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

Let’s be real for a second: nobody wants to sit around and wait hours and hours for their electric vehicle to charge. The fear of long charging times, along with nowhere to actually do it, is what scares many people away from owning an EV. And certainly, the time it takes to charge from a standard wall outlet—which might take
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 their vehicles within hours rather than days. Some others depend on public DC fast-charging stations for rapid refueling during regular commutes or long journeys. Still, every electric car has the capability to connect to a typical 120-volt household electrical 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 employ 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 roughly 400 miles from San Antonio to Marfa, a distant town in Texas close to the Mexican border. You can imagine that electric vehicle charging stations are scarce in such an isolated area. The nearest option was at a hotel near my accommodation; however, their level 2 charger was reserved exclusively for guests. Although I considered asking permission to use it occasionally, I decided against imposing myself unnecessarily.

My safest option was the Tesla Supercharger station located in the town of Alpine. I frequently utilized this during my journey, owing to the adapter provided with my Rivian vehicle. However, this station was situated at a distance of 30 miles prior to 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 almost immediately after I left the parking area.

Fortunately for me, Rivian provided a portable wall charger as well. I chose 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 offers between 1 and 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
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 consistently outputs 7.2 kW. This allows me to fully recharge my Kia EV6—equipped with a 77.4 kWh battery—from empty to full in roughly 10 hours. However, I usually only take about five or six hours for charging. I have never let the car completely drain to zero percent, nor do I plan to do so.

If you’re new to electric vehicles, you might dismiss Level 1 home charging as overly sluggish. However, keep in mind that what does your car do for the majority of the day? It’s simply sitting idle when parked.

As it remains stationary, this implies you can recharge it. This feature serves as a sort of hidden superhero ability for electric vehicles that not many discuss. In contrast to gasoline cars, which require you to go to a fuel station, with an EV,
for the 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.

This proved incredibly helpful for me. During my journey, I didn’t spend all my time behind the wheel. Instead, I explored the city on foot, visited local attractions, enjoyed meals and drinks with loved ones, or snapped pictures. Just like any car would do, the R1T remained parked quite often throughout the day. So, I decided it made sense to leave it plugged in while it stayed idle.

It turned out to be very rewarding. By simply plugging into a regular wall outlet, I managed to add approximately 30 to 40 additional miles of range each day, with much of this happening during nighttime hours while I slept. Since I never let the battery drain completely, I avoided having to recharge from zero percent all over again. Additionally, the charge from the nearby Tesla Supercharger kept me well-stocked. As a result, relying on the standard electrical socket provided ample range for handling my everyday tasks and chores without worry.

I’ve observed that electric vehicle (EV) charging doesn’t usually follow the “when it’s low, refill immediately” approach common with gasoline vehicles. Instead, it’s all about ensuring you get just enough charge for your specific needs each time. Daily, I didn’t require the R1T to be completely full; rather, I only needed sufficient range to meet my typical travel demands. Charging via the wall outlet provided an adequate reserve until I could reach a Tesla Supercharger station again. Owning an EV encourages more thoughtful planning around power usage. This shift in mindset isn’t necessarily negative.

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 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 mode of transportation mainly for local trips and errands within the city. 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 often at home, having access to a Level 2 charger feels essential. Using only a Level 1 charger just doesn’t meet my requirements. However, nowadays, I view it more like an additional resource—an incredibly useful one—that complements my setup. This becomes particularly relevant during long journeys and holidays. When venturing into unfamiliar territory where high-speed charging stations might be sparse, I highly advise carrying a portable wall unit. Although this isn’t the quickest solution available, it’s certainly preferable over lacking any backup whatsoever and could prevent significant issues down the line.

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

Certain manufacturers warn against utilizing an extension cord for such purposes. Using extension cords in applications involving extended periods and high power consumption can lead to issues. Although an industrial-strength, thick gauge extension cord would be ideal, my advice is always to follow the instructions provided in your owner’s manual—or if you’re unsure, consult an electrician regarding proper handling of longer cables. Do not simply use whatever extension cord happens to be available. While level 1 charging can assist in keeping you mobile, damaging your charger or causing a fire could escalate matters 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 vehicle somewhere.

Contact the author:
patrick.george@insideevs.com

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