5 Steps to Preparing for an Electric Vehicle Home Charger

After discovering the many advantages an electric car has over your traditional gas-powered car, you are now ready to experience the future of driving. But before you get too excited and bring either the new Chevrolet Bolt EV or the Bolt EUV home immediately, make sure you prepare your home for an electric vehicle first! While you can rely on electric vehicle charging stations in the Matthews public, it’s always convenient to have an electric vehicle home charger. Let the team at Hendrick Chevrolet Monroe walk you through the steps below! 

1. Decide on a Charging Type or Charging Level

There are a few types of chargers, but most electric vehicle home chargers are either Level 1 or Level 2. Use the following information to decide which is best suited for your home in Waxhaw: 

• Level 1 EV charging often takes days to fully charge an electric car. 
• Level 2 EV charging often takes several hours to fully charge an electric car. However, you can often get between 60-200 miles of range in just 20-30 minutes, so most people like to intermix daytime “top-off” charging with overnight charging.

2. Get Your Garage Ready

Make space in your garage for the electric vehicle charging station and your car. Be sure to give it a good scrub, so the space is nice and clean for your new pride and joy! 

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

Another important step when you prepare your home for an electric vehicle is to figure out if the current power panel can provide the amount of power your charger requires. The power panel in your home essentially distributes electricity throughout the entire building. It should be rated for a maximum amount of current flow measured in Amperes. Most new homes come with a 100 Amp power panel, but there should be an amperage rating printed on your main circuit breaker which you should take a look at.

Figure out how much electrical energy you consistently use in your house by performing a self-assessment before you install the electric vehicle charging station. You want to be sure that you do not want to overload your electric distribution panel.

4. Hire an Electrician

Then, hire an electrician. Discuss any concerns you have about your power consumption and adding EV charging. You can also have them install a dedicated 240-volt plug or add a hardwired circuit back to the power panel. Typically, this costs a couple of hundred dollars but it could be up to $1,000 or $3,000 if your power panel is not sufficient as-is and requires upgrading. 

5. Buy Your Charger & Have it Installed

The last step to do to prepare your home for an electric vehicle is to order the charger you decided on and have it professionally installed by the electrician of your choice.

Feel the Electric Side with Hendrick Chevrolet Monroe 

When you have successfully installed the electric vehicle home charger in Weddington, take home a brand new Bolt EV or Bolt EUV from Hendrick Chevrolet Monroe. Contact us if you have any questions about getting your home set up for an electric vehicle or about which model you should get in Monroe!