What do Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast charging (Level 3) mean?

If you're new to EVs, or are considering one, there's a lot of unfamiliar terminology to learn. To most drivers, the biggest difference between an electric vehicle and one with a traditional gasoline engine is how you "fill up" the car.

With EVs, there are currently three ways to power up your batteries — conveniently called Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast charging (often referred to as "Level 3" or abbreviated as DCFC). It's not necessary to worry about how many kilowatts the charger provides. A 200-kW charging station will work perfectly fine with an EV that charges at a maximum of 100 kW, and vice versa. While the differences between the levels revolve mostly around charging speed, asking, "How long does it take to go from empty to full?" is not necessarily the right question.

Read more: EV charging guide | What to know when buying an electric car

That's because we've been conditioned on gasoline-powered cars to drive around until the needle points to empty, then pull into a gas station to top off the tank. With an EV, your primary "gas station" is often at your home. You can set off each morning with a full "tank" if you choose (though it's not always recommended, and we'll get to why below). For many drivers, there are only rare instances, like on long road trips, where charging speed becomes critical.

With that in mind, here are the differences between Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast charging, with explanations to help determine which one is best for you. Keep in mind that all of this also applies to plug-in hybrids as well as fully electric vehicles.

Level 1 charging

This is just a fancy way of referring to your standard wall outlet that most household appliances and electronics plug into. In the U.S., they emit 120 volts in alternating current (AC). Almost all electric cars will come with a wall connector cable, often referred to as a mobile charging cable, compatible with wall outlets.

This is also known as trickle charging because, well, it takes a while. Even if you leave your car plugged in overnight, you likely won't have a full battery by morning. That's because it's usually limited to 10 or 12 amperes of current. It's designed that way as to not overload the circuit box at your house, which is typically on 15- or 20-amp circuit breakers. Often, these circuit breakers are shared with lights and other household appliances, so it's best to use a dedicated circuit.

Every car is different, but on most EVs, every hour of trickle charging gets you 2-5 miles. That means charging 12 hours from the time you get home from work to when you leave again the next day, you're getting about 24-60 miles. That might be enough for your commute, especially if you don't start from zero.

Level 2 charging

Level 2 charging uses 240 volts, either through a hardwired charger or via a 240V outlet that can usually be found in a typical house powering high-energy appliances like a clothes dryer. Level 2 chargers are also the most commonly available chargers found at public charging stations like office buildings and retail locations. All EVs come with Level 2 charging capability.