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.
To be honest, nobody enjoys waiting for extended periods just to get their electric vehicle charged. Many potential buyers shy away due to concerns about lengthy charging durations and limited access to charging stations. Charging via a regular household socket can indeed take several hours, which exacerbates these worries. ranging anywhere from 60 to 200 hours Depending on the vehicle—it isn't particularly reassuring.
Many electric vehicle owners charge their cars at home using quicker Level 2 chargers, which fully power up vehicles within hours rather than days. Some others depend on public DC fast-charging stations for quick refills during regular commutes or long journeys, enabling them to regain battery life in just minutes. Still, every EV has the capability to connect to an ordinary 120-volt household socket. The question remains: How practical is this option?
Actually, it's really quite good, despite what you might think. I discovered this during my road trip. 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 be incredibly handy—provided you utilize it properly.
Actually, using wall charging was a lifesaver during this trip. Let me explain 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 the distant town of Marfa, Texas, which is close to the Mexican border. Given your expectations, there aren’t numerous electric vehicle charging stations available in this area. The nearest one was at an inn near the residence where I was lodging; however, it catered exclusively to their patrons, so using it would have been inappropriate without being a guest. While I likely could’ve persuaded them otherwise, I decided not to impose.
No, I usually don't park like this. But there was nobody nearby.
My safest option was the Tesla Supercharger station located in the town of Alpine. I frequently utilized this station during my journey due to the adapter provided by Rivian. However, even with this facility being available, it was situated 30 miles away prior to accounting for any reductions in range caused by driving on highways. opposite The direction towards everything I love outside of Marfa. To put it briefly, this entailed a broad impact nearly immediately after I left the parking area.
Fortunately for me, Rivian provided a portable wall charger as well. I opted to connect the R1T to this charger when it was stationed in my driveway. As expected, it turned out to be exactly what I required.
Stage 1 Charging: Anticipating What Comes Next
A typical 120-volt household electrical socket usually delivers between 1 to 2 kilowatts (kW) of power, which equates to approximately three to five miles of range added per 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 expect approximately 30 to 40 hours to recharge from 20% to 80% of its capacity , depending on the speed. Around 2 kilowatts of electricity for each kilowatt-hour of battery capacity, best-case scenario. Makes sense, right?
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 vehicle’s battery drain completely to zero percent, nor do I plan to do so.
2025 Rivian R1T Review
If you’re new to electric vehicles, you might dismiss Level 1 home charging as being too sluggish. However, keep this in mind: What does your vehicle do for the majority of the day? It’s simply sitting idle when parked.
As it remains stationary, this indicates that you can recharge it. This feature acts as a sort of hidden superpower for electric vehicles (EVs) that not many discuss. In contrast to gasoline cars, which require you to go to a fuel station, with an EV, for 95% of the time the vehicle remains stationary , it can continue charging its battery as long as it remains close to a power source.
2025 Rivian R1T Review
It proved incredibly helpful for me. During my journey, I didn’t spend all my time behind the wheel. Instead, I spent hours strolling through town, exploring attractions, sharing meals and drinks 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 let it charge whenever it was idle.
It turned out extremely profitable. By simply using the regular wall socket, I managed to add approximately 30 to 40 additional miles of range each day, with much of this occurring during nighttime hours while I slept. Since I maintained a charge level above zero percent, I avoided having to recharge entirely from empty. Additionally, I could rely on residual power left over from charging at the Tesla Supercharger station. As such, plugging into the standard outlet provided ample range for handling my everyday tasks and trips without worry.
I've observed that electric vehicle (EV) charging doesn’t usually follow the “fill it up immediately when empty” approach seen with gasoline vehicles. Instead, it’s all about ensuring you have sufficient charge for your specific needs each time. I didn’t require the R1T to be fully charged daily; rather, I just needed an adequate range to meet my travel requirements comfortably. Charging via the wall outlet provided a reliable everyday backup until I could reach a Tesla Supercharger station again. Driving an EV encourages more strategic planning around power consumption, which isn’t necessarily a disadvantage.
The additional 30 to 40 miles gained from nightly home charging were enough to cover much of my journey. This explains why quite a few electric vehicle owners rely solely on Level 1 charger at home for their everyday needs. My coworker Kevin Williams has covered this topic thoroughly. ; he's an apartment-dweller and uses slower charging with great frequency.
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?
Level 1 portable charger
At minimum for me, driving frequently means that having a Level 2 charger is essential. Depending only on Level 1 charging doesn’t meet my requirements. However, I've started viewing it more like an additional resource—an incredibly useful one—that I can utilize. Particularly during long journeys and holidays. When venturing into unfamiliar locations where high-speed charging stations might be sparse, I highly advise carrying a transportable wall unit. Although this choice isn't the quickest solution available, anything beats being without power entirely and could prevent significant 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 safe, modern, robust and able to handle the load . If you’re leasing an Airbnb, make sure to confirm with the hosts whether they allow EV charging (and It likely won't make a significant impact on their electricity bill. .)
Certain manufacturers discourage the use of extension cords for such applications. Long-lasting, high-power uses of extension cords often pose issues. Although an industrial-quality, thick-gauge extension cord would be ideal, my advice is to strictly follow your owner’s manual recommendations—or seek guidance from an electrician if you’re unsure—when dealing with extended cables. Avoid assuming that any available extension cord will suffice. Level 1 charging undoubtedly helps maintain mobility; however, damaging your charger or causing a fire could exacerbate the situation significantly.
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, there might be an opportunity to plug in your car.
2025 Rivian R1T Review
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
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