Using an electric vehicle, often a simple wall socket can become your most reliable ally. I discovered this during my journey with the Rivian R1T.

Let’s face it: nobody likes sitting around for hours waiting for their electric vehicle to charge. Many potential buyers are deterred by the concerns over lengthy charging times and lack of available places to plug in. Charging from a regular wall socket can easily take several hours, which is undoubtedly a major drawback. ranging anywhere from 60 to 200 hours Depending on the vehicle—it isn't particularly reassuring.

Many electric vehicle (EV) owners charge their vehicles at home using quicker Level 2 chargers, which fully power up their cars within hours rather than days. Some others depend on public DC fast charging for quick refills either routinely or during vacations to replenish their batteries in just minutes. However, every single EV has the capability to connect with an ordinary 120-volt household electrical socket as well. The question remains: how practical is this option though?

Actually, it's really quite good, despite what you might think. I discovered this during my road trip. heading out to the distant West Texas desert in a 2025 Rivian R1T That experience made me realize that what’s known as Level 1 charging, which is the most gradual method of electric vehicle charging available, can actually be quite a valuable resource—provided you utilize it properly.

Actually, using wall charging was a lifesaver during this trip. Here’s why.

( Full Disclosure: Rivian lent me an R1T for a journey during the 2024 winter break.

During the holiday season, I traveled approximately 400 miles from San Antonio to Marfa, a distant town in Texas close to the Mexican border. Given your expectations, there weren’t numerous electric vehicle charging stations available in this area. A nearby hotel adjacent to my accommodation possessed a Level 2 charger; however, access was restricted to their guests, which excluded me. While I likely could have persuaded them otherwise, I preferred not to impose on their facilities unnecessarily.

My safest option was the Tesla Supercharger station located in the town of Alpine. I frequently utilized this station during my journey, owing to the adapter provided by Rivian. However, this station was situated 30 miles from me even before accounting for any reductions in range due to driving on highways. opposite The direction towards everything I love doing outside of Marfa. To put it briefly, this entailed a broad spectrum impact nearly immediately after I left the parking area.

Fortunately for me, Rivian provided a portable wall charger. I opted to connect the R1T to it when it was stationed in the driveway. As expected, it turned out to be exactly what I required.

Stage 1 Charging: Understanding What Awaits You

A typical 120-volt household electrical socket usually delivers between 1 and 2 kilowatts (kW) of power, which equates to approximately three to five miles of driving distance added each hour.

With a 149-kilowatt-hour battery pack (of which 140 kilowatt-hours are usable), similar to the one in my R1T Dual Motor Max Pack test unit, you would see approximately 30 to 40 hours to recharge from 20% to 80% capacity It depends on the speed. In the best case, around 2 kilowatts of electricity per kilowatt-hour of battery capacity. Does that make sense?

That’s significantly lower compared to my personal ChargePoint Level 2 charger, which maintains an output of 7.2 kW. This allows me to fully recharge my Kia EV6, equipped with a 77.4 kWh battery, within approximately 10 hours. However, I usually only take about five or six hours for charging. I have never let the car discharge completely to 0%, nor do I plan to.

If you're new to electric vehicles, you might dismiss Level 1 home charging as being too sluggish. However, keep in mind that what does your car do for the majority of the time? It remains stationary when parked.

Since it remains stationary, you can simply “recharge” it. This is somewhat like a hidden superhero feature of electric vehicles that doesn’t often get discussed. In contrast to gasoline cars, which require you to go out and fill up with fuel, with an EV, for 95% of the time when the car is stationary , it can continue charging its battery as long as it remains close to a power source.

It proved incredibly helpful for me. During my journey, I didn’t spend all my time behind the wheel. Instead, I spent hours exploring the city on foot, visiting landmarks, dining and socializing with loved ones, or snapping pictures. Just like any car would do, the R1T remained parked quite often throughout the day. So, I thought why not leave it plugged in while it was idle?

It proved extremely beneficial. By simply plugging into a regular wall outlet, I managed to add approximately 30 to 40 additional miles of range each day, mostly during nighttime hours while I slept. Since I never let the battery drain completely, I avoided having to reset everything from zero. Additionally, the charge from the nearby Tesla Supercharger provided an extra buffer. As such, relying solely on the standard electrical socket meant that I consistently had ample range for all my daily tasks and trips.

I've observed that electric vehicle (EV) charging doesn’t usually follow the same “it’s depleted, so I should top it off” approach as with gasoline vehicles. Instead, it revolves around ensuring you get just enough charge for your specific needs each time. I didn't require the R1T to be fully charged every single day; rather, I only needed sufficient range to meet my everyday travel requirements. Charging via the wall outlet provided an adequate reserve until I could reach a Tesla Supercharger station again. Driving an EV encourages more thoughtful planning regarding power consumption. This shift isn't necessarily negative.

The additional 30 to 40 miles provided by overnight home charging were enough to cover much of my journey. This explains why quite a few electric vehicle owners rely solely on Level 1 home charging for their everyday needs. My coworker Kevin Williams has covered this topic thoroughly. He lives in an apartment and frequently opts for slow charging.

Consider individuals who possess a compact electric vehicle equipped with a smaller battery, or those who use an electric vehicle as their secondary or tertiary car mainly for local trips and errands. What reasons might lead them to not Why use a wall outlet, particularly when you don’t require something as quick or expensive as a Level 2 home charger?

At minimum for me, since I drive quite a bit at home, having access to a Level 2 charger is essential. Depending only on Level 1 charging doesn’t meet my requirements. However, nowadays, I view it more like an additional resource—an extremely useful one—that I can rely on. This becomes particularly important during road trips and holidays. When venturing into unfamiliar locations without assured availability of numerous quick-charging stations en route, I highly advise carrying a transportable wall charger. Although this might not be the quickest solution, possessing even this basic capability could prevent significant inconvenience and potential issues.

I'll include the usual warnings and emphasize that it's crucial to ensure the power source you're using for charging is safe and compatible. is secure, contemporary, sturdy and capable of managing the workload If you’re staying at an Airbnb, make sure to confirm with the host whether they allow electric vehicle charging (and It likely won't make a significant impact on their electricity bill. .)

Certain manufacturers caution against utilizing an extension cord for such purposes. For extended periods or when dealing with heavy power requirements, extension cords may pose issues. Although an industrial-strength, thick gauge extension cord might work better, my advice is always to follow your vehicle’s owner manual recommendations—especially if you're unsure, consult an electrician regarding proper use of longer cables. Do not simply presume that any available extension cord will suffice without consideration. While level 1 charging can assist in keeping things moving smoothly, damaging your charger or risking a fire could make matters worse instead of better.

As long as safety permits, consider using Level 1 wall charging, particularly during your upcoming electric vehicle road trip. Keep this in mind: whenever it’s stationary, look for opportunities to plug in your car.

Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com

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