Electrical Car charging

Car Charging / May 27, 2022

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There’s never been a better time to be in the market for an electric car, with a wide range of strong models from manufacturers around the world. Electric vehicles, or EVs, offer guilt-free, zero-emission driving, and though gas prices are down at the moment, the freedom from the filling station is liberating. From the selection of vehicles available to incentives offered, an EV is a great option.

But the first and most important question you need to ask yourself is, “How will I charge it?” The number of public charging stations offered by cities and businesses is on the rise, but the network is still spotty compared to gas stations. Charging at home is a necessary part of owning an EV, and fortunately, there are plenty of options for getting it done. Nevertheless, the options and incentives can be overwhelming, and you also need to consider the tax advantages, which offer up to $1, 000 in incentives.

Read on to learn about the different home charging options, and how to not get overcharged, overtaxed, or underpowered along the way.

Option one – 120V Cord

Your EV will likely come standard with a 120-volt charging cable. It has one end that fits into your EV’s unique charging outlet on the actual vehicle. The other end is a typical grounded plug that plugs into any grounded wall outlet.

The insides of these cords are copper, and copper does not come cheap. If the brand you’re looking to buy from offers multiple cable lengths, the longer ones will be more expensive. Consider how far you’ll need to go to charge when looking at cables (more on that later).

A 120v charger will work as your primary charger, but they’re not terribly efficient. A full charge for exhausted batteries can take more than 12 hours. If you’re not driving your EV frequently, you might be able to live with just the 120v charger, but chances are good that you’ll need something a little more robust.

Option two – the 240v or “Level 2”

An extended range EV like the Volt will charge in 10-16 hours on a 120v cable, and full EVs simply need more juice. A Tesla Model S adds only 3-4 miles of range per hour charged on the wall outlet, so something more is needed. It’s time to “Level Up.”

As the name implies, a 240 volt charger doubles the output of a 120 volt charger. The bad news is that they’re typically optional from the manufacturer, and they need to be installed by a licensed electrician. It’s not an expensive job, though, running about what it would cost to install an outlet for an electric range or dryer.