In an ideal world, all electric vehicles would plug into the same type of outlet. EV drivers wouldn’t have to think twice before charging, and incompatibility would be a thing of the past.

Of course, the world is a very different place, and performing the basic act of pulling up your EV to charge is a potentially complicated process. While those standards will inevitably change – modern EVs are still evolving rapidly, after all – here’s a guide to the current various charging standards, and how you can make life with your electric vehicle as streamlined as possible.

Electric vehicle charging stations come in many forms, much like the home video cassette market saw the warring VHS and Betamax formats battle for supremacy. It’s still relatively early days for electric vehicles, so what’s hot today could be passé tomorrow. That said, the easiest way to understand current charging standards is to break them down by speed.

The most basic (and often excruciatingly slow) charger is a Level 1, or the standard 110/120 volt plug found in every North American home. While slow, regular wall outlets are widely available for a slow trickle charge in case of emergency – though you’ll only be adding 3 to 5 miles of range per hour. This is usually included with an EV when you purchase it.