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There are a lot of options in the market for home electric car chargers. Here are some factors that you should keep in mind when shopping for an EV charger.
There are three levels of charging based on power output; Levels 1, 2, and 3. Level 1 chargers can use a standard 120V outlet at a home and will supply power of 1.9kW. This is relatively slow; adding 3 miles of range per hour. Most car manufacturers will include a level 1 charger with the vehicle purchase. There are also Level 1 chargers available for purchase from retailers.
Level 3 or DC Fast Charging, like the Tesla Supercharger, supplies 50-350kW of power to the car and adds 173-298 miles of range to the vehicle per hour. However, it is not feasible to install these chargers at home. They are only available in public locations.
Level 2 charging will supply 2.2 – 20 kW of power or add 12-32 miles of range per hour. Level 2 charging can be obtained at a residence with the right equipment or outlet. Some car manufacturers include equipment that can provide Level 2 charging at home with a 240V outlet. However, in many cases, you may need to install a 240V outlet or a hardwired charger to achieve Level 2 charging at home. We discuss more about Level 2 chargers in the rest of this article. With the quote request tool from Charging Center, you can find installers of Level 2 charging for your home.
There are two types of Level 2 charging stations for the home; plug-in or hardwired. A plug-in car charger can be plugged into a 240V outlet to supply Level 2 charging. There are various types of 240V outlets including NEMA 14-30, 14-50, 6-50.
A hardwired charging station is wired to the electrical service panel. You typically can get faster charging speeds with a hardwired charging station. Because the charging station is wired to the electrical panel it is not easy to move or uninstall after it is installed.
If you do not have a 240V outlet readily available, you might have to install a new 240V wall outlet or a hardwired charger where you wish to charge the vehicle. To find installers of a 240V outlet or a hardwired charging station, you can use the quote comparison tool from Charging Center and indicate which option you want when you complete the short form.
There are two types of connectors available on the market for home EV charging stations – the Tesla and the J1772. Tesla connectors today are only compatible with Tesla vehicles, but that will change in the near future as other car manufacturers have announced plans to adopt the Tesla connector. In the meantime, the Tesla Universal Wall Connector can charge non-Tesla vehicles with the use of an adapter (Tesla to J1772).
The J1772 is the standard connector that will come with non-Tesla chargers and is compatible with other vehicle brands in North America.
New Level 2 chargers often have WiFi connectivity in them. This enables multiple smart features. For example, you remotely start and stop charging, monitor charging away from the vehicle, and schedule charging for when the electricity prices are lowest with chargers like the Autel MaxiCharger.
Once you have chosen the EV charger that you need based on the parameters listed above, you need to get it installed at your home. You can start this process immediately by going over to our Quote Comparison Tool and filling out a simple questionnaire about your EV charging needs.
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