Tips for Charging Your EV in Texas

The first thing you need to know is the different types of chargers that are out there. The first charger is the Level 1 Charger, a standardized connector that you can use at home using a wall outlet or cable in your car. The Level 1 charger is relatively slow as it charges 3-5 miles per hour. It will be helpful for those who travel 40 miles or less a day, whether for work or a trip to the store. The next charge is the Level 2 charger, a standardized connector used at home using a dedicated sharing station. It has a medium charge rate of 15-30 miles per hour and is useful for drivers that travel 100-plus miles a day. The final type we will go over is the DC fast charging, which has three connector types: the CCS, CHAdeMO,  and Tesla. These are located just off the highway using dedicated higher power stations with a fast charge rate of 150-400 miles per hour and will be helpful for those who drive 300 miles per day.

Every electric vehicle on the market will have timers that will let you know when the car charges. The best time to charge your vehicle is generally between 10 pm and 6 am. This is when renewable wind power peaks, and there is typically more capacity in the grid here in Texas. Therefore, you will want to avoid charging late in the afternoon, between 4 pm and 7 pm, when there will typically be less capacity in the Texas grid.

If you want your Chevy electric vehicle to have a long battery life, you will want to charge your battery between 20% and 80% whenever you can. If you are charging your battery for everyday driving, you will want to charge it to 80%, though if you go on a long trip, you will want to charge it to 100%. Keep in mind that if you are going to take a long journey, you will not want to charge your vehicle at 100% at a DC fast charging station; only what you need to reach your destination safely, usually at 80% or less. Finally, don’t ever let your battery sit at 0% or 100% for a long period.

You will find there are over 2,000 charging stations in Texas, and many of these stations allow for charging multiple vehicles at once. For those who drive daily, most of your charging will occur overnight or throughout the day at Level 2 and DC fast charge stations which you can find at many offices, shopping malls, restaurants, and hotels. Want to take your electric vehicle out on the highway? Then most of your charging at the numerous dedicated DC fast charging stations along main highways. Drivers will be able to choose between multiple networks based on the fast-charging connector on their vehicle, and most networks support multiple connector types at each station. More of the common networks include Electrify America, Tesla, EVgo, and ChargePoint. You can charge your vehicle on Ceder Springs Road and McKinney Ave if you are around the Dallas area. There are also several located on N Pearl Street.

There is nothing like the experience of getting behind the wheel of an electric vehicle, and the good news is Chevy makes the spectacular Bolt EV for you to check out! To do so and take a test drive, take a trip down to Graff Chevrolet and schedule one with our amazing sales team, who will be more than happy to set you up and can even accompany you on the test drive so you can get used to your first electric vehicle. If you enjoy your test drive, then be sure to check out our finance department, where our team will get you a great deal and take your trade-in if you have one. You can also check out our complete inventory here on our website!