The charger is the device that transfers power from the premises wiring to an electric vehicle, including its ports, connectors, software, user identification, data reporting, and payment functionality. In a parking facility:
- Chargers are specified by level (AC Level 1, AC Level 2, DCFC) and by ports per device.
- Charger software increasingly matters as much as hardware: access control, pricing, uptime reporting, and open protocols.
Considerations
- Chargers have a 7-to-10-year expected life and may be obsolete sooner; the infrastructure behind them outlives them. Specify the charger last; size the infrastructure first.