Charging stations for electric vehicles are pretty compatible

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Q. Can all electric cars use any charging station? Or do different car brands require different charging stations? Unless there is standardization, it would prove challenging for those driving an electric vehicle far from home to find a charging station that works for them.

— Tom Eichhorn, Newport Beach

A. All electric cars in the United States accept the same standard plug for charging up, or they come with an adapter, for Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations, said Toan Lam, a spokesman for the California Energy Commission.

Level 1, which connects with a 110-volt outlet, is common in homes. Level 2 needs 240 volts, so it is faster; homes can have these setups and many publicly available stations provide this grade.

Then there is what is called “direct current fast charging.” Many electric cars that don’t use gas at all have the inlets and can hook up with these chargers, too.

But more than half of those higher-end charger bays in California are in Tesla’s network of charging stations, Lam said; only its vehicles can now use that system in addition to the other ones. But, he noted, Elon Musk has said via tweet that his company may open up those stations to let other brands use them.

So the overall charging-station network seems very compatible and there are efforts to make it even more so. If electric vehicles do become the rage, a lot more charging bays, of course, will be needed.

Now to how much juice one gets when charging.

For every hour hooked up, Level 1 provides but two to five miles, while Level 2 makes 10 to 20 miles, the U.S. Department of Energy says. Direct current fast charging gives the car 60 to 80 miles for each 20 minutes.

Q. At our Costa Mesa library on Park Avenue, alongside the park and library, there are angled parking spaces. I have in the past backed into those parking spaces. However, a security guard at the park indicated to me such a maneuver is illegal. But on one occasion a regular patrol vehicle was cruising Park while I was backing into an angled space and he did not even take a look at me. What do you know about this one?

— Dan Freiberger, Costa Mesa

A. There was a good reason the officer didn’t give you much of a look-see.

State law allows backing into an angled parking stall, Sgt. Jared Barnes, of Costa Mesa’s P.D.’s Traffic Safety Bureau, told Honk in an email, so long as it is done safely.

“Also, the city of Costa Mesa does not have an ordinance that prohibits backing into a parking space (either straight or angled),” the sergeant said. “As long as it can be done safely, backing into an angled space is not a citable offense.”

Honkin’ fact: BMW recently unveiled a concept car, the iX Flow, that changes colors between white and black and offers designs using both. Just takes a touch of a button. Going black to white on a hot day would cool the car down. If your better half can’t find you and the car in a massive parking lot, you could signal your whereabouts by switching colors. And it is just plain fun. The car’s “wrap” changes via electric signals. Google the car’s name for a treat.

To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk

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