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Taco__Bandito t1_iyet1rr wrote

Reply to comment by coherent-rambling in ELI5 why can't you just plug in electric cars / why do you need a wall charger when it could just be built in by definetlynotaalien

American homes receive two 120v feeds making a total of 240v..

You do not charge an EV with 120v at home. That’s insane. 240v is the trickle charge which is the only real way to charge an EV without permanent damage to the battery.

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coherent-rambling t1_iyevuaa wrote

You'd be silly to charge your EV with 120v at home, but it's not going to damage the battery, it's just slow. Most EV's actually come with a 120v cord, called a Level 1 charger, so you can do this in a pinch (and so the manufacturer can be assured that every buyer will be able to go home with a charging solution right away).

Your implication that 120v charging could cause permanent damage is completely bullshit; batteries can be damaged by excessive charge rates but not by slow charges.

Nor is 240v a trickle charge. Trickle charging is typically considered just enough to offset self-discharge, which even 1.5 kW Level 1 chargers can exceed. Level 2 240v charging is a "normal" charge, and is generally around 0.1C (a 10-hour charge), which is very safe for most battery chemistries. Level 3 DC fast-charging is the fast option, and the only one that really causes extra wear and tear.

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Taco__Bandito t1_iyf7okb wrote

I didn’t realize 120v was even an option. I didn’t mean that 120v would damage it, I meant the rapid charging will.

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