Magical Interior Design But Functional Shortcomings
The EQS interior is roomy and elegant. Every inch of my test car was wrapped in soft gray or brown leather and glossy black Linden wood.
The seats, armrests and center console looked like theyd been shaped by flowing water, smooth surfaces and shapes. Interior mood lighting offered 64 colors and adjustable brightness. The effect is effortlessly elegant and unquestionably modern.
The seats are comfortable and vastly adjustable, with standard ventilation and heat.
That brings us to one of the EQSs perplexing shortcomings. Heated seats are de rigueur in EVs. They keep passengers comfortable and require less energy than using heated air to warm the whole interior.
A heated steering wheel complements that energy-saving virtue not to mention being a rather obvious feature in a vehicle with a base price over $100,000.
Despite that, my EQS lacked a heated steering wheel. That alone will strike the car from many shopping lists.
Another simple oversight: a dial for volume in the 3D Burmeister audio system. The EQS has flat panel touch controls for nearly every function. Many work well, but audio volume stubbornly remains a frequently adjusted function best addressed with a dial.
In addition, the front ventilation fan was shockingly noisy on startup one cold night, rattling alarmingly for the first several minutes of my drive.
How Long Does It Take To Charge An Electric Car At A Public Charging Station
There are three types of charging stations that could help determine the price of charging and the mass of time it would take to charge your electric car.
- Level 3: These types of chargers are much more potent than levels 2 and 1. It takes less time to charge at these stations, but not all cars can charge at these ports. Your car charge also needs to be below 80% charge to be charged at these ports. After your vehicle is at 80% of charge, the car starts charging a little slower. Level 3 chargers could take about fifteen minutes to charge your vehicle with 7kWh, covering around forty-five kilometers.
- Level 2: These charger types are the most typical ones easily found anywhere in public. If your car is at 80% charge, it is better to charge it at a level 2 because it will charge at the same speed as a level 3 charger but at a cheaper cost. Level 2 chargers take between 5 to 12 hours to charge your car entirely.
- Level 1: These chargers are ones you can have in your garage. It takes several hours to charge your car to 100% at home since the outlet has only 120 volts. If you have time, this would be a cheaper option. Charging at home will take between 8 to over 40 hours, depending on your cars battery size.
Cost Of Charging Vs Price Of Gas
Most EV charging is done at home and public fast charging is limited to about six times per year, a 2020 study by Consumer Reports concluded that fueling an electric vehicle costs 60% less than fueling a comparable gas-powered car.
However, this discount may very depend on where you charge. Like gasoline costs, electricity costs vary from state to state.
In late March 2021, the lowest price for an eGallon in the United States could be found in Oklahoma, at $0.81, while in Hawaii , an eGallon cost $2.65. But in every state, EV charging was always far cheaper than gasoline.
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How Long Does It Take To Charge An Ev
Using the Calculator
Under the Hood
To further customize the calculations, select the By Battery & Power tab.
- Charging Power The rate of charge is limited by either the charging stations supply of electricity or the vehicles onboard charger. Select the lesser of the two for a more accurate estimate.
- Battery Size The vehicles battery size determines the EVs range and are commonly upgradeable at the time of purchasing your EV. It is crucial to the calculation to select the correct battery size.
- Charge LevelSelect the starting and target charge levels from 0 to 100 .
Do you have any questions about the EV charge-time calculator? Is your car not listed? Please provide your feedback below.
How Does The Recharge Cost Compare To A Fuel Fill

According to AAA, the average price of gas hovers at $3.88 per gallon as of this writing. So, filling up a 12-gallon gas tank currently costs about $47. Things get a little tricky because, as we all know, cars and trucks use vastly different amounts of fuel.
Lets say youre driving an economy car that brings a combined average of 30 miles per gallon during a mix of city and highway driving. Using that same 12-gallon tank as a reference point, youll have 360 miles of driving range for each fill-up. If youre driving the same 1,183 miles per month, youll need to refuel just over three times each month and spend about $182 .
Again, this is only an estimate since fuel prices and mileage vary. But considering few cars and SUVs come close to delivering a 30 mpg combined average, our fairly conservative number-crunching in this scenario makes it clear that recharging will cost less than refueling a car. The financial gap narrows with a more fuel-efficient vehicle, but it remains.
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What Makes It Go How Far How Long To Charge
Like most AWD EVs, the EQS 4Matic has two electric motors, one for each axle. Total output is 516 hp and 631 pound-feet of torque. Theyre linked to a single-speed automatic transmission.
The EQS accelerates to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph.
Acceleration isnt the challenge for EVs. The trick to building a first-class EV is combining that acceleration with enough range that owners dont have to plug in every hour or so.
The EQS strikes a good balance. Its 107.8 kWh battery provides an EPA-estimated range of 340 miles on a charge. As with any vehicle, a heavy foot and high speeds will reduce range, but I found the EQSs real-world range pretty consistent with the on-board computers projections over several days that included fast highways, country roads and errands around town.
Estimated charging time to full is 12.5 hours at the 240-volt current most owners will use every night. With more powerful DC fast chargers, Mercedes says the lithium-ion battery can accept up to 200 kW, good enough to charge from 10% to 80% in 31 minutes.
My real-world experience was again close to what Mercedes promised.
Using an EVgo charger, I got 62.3 kWh in 35 minutes while I bought groceries in a Meijer. Using the discounted rate for which I pay a monthly fee, that cost $10.39.
Charge And Store Your Ev In Temperature
Extreme hot and cold temperatures can damage your EVs battery, ultimately making it charge slower and maintain its charge poorly. Keeping your vehicle in a temperature-controlled location will ensure your battery will last longer and be more efficient.
Having an electric vehicle has many benefits. While charging electric vehicles is costly, prices are likely to come down in the next few years. Many vehicle manufacturers have committed to making most or all of their new vehicles electric in the next 10-15 years, and almost 40% of drivers say their next vehicle purchase will likely be electric. As the supply of EVs rises, competition between vehicle and charging station manufacturers will lower costs overall, making it an affordable option for millions of drivers.
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What Is An Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Electric vehicles run off a rechargeable battery, rather than gasoline or oil. Your battery needs to be recharged, ideally when your car is not in use. To do this, you need an . Essentially, it is a way to plug your cars battery into an outlet that charges it. Because charging stations are not necessarily common in public spaces, most owners of electric vehicles install a charging station at home. In fact, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council , over 80 % of EV charging happens at home. Depending on your car, your home, and how long you need to charge between trips, you have numerous choices available for the charging station.
Contact Pg& e To Start Your Change Of Service Application
After you determine which EV charging system is right for you, contact PG& E. You must complete an application to notify us of the change of service including the following information:
- Rate option: Choose the residential rate you’ll use to charge your EV.
- Charging level: Will you use a Level 1 or Level 2 charging station.
- Charging load: Load amount from your EV supply equipment. This is based on the charging system’s voltage and amperage. An electrician can help you determine this information.
- Panel upgrade: Does the dedicated circuit require a panel upgrade.
Apply online for change of service: “Your Projects“Apply via phone: . We’re available M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Use the free online services listed below to find local EV charging station installers in your area. In addition to providing quotes from local installers, the sites also include customer reviews and helpful installation information. To obtain quotes, you may be asked to provide your installation timeline, property type , ownership rights, EV charger type and installation location, and confirm your dedicated voltage. PG& E is not responsible for the requirements of these online services, which are subject to the terms and conditions of the online service provider.
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Different Costs For Different Ways To Charge
Approximately 50%-80% of EV charging is done at home, making it easier to calculate your monthly charging costs.
But the actual cost for charging an electric vehicle depends on where the charging is done. Here are charging methods ranked from least to most expensive:
- Free. It is almost impossible to get gasoline for free, but many businesses try to attract customers by offering free electric vehicle charging. The charging rate is often slow, called Level 1 charging, which provides the same 120-volts that come from an ordinary home outlet.
- Off-peak at home. Some utilities charge less for off-peak electricity when demand is low. Fortunately, most charging is done at home overnight, when rates are low.
- On-peak at home. Even on-peak or flat-rate electricity charges are cheaper than prices paid at public charging stations.
- Level 2 public charging stations. Level 2 charging provides 240 volts and can charge your EV much faster. Infrequent public charging is pay-as-you-go for regular use, public charging services offer monthly subscriptions at lower rates.
- High-speed public charging. This is usually done where charging time rather than cost matters most. High-speed charging stations can deliver anywhere from 50KW to 250KW . Not every electric vehicle can accept the full power that high-speed chargers can offer, so EV owners may be over-paying.
How To Reduce Electric Car Charging Costs
Below are a few tips you can try for reducing electric car charging costs:
- If you primarily charge your car at home and youre in an area affected by time-of-use rates, try to do most of your charging during off-peak hours.
- Use tools like EnergyRates.ca to find the lowest electricity rates in your area.
- For individuals who need to charge at public charging stations, research and compare the price of charging at various stations. Additionally, charging electric cars for free is a possibility at some stations.
- Avoid charging your car in cold temperatures as low temperatures will slow down the rate your EV charges at.
As weve mentioned above, one way to maximize your electric car savings is through using cost comparison tools like EnergyRates.ca you can find the lowest electricity rates in provinces where electricity is deregulated . Plus, our experts can also help you find green energy rates and plans to help you further limit your carbon footprint.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Payment And Membership
- + Which payment methods do you accept? Electrify America accepts the following payment methods:
- Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards
- Visa and MasterCard debit cards
- Apple, Google, and Samsung Pay
Depending on your location, you pay to charge either by the kWh or by the minute. In per-minute locations, the maximum amount of power your vehicle can accept determines your power level and price.
When you plug in to charge, your vehicle tells the charger the maximum power it can accept. Based on that communication, your vehicle will be assigned to the corresponding power level offered by the charger.
Your charging speed may fluctuate due to factors like weather, age of your battery, and how full your battery is . The per-minute price stays the same for the entire session, regardless of how the charging speed may vary.
Where feasible, Electrify America has transitioned to kWh-based pricing. In these locations, you pay for the energy your vehicle receives, regardless of temperature, your batteryâs capacity, the time it takes for your vehicle to charge, or other variable factors.
First, access your digital membership pass in your mobile wallet*. Then tap your phone against the contactless reader on the charger.
*NFC may need to be enabled in your phoneâs settings.
The Average Costs Of Using Car Charging Stations

The new trend is using chargeable cars due to their effectiveness in causing less pollution and for their convenience. Using an electric vehicle gives you multiple advantages over those using gas because a gas vehicle has fewer moving parts than a gasoline-powered car meaning that it requires less maintenance than a regular car.
Just like gas stations put fuel in your car, there are multiple car charging stations to help you charge your vehicle whenever you need it to power up. Different gas stations will have varied prices of fuel per liter. The same applies to charging stations. They charge according to the charger level you are using and the demand for charging ports when youre changing.
During rush hours, when everyone needs a charging port to recharge their cars, thats when the price goes up per kilowatt. The level of chargers youre using also determines how much it will cost to charge your vehicle entirely. When at a public charging station, you can either use a level 1 or level 2 charger. The level 2 charger is always cheaper than the level 1 charger, but it takes much longer to charge your car at a level 2 charger fully.
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Are Electric Cars Cheaper Than Gas Cars
All in all, how much it costs to charge an electric car depends on a range of factors, such as the size of the cars battery, the state of charge, at what time the vehicle is charging, and the type of charging station. However, regardless of charging costs for individual sessions, one thing is certain: charging an EV is usually a lot cheaper than filling a car with gasoline or diesel.
How Long Does It Take To Charge An Electric Car At A Charging Station
According to Kia, charging an electric car battery can take anywhere between half an hour or half a day, depending on your battery and the speed of the charging point youre using.
Other things that will affect charging speed are the max charging rate of your vehicle, how much power is left in your battery, as well as weather conditions
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Cost To Charge An Electric Car At Home
Charging an electric car at home costs about £15.10 for a full charge* and is the most convenient and cost-effective way to keep your car fully charged. Most drivers will charge their electric car overnight, waking up to a full battery every morning.
- Average domestic electricity rate in the whole of the UK is about 28p per kWh**.
- Fully charging a 60kWh electric car will cost around £15 and give you about 200 miles of range.
By switching to an electricity tariff designed specifically for EV drivers, like EDF’s GoElectric Exclusive 35 you could reduce this to just 4.5p per kWh and charge up for under £5 while you sleep***.
*Costs calculated at 28p/kWh based on usable battery is ~54kWh .
**Please note, energy prices vary and can go up and down. To find your current cost per kWh, please check your electricity bill or contact your provider.
***EV charging based on using a 7kW home charger and EDFs GoElectric Exclusive 35 tariff at 4.5p/Kwh off-peak.
Find out more about the home charging options available and how fast you can charge your car.
Tip: Charging at home is best done through a dedicated home chargepoint, which comes with a one-off cost from £799. Find out more about the benefits of a home charger.
Cost of charging at home – 3 example electric cars:
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Level 2 Charger Prices And Installation
While charging your EV at home costs significantly less than both fueling a gasoline vehicle and charging an EV at public stations, installing a Level 2 charger at home can be costly upfront. Electric cars usually include a Level 1 charger which can be plugged into any 120-volt outlet. However, a Level 1 charger can take a full 20 hours to charge up the vehicle, so many EV owners purchase and install a Level 2 charger in their home which can power up the vehicle in almost half the time.
A Level 2 charger can range in price, but it will typically cost up to $3,500 for both the equipment and installation costs.
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