Charging A Onewheel At An EV Charging Station

Oskar Fällman

Updated on:

J1772 Adapter EV charge station

There are many reasons to use an EV charging station to charge a Onewheel. Finding places to charge the board can be hard, and not all cafés or restaurants will allow you to charge it while you eat or take a break. If you are part of a group ride then the establishment most likely will not be able to handle the whole group charging their Onewheels at the same time without tripping the breaker, here is where charging at an EV charging station comes into the picture.

Is It Possible To Charge Your Onewheel At An Electric Vehicle Charging Station?

Yes, it is possible to charge a Onewheel at an EV charging station. What you need is an adapter for the J1772 sockets and the normal Onewheel charger. The standard charger from Future Motion accepts 240V so there is no problem charging the board. It’s the charger that controls the charging current so there is no need to be afraid of breaking the board.

This will result in the Onewheel will charge at the same speed as charging at home connected to a wall socket. It’s therefore recommended to use a fast charger, like the Ultracharger/Hypercharger, to reduce the time needed to fully charge the board.

J1772 to NEMA 5-15/5-20 EV Charger Adapter
J1772 to NEMA 5-15/5-20 EV Charger Adapter img: VSE Adapters

Using An J1772 Adapter (US)

The J1772 adapter like the one sold by EVSE Adapters allows the standard Onewheel charger to be connected to any Level 2 EV charger. The level 2 chargers usually produce 16 or 30 amps at 240v and the charger can safely operate at 100-240V. The adapter works by using a specially designed circuit inside the plug that basically tricks the charging station into thinking a vehicle is connected and ready to charge. 

The adapter has a J1772 inlet and a NEMA 5-20 T-blade style outlet that can accommodate all NEMA 5-15 and NEMA 5-20 appliance cords.

Warning: Make sure your charger support 220V~240V 

Using An Type-2 Adapter (Europe)

In Europe, you need to use an adapter to convert the Type 2 EV Charger to Schuko outlets. The adapter works by using a specially designed circuit inside the plug that basically tricks the charging station into thinking a vehicle is connected and ready to charge. 

There are multiple adapters available like this one from EVSE Adapters.

As Europe uses the 220-240V grid the risk of connecting a non-compatible charger is lower. 

Warning: Make sure your charger support 220V~240V 

DIY or Buy

We don’t recommend anyone build one as charging stations operate at 240V with 16-30 amps. It’s better to get a more professional made adapter even if there are guides out there like the one from, Hacksmith Industries. 

It’s better to get a J1772 to a NEMA 5-15/NEMA 5-20 adapter like the one from EVSE Adapters. This one is advertised for eBike but will work for Onewheels and other devices as long as the charger supports 240V. If you live in Europe get a Type 2 EV Charger to Schuko.

How Does The Adapter Work

The J1772 adapter follows the J1772 specification and uses a pull-down resistor and a diode inside to allow it to connect and make the charging station allow current to be drawn. This is done by the signal in the J1772 specification called the pilot. 

Place a resistor of 882 ohms and a diode in series across the pilot and ground indicating to the EV charging station that the device wants to have power.

Why Charge At A EV Charger Station

If you are multiple riders, like Onewheel group rides, then charging at an EV charging station is the only valid option. This is because of the number of boards that need to be plugged in at the same time. Most restaurants, coffee shops, or open outlets will not handle the amount of charge needed without breaking a breaker. Most rides will use fast chargers.

There are apps that can help you find the nearest EV chargers. With the fast adoption of electric cars, these are getting more common and nowadays are almost everywhere.

How Many Boards Can Be Charged At The Same Time

Knowing how many boards can be charged at the same time is important to not overpower the charging station. The limiting factor is the max current draw from the charging stations, typically 16 or 30 amps at 240V which equals 3840 – 7200 Watts. It’s also important to remember if a normal charger or fast charger like the Hypercharger is used.

ChargerACOutputVA
Pint Ultracharger100-240V63V 3A300VA
XR Hypercharger100-240V63V 6.5A500VA
GT Hypercharger100-240V75.6V 5.2A500VA
Onewheel fast charger specifications
Onewheel Charger Input
Onewheel Charger Input

Is It Legal To Charge From A EV Station?

Yes, it´s legal to charge your Onewheel from an EV station. There is no restriction that only allows cars to be charged at these stations.

The J1772 uses a NEMA 5-20 that is rated for 125V AC and 20 Amps. Handing 240V <10Amps is therefore not a problem. The main risk is if a charger that’s not rated for 240V is connected to the EV adapter, this would instantly fry the electronics with the risk of also damaging the connected device.

Make sure to mark the connector and adapter accordingly to minimize the risk of anyone connecting a non-compatible device and charger to the outlet.

About Oskar Fällman

Oskar Fällman, founder of FallmanTech, is a seasoned Onewheel rider and a visionary system engineer with a master's in Industrial Management and Engineering from Lunds University. With thousands of miles under his belt, Oskar combines technical expertise with a passion for technology and innovation. As a leader in the Onewheel community, he not only rides Onewheel's but also prioritizes safety, new innovations and the growth of the sport. As a system engineer he also holds a multiple patents and innovations. LinkedIn, Academia profile, Contact, Twitter, Patents.