Tesla
Filling up on gas is second nature for any driver who's graduated from their learner's permit. But charging an electric vehicle? For most, that's a whole new world.
Going electric introduces a whole new element to car ownership: home charging. We spoke with experts at the automotive marketplace Cars.com and charger-installer Qmerit to demystify the process.
Buyers who have a fast-charging station nearby or a plug available at their workplace may be able to get by without a home-charging setup. But charging at home makes EV ownership convenient and worthwhile, Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief at Cars.com and an EV owner herself, told Insider.
"Home charging is what makes it easy and efficient to own an EV," she said. "That's the bottom line."
With the right kind of at-home charger, owners can recharge their cars in a matter of hours. That means they can plug in overnight, for example, and wake up with 250 or 300 miles of driving range.
Most electric cars come with what's known as a Level 1 charging cord. This plugs into a standard 110-volt household outlet and slowly trickles electricity into a car's battery, adding a few miles of driving range per hour. Those sluggish charging speeds may be tough to live with on a daily basis, Newman said.
Tesla
Level 2 charging, which she recommends, uses a higher-voltage connection to add more like 25 or 35 miles of range per hour. These sorts of plugs might be found at public charging stations, and homeowners can install them in a garage or driveway.
Level 2 chargers can either be plugged into a 240-volt socket or hardwired into a home's electrical panel. Either way, Newman recommends consulting an electrician who specializes in charger installations to get a handle on the expected costs and work involved.
The cost of a home-charging setup varies widely. Homeowners who already have a 240-volt outlet in a convenient spot may be able to simply buy a charger and plug it in. Level 2 chargers can cost anywhere from $250 to $750.
Others could need more extensive — and expensive — work. According to Ken Sapp, senior vice president at Qmerit, most of its jobs cost $1,600 or less, including permits but excluding the cost of the charger itself. Projects involve tapping into an existing 240-volt circuit (or adding a new one if necessary) and installing the charger or a dedicated outlet in a convenient location, like the wall of a garage, Sapp said.
The farther away a homeowner's electrical panel is from where they'd like to plug in, the pricier installation will ultimately be, Sapp said. (If your panel is on the same wall as your charger, that's the "dream" scenario; if wiring needs to be routed up from a basement, for example, things get trickier.) Moreover, Sapp said, some homes may need to upgrade their electrical panel to handle the extra load from charging, potentially driving up costs by thousands of dollars.
ChargePoint
Indeed, when Cars.com installed home chargers for six of its car reviewers, the costs varied widely. One project cost around $1,700 all-in. Another, which required a service upgrade and trenching to route a circuit across a yard to a detached garage, cost nearly $7,000.
To make everything a bit kinder on the wallet, EV buyers can take advantage of a federal tax credit that covers 30% of charger-installation costs, up to $1,000. And utilities commonly offer rebates or special electricity rates for EV owners.
When it comes to choosing a charger, Sapp says going with the model recommended by the auto manufacturer is "a safe bet." Newman says that the right charger depends on what one's home can handle and what's best for their particular vehicle. An experienced electrician can help make that decision.
"We don't have to be experts in everything," she said. "It's okay to rely on a knowledgeable electrician to help you navigate this side of things."
