Q: Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are still outliers on the road, but their popularity is growing fastwith about 600,000 sale in the United States in 2021. If you’re considering going electric, you might be wondering: how do you charge it at home? We spoke to experts to find out how to get your garage ready for your new ride.
A: Don’t wait until after you’ve bought an electric car to find out where you’re going to charge it.
“The people who don’t have electric cars anymore are the people who didn’t have a reliable charging station,” said Gil Tal, director of the Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Research Center at the University of California, Davis.
So make a charging plan. Have an electrician check your outlets, electrical panel, and garage so you know what upgrades are needed, if necessary. When you’re not at home, look for DC fast-charging stations nearby (apps like PlugShare can help), which can recharge a battery in 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the vehicle.
You can charge a vehicle in your garage or outside, whatever the weather. But if you opt for charging outdoors, use weatherproof equipment. If you have a standard 120-volt outlet in your garage or on the side of your house, you can just plug your car into it. That’s called level 1 charging, and according to JD Power, it charges your battery at about four to four miles per hour.
“There are people who live just fine with level 1 charging,” said Tom Moloughney, senior editor at InsideEVs and the host of the YouTube channel State of Charge.
For faster refueling, you’ll need a Level 2 charger, which can charge from 12 to 54 miles per hour, according to JD Power, depending on the charger and vehicle. Buying a Level 2 charger can cost between $200 and more than $1,000 depending on quality, speed, and features. You’ll also need a 240-volt outlet, the kind you use for an electric dryer or stove. If you already have one in your garage, you can share it with a Smart Splitter, a device that keeps your car from charging while you’re using another machine.
Installing a 240-volt outlet can get expensive. It is not a do-it-yourself project, so call a licensed electrician. If your electrical panel has enough space and is located in or near the garage, expect to spend a few hundred dollars. If you live in an old house with a small panel, you may need to upgrade to a 400-amp panel, which can cost as much as $4,000, according to HomeAdvisor. If the panel is located in your basement, far from your garage, an electrician may need to run the cable through your home, adding to the cost.
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