5 Steps to Prepare Your Home for an Electric Vehicle Home Charger

When considering the purchase of a new car, preparing your home for it might not be the first thing on your mind. However, with the rising popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), ensuring your home is ready for charging is essential. While EVs offer numerous benefits, including reduced carbon footprint and lower maintenance costs compared to gasoline cars, proper preparation is necessary to maximize their potential. Namely, when acquiring a new EV, it’s crucial to ensure your home is equipped to charge it efficiently. Despite the presence of electric vehicle charging stations in the Lee's Summit area, home charging is likely to remain your primary method of charging for the foreseeable future. Therefore, let’s explore five straightforward steps you can take to prepare your home for an electric vehicle or electric vehicle home charger!

1. Decide on a Charging Type (AKA Charging Level)

If you haven’t dived into the realm of EV chargers yet, now is an opportune moment to initiate your research. As a quick overview, most residential electric vehicle charging stations setups typically fall into two categories: Level 1 and Level 2. Here’s a breakdown:

• Level 1 EV charging: This method often requires several days to fully charge an electric car.
• Level 2 EV charging: This option typically takes several hours to achieve a full charge. Moreover, with Level 2 DC charging, you can often obtain a range of 60-200 miles in just 20-30 minutes. Due to this flexibility, many individuals blend daytime “top-off” charging at electric vehicle charging stations with overnight charging to optimize their electric vehicle charging batteries.

2. Ready Your Garage

If your garage hasn’t undergone a thorough cleaning or organization session, now is the perfect opportunity to tackle it! It’s crucial to prepare your garage for an electric vehicle home charger before your vehicle arrives. Consider decluttering and clearing out any unnecessary items, especially if your garage has served primarily as a storage space. This step is essential to ensure ample room and accessibility for installing your electric vehicle charging station.

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

Your home’s power panel plays a crucial role in distributing electricity throughout the entire premises. It’s rated for a maximum current flow, measured in Amperes, which is essential for accommodating an electric vehicle charging station. While most new homes typically feature a 100 Amp power panel, it’s essential to verify the amperage rating printed on your main circuit breaker.

Following this, it’s advisable to assess your household’s electricity consumption to avoid overloading the electric distribution panel. Conducting a self-assessment of your energy usage before installing an electric vehicle home charger is essential for ensuring optimal performance and safety.

4. Hire an Electrician

Afterward, it’s time to enlist the services of a qualified electrician. This professional can address any queries you may have regarding your power consumption and the installation of an electric vehicle home charger. Additionally, they can set up a dedicated 240-volt plug or integrate a hardwired circuit directly to the power panel. While this service typically costs a few hundred dollars, the expense may escalate to $1,000 or $3,000 if your existing power panel necessitates upgrades to meet the demands of an electric vehicle charging station.

5. Buy Your Charger & Have it Installed

If you haven’t already conducted research and acquired an EV charger, now is the ideal time to do so. Arrange for its professional installation by your preferred electrician.

Contact Aristocrat Motors Lee's Summit to Learn More!

Do you have any further inquiries or apprehensions about how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle or installing an electric vehicle home charger? Feel free to reach out to us at Aristocrat Motors Lee's Summit or give us a call at 816-434-4050. In the meantime, explore our diverse range of electric vehicles available for your consideration and be sure to check out our finance tips to see how you can explore your electric vehicle charging batteries.