How to Prep Your Home for an EV

 
More and more automakers are coming out with EVs. GMC is no exception, as they will produce modern, high-tech EVs soon. Right now, there is an exceptional Hummer EV for sale. EVs have many benefits, namely fewer maintenance costs. However, you have some prep work to do at home to take full advantage of an electric vehicle home charger that allows you to charge your vehicle overnight while you sleep in Eagan.

Take a look at our guide on how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle in Woodbury. With the right system in place, your electric vehicle charging its batteries can happen in a safe manner.

5 Steps to Prepare Your Home for an Electric Vehicle

When you prepare your home for an electric vehicle, it may take some upfront investment on your part. However, the vehicle will pay for itself because gas prices aren’t going down any time soon. An electric vehicle charging its batteries occurs most efficiently at home and overnight.

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

Most home car charging systems fall into Level 1 or Level 2. For the faster time, your electric vehicle charging its batteries should have a Level 2 charger in place.

Here’s more information for a new vehicle with an electric powertrain:

• Level 1 EV charging often takes days to fully charge an electric car. It’s the slowest type of car charging.
• Level 2 EV charging often takes several hours to fully charge an electric car, usually overnight. It’s the most efficient and least expensive way to charge your EV.
• You can often get between 60-200 miles of range in just 20-30 minutes with a Level 3 public electric vehicle charging station, though. For this reason, most people intermix daytime “top-off” charging away from home with overnight charging in case they need a boost during the day.

2. Ready Your Garage

Before you bring home the newest four-wheeled family member, make sure that you get your garage ready for an EV before you take delivery! You may wish to clean out clutter first if your garage has been used as a storage space for a long time. It will make it easier to access your home-based electric vehicle charging station.

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

The power panel (sometimes called a circuit breaker or breaker box) in your home 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. The amperage rating should be printed on your main circuit breaker.

Next, figure out how much electricity your home currently uses. You do not want to overload your electricity distribution panel by adding too much power to it.

4. Hire an Electrician

Next, hire a licensed electrician. You can discuss any concerns you have about your power consumption and adding a home-based electric vehicle charging station. The electrician will install a dedicated 240-volt plug or add a hardwired circuit back to the power panel. Usually, installing an electric vehicle home charger costs $100 to $300 but could be up to $1,000 or $3,000 if it’s found that your power panel is not sufficient as it is now and requires an upgrade.

5. Buy Your Electric Vehicle Home Charger & Have it Installed

If you haven’t already researched and purchased an electric vehicle home charger at this point, it would be the time to do so and have it professionally installed by the electrician of your choice. Sometimes, each manufacturer recommends a particular type of charger.

Find Your Electric Vehicle Near Saint Paul

Contact us or call (651) 645-9474 to talk to us about when we should see some EVs on our lot. We think you’ll love one of these new vehicles in your Inver Grove Heights garage.