If you own an electric vehicle or have been considering investing in one, you may be wondering how you can best charge them. While there are more and more commercial charging stations out and about, it is more convenient to be able to charge up at home. A couple of different options exist, though speaking with a professional EV charging companies will grant you more insight into installing a charging station at your unique location.
Electric Car Charging At Home
There are a couple different for at-home charging, one of which is to simply plug your vehicle into a normal outlet, also known as a level one charger. This will not allow for a very fast charge, but it will fo in a pinch while you decide if you want to upgrade to a faster option.
Investing in faster-charging options isn’t a bank-breaking option. Surprisingly, many EV charging companies offer residential electric vehicle chargers at reasonable prices. Once installed, your station can allow for faster charging at a rate of no more than pennies per day.
Typically, homeowners will opt to purchase a level two charging station which will require a professional EV charging company to install. Firstly, an electrician should assess the placement and determine what exactly needs to be done in order to be charger to be installed. This could involve running new lines or shoring up the lines that are already in place, along with installing a specialized outlet; however, once this is done, a level two station will be able to completely charge your vehicle in only a couple hours.
Level two chargers utilize a 240V outlet, similar to the type of outlet many dryers use. This type of outlet is commonly compatible with all the electric vehicles currently available all you need to do is just plug in and go. It should take around four to six hours to fully charge the vehicle, which makes it perfect for charging up overnight for the next couple of workday commutes.
Home EV stations are primarily installed due to convenience, and let’s face it, if gas vehicles could be easily fueled up at home too, most people would jump on it. When you’re at home you don’t need to worry about misplacing your charging cable or sitting around for hours waiting for a full charge, instead, you can lounge about in the comfort of your own pajama pants while your car does its thing.
Another reason why many vehicle owners install home charging stations is because of cost. Some places will charge you per hour prices when you charge with them; however, at home, you don’t have to worry about outrageous fees. Your electric bill won’t take much of a hit either, as charging your car costs even less than running an AC unit.
If you have an electric vehicle and want more information about installing an at-home station, reach out to some local EV charging companies and talk about what options would work for your situation. They will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and offer additional advice on the process.
