Level 2 Charging Limitations for Audi, Ford, Lucid, Nissan, Jeep, VW, and Chevrolet on a 30A outletUpdated 5 months ago
Some electric vehicles have inherent limitation with their provided charger that makes it challenging to charge at home if you plan to use a 30 amp outlet. If you own or are thinking of purchasing an EV from any of the following car makers, please read on to learn about a specific home charging dilemma that could apply to you:
- Audi (e-Tron models)
- Chevrolet (Bolt)
- Ford (Mach-E and Lightning)
- Nissan (Leaf)
- Jeep (4xE)
- Lucid
- Volswagen
Considerations for those using the provided charger:
If you have a 30 amp outlet (NEMA 10-30 or NEMA 14-30) and you are planning to charge your car with the OEM charger that came with the car, there has been a critical oversight on the part of EV manufacturers that overlooks millions of homes that might not have the panel space for a 50A outlet. These chargers are programmed to pull 32 amps by default, which is more than the allowable continuous current load according to the National Electric Code (NEC) for 30A breakers. While charging at 32A may not immediately trip the breaker, over time this may cause the breaker to trip at lower current draws.
The manufacturers recommend you use a dedicated 50A outlet in order to charge your vehicle, but if you don't have one already installed this could lead to an expensive panel upgrade costing thousands of dollars - and changing up the electrical aspects of a home or apartment is rarely a viable option for home renters.
Solutions:
Don't let any of this deter you from buying your next car. There are a few solutions and work-arounds that can get you up and running:
1. Purchase a third party EV charger that has adjustable amperage capabilities so you can set the charge current to the required 24A or less. You will be able to use your existing 30amp outlet (with a Smart Splitter if you are sharing the outlet with an appliance) and an adapter and will have access to Level 2 charging without the need to hire an electrician. Some recommended chargers that have adjustable amperage capabilities include:
- LENZ (official NeoCharge partner)
- JuiceBox
- ChargePoint
- Wallbox
- Grizzl-E
1. The other option you have is to contact an electrician and have them come install a high amperage (50A) circuit in your home. This will allow you to use the 240V charger that comes with the car, and if you ever purchase a second EV then you would then be able to use a NeoCharge 50A Smart Splitter and share that outlet amongst two EVs for dual charging. The downside of this is it will likely be more expensive due to the electrician labor cost.
If you have any questions on this matter, please feel free to reach out to our Customer Support team and we will be happy to answer any additional questions you might have.