How to Choose Your Honda EV charging stations

Introduction

Buying an EV isn’t usually a problem. However, most EV owners often find the buying of EV chargers a bit fussy including Honda EV owners. Nevertheless, how to choose your Honda EV charging station shouldn’t be a problem. It only requires an understanding of your charging requirements which will inform the desired requirements you need to consider in choosing a suitable charging station for your Honda EV. This guide is specifically designed to answer your pertinent question in this regard. So, if you are ready to find out what you need to consider in making your choice, then let’s dive in.

II. What Drivers Need to Know about Charging Honda Clarity

For starters, Honda has been one of the foremost automotive manufacturers with many of their models going on to become absolute success. But beyond these successes is Honda’s present recognition of the need to reduce the carbon footprint caused by fossil fuel in the environment. Hence, it has joined the league of automakers making waves with electric vehicles. 

The release of Honda Clarity in 2017 with 2 options of BEV and PHEV also give credence to their ability to satisfy customers. Fortunately, these customers include those who want to experience the electric vehicle advantage without totally giving up their gasoline engine. However, the PHEV option is the most popular one still in production. It has a 48-mile range, a gasoline engine that gives about 42 miles to a gallon, and a combined power of up to 212 horsepower from the EV and gasoline engine. This combination makes it a suitable option for a cross country experience. 

Additionally, Honda Clarity has numerous menus and functions that help to maximize its battery usage like the eco-coaching and driver-controlled function modes which were copied from other models of Honda. 

Also, Honda Clarity has an onboard charging technology that ensures that the battery is optimized at every point while also increasing durability as well as the longevity of the battery. The onboard rechargeable battery can access both public and home charging facilities which makes it easy for drivers and owners to charge their Honda Clarity wherever they may find themselves. What’s more, the charging point on the body allows connection for both slow and fast charging connectors further enhancing the charging ease of the EV. 

More importantly, the Honda Clarity PHEH option can charge itself using its gasoline power. This option is only possible once the battery falls below 57% capacity, and it will only charge the battery to 57% full.

III. Honda EV Charging & Range

Of all the important features of an EV, the range of the EV which identifies how long it can travel on a full charger is critical for confirming its benefits over fossil-fueled cars. Taking the Honda Clarity as an example, with its BEV 2017 model having a battery capacity of 25.5kWh which can give a driver up to 143km range on a full charge. 

But in reality, drivers won’t wait for the battery to be empty before recharging and so the actual range will be less. Also, the PHEV version of the Honda Clarity can do up to 76km with its 17kWh battery with the option of a gasoline power to continue the journey from where the battery stopped for another 474km. Fortunately, charging the Honda Clarity can be done using both level 1 and 2 AC chargers.

IV. Connector Types and Charging Rate

For the PHEV Honda Clarity, the charging time required for a full charge can vary significantly depending on the type of charger you intend to employ. For the level 1 home charger which uses a 120V home power supply, the charging time can be very long, taking up to 24 hours to fully charge your battery from zero. However, with a level 2 home charger which uses a 240V supply, the charging time is significantly shorter, taking less than three hours to fully charge your battery from zero. There is but a third type of charger, the DC fast charger which can charge an EV battery from 0 to 80% in 30 minutes. However, DC fast chargers are not accessible by PHEVs since they are not equipped with an onboard charger with the right capacity.
Still, there is a plan by Honda and GM motors to collaborate in producing EVs with onboard chargers with an increased charging rate that can make the charging time of its EV batteries even shorter.

V. Honda EV Charging Cost 

Charging costs for EVs are generally dependent on some factors that include the location where the EV is driven, government incentives, and the charging station type. Most times, government policies that aim at improving the environment often give incentives like subsidized charging costs for EV owners. These incentives can significantly reduce the charging cost for EV owners. Also, location can play a huge part in the cost of charging your EVs especially where the electricity tariff is very affordable relative to other locations where electricity tariff is quite expensive. Lastly, the type of charging station can determine how much you spend in charging your Honda EV as fast chargers are often more expensive. In all, charging your Honda EV can range from $0.10 and $0.18 per mile. 

VI. How to Choose the Right EV Chargers for Your Honda?

Most EV charger buyers are often concerned about the cost of the charger and use this factor as the principal consideration in getting an EV charger. Nonetheless, there are other equally critical factors to consider when choosing the right EV charger for your Honda EV.

Dependable Supplier – An EV charger is a critical equipment for EVs, and the quality of the charger is greatly imparted by the supplier. Hence, choosing a dependable supplier who can both give you a quality EV charger at a quality price without missing the agreed date of delivery is vital to selecting the right EV charger for your Honda. 

Battery Size – Using the right EV charger for the right capacity of battery is another consideration in choosing the right EV charger for your Honda. The reason is that you can get the best out of the battery and preserve the battery for a long lifespan. 

Driving Pattern – Comparing EV drivers that drive within the city and others that drive long distances inter city will give you a good idea of their individual charging needs. These driving patterns are another essential consideration when choosing a suitable charging station for your Honda EV. Short distance drivers might be ok with a level 1 charger while long distance drivers may need to get a level 2 charger since they’ll be needing a faster charging station. 

Pricing – Cost of purchasing is often the first consideration for most buyers when purchasing anything. Likewise, EV owners rightly consider this factor as budgeting for the appropriate charger can make a difference when in the market for a suitable EV charger. Fortunately, Chinese manufacturers like EV-Top give some of the most competitive prices in the industry for quality EV chargers. 

Quality – While price is a critical consideration when buying an EV charger, the quality of the charger should be topnotch and should not be sacrificed at any cost.

VII. How to Choose the Right EV Chargers for Your Renault?

Well, if charging your EV doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, choosing the appropriate EV charger for your Renault EV becomes the next hurdle. Impeccable selection is required to do this. And in making such an important accessory acquisition decision, certain conditions must be ticked. Compatibility is the first of these conditions. To select the best EV charger for your Renault EV, the connector that best suits your EV and your charging schedule are needed. 

When we imply a suitable charging connector, we mean industry certified connector. This will ensure EV users don’t encounter short-circuiting, or electrocution. Essentially, the industry-specified EV chargers are the AC type 2 and the Rapid DC connectors. It is likewise important to note that selecting a suitable charger extends the durability of your EV battery. 

Additionally, a trusted supplier will ensure the appropriate identification and selection of the best EV charger for your Renault electric vehicle. A dependable supplier will not only provide adequate knowledge on the best charger for you but will assist in acquiring the best quality charger at the best market price. 

Therefore, what a reliable supplier will do for you is aid you with the industry knowledge they have to guide you in choosing the appropriate EV charger, at a pocket-friendly price. Before we forget, in case you’re a Renault EV user who’s used to using a rapid charger connector for your charging solutions, you might want to take a slow pause on that option. Although it ensures you charge at a faster rate and less time, you should also protect your battery’s durability. The constant deployment of the rapid charger may be detrimental. Especially when the capacity cannot withstand the output supplied for charging. This might save you from the continuous replacement of your Renault EV batteries.

VIII. Where to Buy the Honda Wall Charger?

Search Engines – A google search can reveal a lot especially when in search of a quality supplier for a Honda wall charger. However, most search engine users are unaware of search engine operators that you can use to filter out unwanted and irrelevant search results. Operators such as “+” and “-” come in handy to help you screen out inapplicable suppliers based on your charger criteria. This method is by far the fastest and easiest way to find a quality Honda wall charger. 

Trade Fairs and Exhibitions – China is a manufacturing hub for many equipment including EV wall chargers and there are opportunities to meet quality EV wall charger manufacturers. These opportunities include trade fairs and exhibitions that are held periodically, often once or twice in a year. The advantages of trade fairs include meeting with many suppliers in one location and seeing different varieties of wall chargers with different functions and options. What’s more, you can get a good price especially when buying more than one wall charger. 

E-commerce stores – There are several e-commerce stores meeting the needs of different industries including the EV industry. You can get a suitable wall charger for your Honda EV by navigating to the required category and filtering according to your criteria such as price, charging level, and connector type. 

IX. EV-Top Advantages for Honda Owners

EV-Top offers you many benefits as a Honda owner that helps maintain both the life of your battery as well as the life of your EV. Here are some of those benefits highlighted below. 

• Innovative – EV-Top has a significant portion of their revenue poured into research and development which makes it easy for them to offer a lot of innovative EV charging solutions. It is also due to their R&D team which comprises highly experienced and qualified individuals. 

• Certified – EV-Top has acquired many industry-accepted certifications that ascertains their commitment to safety and quality manufacturing. These certifications include ISO, UL, SAE, and IE certifications. 

• Affordable – With a strategic location in the center of the Chinese Silicon Valley, EV-Top easily attracts great talent and expertise. The abundance of these expertise ensures that the production cost of EV-Top is significantly reduced helping them to produce chargers at competitive selling price. 
• Reliable – With a consistent dedication to quality manufacturing over the years, EV-Top has been able to position itself as a reliable supplier with a fast turn around that beats their customers’ expectations.  
• User Centric – Every charger is designed to solve a challenge experienced by EV owners while charging. This factor makes life easier for their customers when charging their EVs.

Conclusion

In the end, what really matters is getting a suitable charging station that is easy to operate and one that fits your individual requirements including your battery capacity, driving patterns, and budget. These factors are the essential consideration for choosing your Honda EV charging station. Also, finding a suitable Chinese supplier like EV-Top will be highly beneficial as they have innovative designs that meet both international and international industry certifications. Most importantly they give you quality at a very competitive price while delivering it to you within a good turnaround time.