The Best Level 2 EV Chargers in Canada 

If you’ve recently purchased or are planning to purchase an electric vehicle in the future, making sure that you have the proper home charger is essential. Our guide below will highlight the best LV2 EV chargers along with what to look for to ensure that you get the best bang for your buck, or if you’re looking for the most expensive charger that your wallet can handle, we’ll cover the whole gamut for quality chargers. 

If you’re new to electric vehicles (EV), you might not know that there are options when it comes to charging your cars battery – which there are more options than you’d think!  It can be hard to understand what you might need, what’s necessary or recommended, and what you want for your EV, we can help take the stress and guessing out of the learning process. 

When you get your new EV, it will more than likely come with a generic LV1 charger that goes with your car – a small and portable charger that can plug into a standard 120V outlet. These are fine, but they also will charge your large EV battery slowly. A LV2 charger in comparison will plug into a 240V outlet, similar to an oven or dryer plugin, and most importantly – it can charge your EV in half the time. LV2 chargers may have a more expensive upfront cost, but they are well worth the price. Imagine it being like the difference between a cheap phone charger versus a well-made fast/lightning cable that utilizes its charging speed and capacity.  

Level 2 EV chargers can cost anywhere from under $500 upwards to be over $1000. Keep in mind that the more charge current, the more expensive it typically is. There are also additional costs if you want extra features and remote charging availability through apps. Even though getting an additional charger at home may seem costly and maybe even unnecessary depending on your own circumstances and needs, being able to charge your EV for cheaper, faster, and not having to worry about it not fully charging throughout the night for whatever reason is nice to have around and not stress over.  

Even though it can be pricey up front to get a new charger installed, but charging your EV at home with a better charger saves you money, especially instead of having to use pay-per-use fast chargers that are out on the road.  

For quick reference, here are the differences between the charger types: 

There are also Level 3/LV3 chargers, which are the 400-800-volt DC electricity chargers with output ranging from 50 to 350 kilowatts. They can charge an EV’s battery from 10% to 90% within 30mins. Many public charging stations are these types, but are not recommended or even available for home use due to how high the costs are and the power needed to have them working and installed in the first place. 

There are a few things to look for when it comes to getting a LV2 EV charger, since they aren’t all the same. They can vary between brand, features, and compatibility.   

Power Output/Charging Speed

A high amperage output equals out to meaning that the charger will charge your EV faster. If you don’t always need a fast charge, it’s recommended to charge your vehicle at a slower rate to preserve the life of the battery. If charging fast isn’t a top priority, but you still would like the option, there are adjustable power output EV chargers that allow for flexibility when charging. It’s also imperative that you ensure that the wires and circuits you’re using can handle the amperage you’re planning on using.  

Power cable lengths

Lengths of EV power charger cables can be an important factor to consider, especially if you have a larger garage, such as a two-car sized one or plan to keep your car outside often in a driveway where the plugin may have to be. Most EV charger cables aren’t that long, but there are different lengths available and the national safety standards in the United States and Canada limit the maximum length of EV charging cables to be 25 feet, which typically speaking you won’t need or want to get cables longer anyways, as that can cause issues such as slower charging, diminished returns on the charging power itself, and since the technology can be damaged easier you don’t want it to be vulnerable – especially in frigid Canadian temperatures during the winter months, doubly so if you’re living more rural or out of the cities.   

Installations and warranty

EV and their installations have evolved rapidly over the last few years, as it was only a couple of years ago when any EV chargers were indoors installation only and even their warranty periods were regulated as such. Now, they’re built to handle being installed inside or outside that can handle the weather and the elements. If you get one with a plug-in connection, it’s more portable but you do run the risk of it being stolen as well as it can just be unplugged and taken – which is a lot more expensive than a phone charger being stolen. 

Warranties years ago also varied greatly and now the industry has normalized (or mainly, anyways) to a 3-year warranty period for most of the best home LV2 EV chargers in Canada. The portable EV chargers will typically have a shorter warranty because of the extra wear and tear that being portable brings to the table. Most also have full customer support available if there are any issues outside of the normal parameters.