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By | 18 Apr 2022

How much does a DC fast charger cost?

In today's article, we will be taking you through How much does a DC fast charger cost? But first, continue to read its breif intro.

What Are Direct Current Fast Chargers?

 
DC Fast Chargers are a type of charging station for electric vehicles. In general, they resemble and function similarly to any other commercial EV charging station. Drivers stop over and plug in their automobiles to charge them. The stations employ various cables and connections but are typically compatible with all major electric car manufacturers except Tesla, which requires specific adapters to use any non-Tesla charging station.

What distinguishes them is that they are powered by direct current (DC). At the moment, this is the quickest and most effective way to charge an electric car. A mid-tier commercial DC Fast Charger can charge the average EV on the road today to 80% in roughly 30 minutes.

Because DC Fast Chargers are almost solely employed in business applications, consumers are frequently charged by mobile or electronic payments.

Maintain your fleet and keep it charged

Based on voltage, EV drivers chargers are classified into three types. The DC Fast Charger (Level 3) at 480 volts can charge your electric car 16 to 32 times quicker than a Level 2 charging station. For example, a Level 2 EV charger will normally take 4-8 hours to charge an electric car, but a DC Fast Charger will typically take 15 – 30 minutes. Faster charging equals more hours of service every day for your vehicles.

Perplexing concepts of AC and DC charging

·       Alternating current is used in standard home and business charging equipment (AC). An AC charger will be used to charge all plug-in automobiles. 

·       Direct current (DC) chargers are similar to quick chargers in that a car may be refilled to 80 percent in around 30 minutes.

·       These machines are frequently quite large, heavy, and expensive, and are typically employed by fleet or taxi businesses when a fast charge rate is necessary. It should be noted that not all automobiles have a quick charging connection.

Which is best, AC or DC?

Direct Current

·       Direct current (DC) is the basic positive-and-negative sort of electricity that you most likely explored in 7th-grade science. One significant advantage is that it is simple to store in batteries. That is why portable devices such as torches, mobile phones, and laptop computers need DC power; they must store it. Because plug-in cars are portable, they, too, need DC batteries (though most of them use AC motors, which we'll discuss another time).

AC charger

·       AC power is a little more difficult since it switches back and forth, but it has the major benefit of being able to be transferred affordably across great distances. That is why AC electricity is delivered to your home via power lines and is available at power outlets. AC power is used by stationary equipment that draws energy directly from an outlet, such as lights, refrigerators, and washing machines. Because the electric grid produces alternating current (AC), power must be converted to direct current (DC) when charging a portable device.

What is a rectifier?

A "rectifier" does this conversion. All portable gadgets that charge from a wall outlet have one: it's generally in a black box in the charging wire, along with some other components we'll overlook.

You'll see that the larger the box is, the more power the gadget consumes. The key to knowing AC versus DC charging is determining where and why the box is located.

 AC advantages and disadvantages

 ·       Because AC outlets are plentiful, your automobile should be able to connect to one to charge. That implies that every vehicle must be capable of converting AC to DC. The power conversion machinery in today's plug-in automobiles varies; most can convert up to 3.3, 6.6, or 9.6kW.

·       In comparison, a standard residential outlet can offer up to 1.4kW constantly, while "high-power" 240V outlets common in garages and RV parks may provide up to 9.6kW.

It is technically feasible for a car to convert considerably more electricity than that. Still, the technology would be large, heavy, costly, and hot – and anything beyond 9.6kW would be used infrequently due to the lack of higher-power outlets.

For example, the Tesla Model S has a $1,500 option that allows the car to convert to 19.2kW. When you can use it, twice-as-fast charging is a huge benefit, and some owners swear by it – but you can only obtain that much power if you utilize special hard-wired 240V charging equipment.

The West Coast has a few such chargers along key travel routes, although such equipment is difficult to come by, is not required for overnight charging, and is still much slower than DC charging. Many owners choose not to use this option to save money and weight. 

DC advantages and disadvantages

·       DC charging stations feature unique grid connections that allow them to receive and transfer significantly more electricity. DC stations are large, expensive, and require a lot of cooling; even if there was a method to connect directly to the grid, it would be impractical to put such equipment in every automobile.

·       CHAdeMO chargers range from 25 to 60kW, while Superchargers range from 90 to 120kW - about 100 times quicker than a regular 120V residential outlet and more than ten times faster than 240V AC outlets.

·       At a greater cost, the grid might provide even more electricity; nevertheless, these constraints are mostly imposed to avoid damaging vehicle batteries during charging. (While several factors influence how quickly batteries charge, automobiles that use Superchargers currently have substantially bigger batteries than cars that use CHAdeMO chargers. Larger batteries, everything else being equal, can handle more power without injury). 

Where should DC chargers be located?


Because commercial DC Fast Chargers can cost anywhere from $28,000 to over $140,000 to install, they should only be used in certain situations. They are ideally suited for commercial applications where electric vehicle owners need to charge their vehicles fast.

Ideal locations for DC Fast Chargers:

·       Rest breaks on highways

·       Petrol stations

·       Parking areas in cities

·       Big strip malls along key roads.

Some other locations

This is because electric cars driving long distances will not only need to stop and recharge but will also want to do it as soon as possible. Almost often, these charging stations will be monetized, and electric car owners would have to pay to use them.

How much does a DC fast charger cost

DC Fast Chargers are also a suitable fit for high-end class-A business parks and huge retail shopping complexes, such as super-regional centers. This is especially true in regions where electric car owners are in large concentrations.

Given their high cost, commercial DC Fast Chargers are rarely employed outside of monetized commercial applications. They are infrequently seen in multifamily buildings, condominiums, motels, or single-family houses where EV owners may charge overnight.

Where can i find an alternating current (AC) charger?

The majority of charging stations available today use alternating current (AC). The typical charging speed is 22 kW, depending on the automobile and the electricity available to the charging infrastructure.

It's perfect for charging your automobile at home or work because it takes longer to load. On the other hand, DC charging is more popular near roads or at public charging stations where there isn't much time to recharge.

However, DC charging is finding its way into home charging, providing customers with additional options because it permits both rapid and bidirectional charging. 

How much does a DC fast charger cost


Have you ever wondered how much a DC fast charger costs? There are two key reasons why DC Fast Chargers are substantially more expensive than AC Chargers to install.

·       First, the equipment is significantly more expensive. ChargePoint, a leading EV charging station manufacturer, provides a comprehensive selection of both DC and AC charging stations.

Their Charge Express costs $38,5000. It's a 50kW DC fast-charging station with a charge rate of 200 miles per hour. On the other hand, their Gateway commercial versions range in price from $4,505 to over $8,200. These 7.2kW Level 2 AC chargers provide approximately 24 miles of range per hour of charging.

Installation costs

·       The installation expenses are the second element causing the large price difference between DC and AC charging stations. Electric car charging stations are substantially electrified pieces of industrial-grade equipment. As a result, they cost significantly more to build than AC charging stations.  

Conclusion about How much does a DC fast charger cost

Electric cars are increasingly useful for companies, government institutions, and roadside travel destinations. A DC Quick Charger is the solution if you have a fleet of vehicles or trucks that need to be refueled regularly or clients who would benefit from a fast EV charging station. DC Fast Chargers, or Level 3 chargers, need more knowledge to pick and install. The typical cost of installing an electric car charging station is $750 to $2,600 for a Level 2 charger, including labor. Home EV charging stations cost $350 to $900 on their own, while installation costs $400 to $1,700.

Read more: What is a dc fast charger?

Efficiency: DC charging stations are increasingly integrated with renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, enhancing the sustainability of EV charging.