suitable for home installation — the service capacity, equipment cost and infrastructure involved put them firmly in the commercial category. If someone is quoting you one for a driveway, ask a lot of questions.

The right answer comes from two numbers: how far you actually drive on a normal day, and what your existing electrical service can support.

A licensed electrician can tell you whether your panel handles a Level 2 install as-is or needs an upgrade first. Finding that out before you buy the charger is considerably cheaper than finding out after.

Federal tax credits of up to $1,000 have been available toward home charger installation, and some states add their own incentives on top.

These programs change. Check the current rules before you assume the credit, and keep the invoice — you will need the itemised cost of both equipment and installation.