Everything You Need To Know About Home EV Charging

Eighty percent of all Electric Vehicle owners charge their vehicles at home, according to the Department of Energy. The Department of Transportation says the average driver drives about 37 miles per day. The Chevrolet Bolt EUV has up to 247 miles of range. All of this points to EV owners not really needing to charge until they get home. 

For people who are new to EVs, this will beg the question: What exactly do I need in order to charge my car reliability at home?

The team at MotorTrend has spent a significant amount of time researching the what, how, and why of installing a home EV charging system.  Here is what summary of what they found.

Cost

Qmerit, a nationally recognized charging equipment specialist, says that the average cost to put a Level 2 charger in your home will most likely range from $800-$2,000 just for the installation, plus $350-$750 for a charger. This means you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,150 up to $2,750. The best thing to do, however, is contact local electricians and get a number of quotes, as if you have an older home, your estimated costs could be higher to put in a 240-volt circuit. Check with the local utility to see if there are programs and rebates available to help offset the cost.

Charging From 120-Volt Outlet

Can’t you just plug your car into a standard 120-volt outlet? Sure, but your vehicle will charge at an incredibly slow rate. Think of plugging an electric vehicle into a standard outlet as deciding to forgo using a car and instead ride a horse to get to and from work. That is definitely possible, but it’s going to take you quite some time. Using a standard 120-volt outlet, you would likely only see 3 miles of range for every hour you are plugged in. Early morning stop-and-go traffic on horseback doesn’t sound that fun. 

What Should You Look For In A Charger?

No matter what chargers you look at, you should always make sure they have been independently tested and verified by either Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Interek (ETL) certifications. Both organizations are independent and trusted to conduct the highest of safety tests. Not having an independently certified charger can lead to risks if it turns out to be a faulty charging system. 

Choosing a charger with a cord of 20 feet or longer will be very helpful. Having a longer charging cord allows you to park anywhere in your garage or driveway and still be able to plug in your vehicle without having the cable constantly taught. And if your next EV is larger or has its charging port in a different location on the vehicle, you won’t have to worry about buying a new setup. 

EV charging stations are measured in kilowatts, and it helps you to understand how quickly a vehicle can charge. Most experts will recommend at least 7.2 to 11.5 KW for a home charger, with 9.6 KW being a sweet spot. That equals out to be worth roughly 20 miles per 1 hour of charging for most midsize crossover SUVs like the Bolt EUV and upcoming Blazer EV. A truck like the first-ever Silverado EV will charge at a rate of 18 miles per hour. 

While this isn’t mandatory, it can come in handy: WiFi connectivity. Having a charger with WiFi allows you to monitor the amount of energy that has been and is being used, and then it will calculate the cost to charge your vehicle. You can also set up a charging schedule. 

While the information may seem like a bit much at first, it’s really just learning the cost of a quality charger plus the professional installation. From there, you will start to learn more as you go. Once you have chosen the perfect first electric vehicle, you will be excited to learn more about charging at home. 

At Chevrolet of Spring Valley, we take great pride in offering the best Chevrolet cars, trucks, and SUVs for you. We have dozens of new and used vehicles to choose from, and our great sales team and finance department will work to help you get the best price possible. Our fantastic service department will work tirelessly to ensure your car is kept in the best condition. We look forward to serving you soon.