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Congrats on joining the world of e-mobility!
The best thing about an EV is that your home is your personal 'fueling' station. But to get the most cost-effective benefits from your EV, you will need to install a Level 2 (240V) charger at home. We highly recommend installing an outlet over hardwiring an EV charger. Hardwiring will require an electrician anytime you want to move, change or upgrade the charger. While with an outlet, you can easily replace/upgrade chargers yourself simply by unplugging the unit. |
What to expect?
The cost to install an EV charger typically ranges between $600-$1500+. However, every home is different. To obtain a custom estimate for your home... Request Estimate Incentives Also, did you know there are federal, state and utility incentives that can help with costs in purchasing and installing an EV charger? |
Level 1 Charging
Level 1 utilizes the common 120V AC from a standard outlet and often capped at 12 or 16A (amps), providing up to just 1.9kW of power (Power = Volts x Current = 120V x 16A = 1900W or 1.9kW). In 1 hour of charging, only 1.9kWh of energy will be added to a battery, this provides just 6 miles of travel. With larger battery vehicles entering the market, these chargers are becoming more of an emergency or light commuter over-night charging option. |
Level 2 Charging (Recomended)
Level 2 chargers use 240V AC. To obtain 240V, an electrician will need to install a new 2 pole breaker in your home electricity panel and safely bring the conductors to where you which to install your home level 2 charger. However, the next questions are how many amps can your vehicle accept AND what is the capacity in your home electrical panel. Bigger is not always better. Many homes are often close to their electrical power capacity so you may be limited to installing a low power level 2 EVSE/charger before upgrading the utility service. |
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BasicFor drivers that simply want to plug in and forget about it.
Smart
Internet-connected - will need strong WiFi signal in the location the charger is installed.
Mobile app controls* Schedule charging times* Remote monitoring* Smart home connected* Demand Response* *Smart features vary by manufacturer and model.
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Capacity at your Home Electrical Panel
Typical level 2 chargers are 32A (7.7kW), 40A (9.6kW) or 48A (11.5kW). Although there are options for up to 80A (19kW). Most homes will have a 60,100 or 200A electrical panel, when installing an EV charger an electrician will need to analyze what capacity is left after your regular house loads (lights, outlets, AC, water heaters, etc...) to determine the maximum power charger you can install. Almost all homes will struggle to provide 80A for EV charging, but then there are only a handful of vehicles that can accept the full 19kW of power from an 80A level 2 charger (a few dual charger Teslas). If you do not have sufficient capacity for the charger you desire, you can upgrade your electrical panel, however, this requires time, money and working with your your local utility and electrician. |
Vehicle Maximum AC Charger Power
Before you decide to install the highest power charger possible, determine what your vehicle is capable of. Our friends at Clipper Creek have created this great guide that displays the max charge power of each vehicle and the time it will take to fully charge the vehicle based on the charger power level. However, even if your car can only take max power of 3.3kW (such as Chevy Spark), we would suggest installing a higher power charger ready for future vehicles, depending on the capacity of your home electrical panel. |