Most car owners understand that if they fail to fill up their tank at the local gas station, they will not be able to keep going down the road. But, many new electric vehicle (EV) owners are not quite sure how to handle charging their new car.
The process gets confusing with different levels of charging, costs involved, and compatibility with local charging stations. Fortunately, as more and more businesses adapt to the electrification of the automotive market, the system is getting easier to manage. Many companies are starting to offer convenient charging stations for their customers and employees.
It is becoming commonplace for grocery store chains to offer EV charging stations. So, today we are looking at how much it costs to charge an electric car at Kroger.
A Kroger supermarket | Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Difference between charging levels
There are essentially three types of electric vehicle chargers, each offering a different charging speed.
Level 1 charging is commonly found in household use and referred to as “trickle charging” because of the slow charging speed. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Level 1 equipment “provides charging through a common residential 120-volt (120V) AC outlet.
Level 1 is standard on most electric cars and does not require the installation of additional charging equipment. The connector plugs into the EV, and on the other end of the power cord is a three-prong household plug. Typically, Level 1 charging takes about 8 to 12 hours to charge a fully depleted battery.
Level 2 charging is compatible with all electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The power cord plugs directly into the car, utilizing a 240 volt AC plug and a dedicated 40 amp circuit. Depending on the type of battery in the electric vehicle, charging takes about 4 to 6 hours to charge a fully depleted battery, and is considerably faster than Level 1 charging. Typical applications include public parking places, residential settings, commercial settings, and places of employment.
Level 3 Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) offers the fastest charge, utilizing a 480-volt direct current (DC) plug. GetNeoCharge explains, “charging on a DC Fast Charging station will provide around 3-15 miles/minute,” only taking 30 minutes to recharge a battery to 80%.
Level 3 charging is not compatible with PHEV and many electric vehicles and is typically only found in commercial settings. According to Inside EVs, “Each V3 station has its own dedicated power supply (as Electrify America Stations do), so they can always deliver the maximum power to the vehicle no matter how many other cars are using the Supercharger site.”
The cost of charging your electric car at Kroger
Our Las Vegas, NV charging station has been upgraded and is now online!
The CHAdeMO at this location was also upgraded. https://t.co/zf0PdK8KTA pic.twitter.com/mwkhjRrtP4
— Electrify America (@ElectrifyAm) October 12, 2022
According to GreenBiz, Kroger Co. is investing $1.5 million in EV charging stations to be installed by ECOtality. Drivers will pay about $1 to $2 an hour to charge their electric vehicles.
Most charging stations in the parking areas of stores, such as Kroger, have their rates set by the business. Depending on the type of station (ChargePoint, Electrify America, etc.), you can get a discount by signing up for a subscription with the company.
Kroger is adding more EV charging locations
Volta to add EV charging stations at 4 southeast Michigan Kroger stores https://t.co/7gkiPXBKJE
— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) August 22, 2022 Related
Kroger Co. is committed to helping its customers make sustainable choices. In a recent press release, it announced the addition of more EV charging stations to its stores around the country.
The grocer has partnered with Volta, Tesla, EVgo, Electrify America, and Blink to implement more than 350 chargers, some of which will include direct current (DC) chargers. The versatile EV charging stations will be compatible with most electric cars, offering varying charging times between 10 and 30 minutes.
EV charging stations are available at Kroger locations in Wyoming, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Nevada, Indiana, Georgia, Colorado, California, and Arizona. However, there are plans for future locations in Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio.
You can check if your local Kroger has an EV charging station by visiting the EV charging station provider’s website or using a mobile app, such as PlugShare.