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Owners of electric vehicles (EVs) recognise the need to keep their EV cars well-powered. It certainly makes things easier when they are ready to set out for the road. In fact, the Electric Vehicle Council reports that up to 80% of EV owners use the home charging option at least twice every week.
Here, you can learn the benefits of installing an EV charger at home, which can be helpful if you wish to buy an electric car. This post also discusses safety tips for using home EV chargers, levels of EV chargers, and what to expect for home EV charging and solar solutions. Let's dive in!
Benefits of charging EVs at home
You can take a look at the following benefits of home EV charging:
Convenience
Convenience is one of the primary benefits of home EV charging. Most electric car owners prefer to plug in and fully charge their cars overnight. With a home electric car charger, you don't need to waste hours lining up in public charging stations.
Using a smart charger can help you reduce costs as you intelligently charge your car, mostly when energy costs are cheaper. Charging electric cars also becomes relatively cheaper if you use a home solar power system.
Increase in property value
EV chargers help improve the appraisal value of houses. The ongoing EV revolution means that buyers with EVs will more likely prefer homes with existing electrical vehicle charger units.
Fast charging
Home EV chargers may generally be slower than public chargers with rapid charging points. However, such fast charging points are costly. You can depend on an effectively installed home car charger to charge your battery fully within 45 minutes to 7 hours.
However, actual charging times depend on various factors, such as EV battery size and capacity. Meanwhile, you can install and fit a Level 2 wall-mounted EV charger. This increases your property's value and provides a faster power up of your EV than you will get for a Level 1 standard charging cable.
Cost-effectiveness
You will naturally be interested in the cost of charging an electric car before switching to using EVs. After considering installation costs and electric bills, you will find the charging costs for home EV charging to be relatively cheaper than public chargers.
Besides, you can get real-time data on energy consumption that you can use for tax benefits claims. In the same vein, you can schedule smart solar home charging stations to use excess solar power with the aid of solar batteries.
In other words, it is a highly practical investment to have a solar PV system. This is because home EV chargers can use excess power generated by PV systems to charge your electric vehicle for free.
Compatibility
Unlike some public EV chargers that may not be compatible with all EVs, home EV chargers are compatible with various EV cars from different manufacturers. As such, you have less need to search out brand-specific charging stations when a different manufacturer releases a new EV. You will still have the option of charging at home.
Disadvantages of home charging electric cars
Setting up an EV charger at home does have a few drawbacks.
- If you are in a hurry, the EV home charging option is not as fast as the one at rapid DC public charging stations.
- Furthermore, the home EV charging option offers little parking flexibility due to the permanently mounted wall chargers.
Costs of setting up EV charging stations
While the Level 1 charging cable that charges your vehicle via a standard plug socket is often complimentary with most EVs, is free, and easy to use, they are also slow to charge. This is why you may need to install an electric car wall-mounted Level 2 charger.
It is essential to have a professional do the installation. Setting up an EV charger at home can range from $2,000 to $4,000. You also have to consider additional costs such as labour charges, charges for extra wiring, new circuits, and switchboard upgrades.
You can opt for a fast, smart charging plan if you want a cost-effective home charging plan. Smart chargers are able to charge your EV when energy rates are at their cheapest.
Tips for safe use of EV chargers at home
Here are some valuable tips on safely using an EV charger at home:
- Confirm whether you need a socket upgrade to charge your EV with a standard Level 1 cable. The socket should be able to supply an appropriately high level of power.
- Using old or outdated sockets or extension leads to charge your EV may pose fire risks.
- Remember to unplug your EV charger immediately when the charge level reaches full.
Options for charging electric vehicles
- More EV drivers charge their EVs at their workplaces.
- The growing number of EV charging stations means you can also use public EV charging points, especially for long trips.
- Charging your electric car using a regular outlet is possible even though it is a slow and less advisable option.
- It is preferable to use EV home chargers for convenience, greater safety, and speed.
Levels of EV chargers
It would be best if you decided what level of charger to go for when choosing EV chargers.
Level 1 chargers
These chargers do not need any special installation, and you can run these chargers on a 120-volt outlet. However, the charging speed is relatively slow.
Level 2 chargers
These chargers are suitable for residential and commercial use. They can also be installed in public fast charging stations. They have shorter charging times than Level 1 chargers and run on 240-volt circuits.
DC fast chargers
The DC fast charging option is the quickest charging option for your electric vehicle. It uses direct current to charge your battery and can typically be found in public charging stations.
Reasons to install home chargers
Here are some great reasons to get a home EV charger installed on your property:
- The vehicle charging speed can be up to 10x faster than that of power point chargers.
- You can take advantage of the many incentives available for EV chargers. This includes tax credits and utility rebates.
- Charging an EV using regular outlets or extension cords subjects your electrical circuit to the risk of overloading.
- Home charging stations have a dedicated connection to safely use high loads without tripping circuit breakers.
- You can also operate them outdoors.
- Managing and controlling your charging sessions remotely is possible using smartphone apps.
- The convenience of connected home chargers is boosted by the ability to receive software updates, add new features, and troubleshoot remotely.
What to expect from home EV and solar solutions
The increasing popularity and benefits of EV charging stations may cause you to seriously consider home EV charging as an efficient energy solution for your car. The benefits of home charging are further boosted when you combine it with renewable energy solutions such as solar energy.
In this case, charging your car with solar power helps you to optimise the use of your solar installation and your electric vehicle. Of course, hiring a qualified EV home charger installer to perform these installations is ideal.
Here are some things to expect from such licensed electricians:
- They will first assess the electrical load of your system and see if it will accommodate a dedicated circuit for an EV charger.
- Local charger installers will also make sure to pull the relevant permits.
- They will then perform the actual EV charger installation.
- You may need wiring upgrades, and they will consider the charger's distance from your main electrical panel.
Home solar and EV charger installation
- The process for installing a home EV charging station includes EV charger selection, actual installation, ongoing support, and provision of a lifetime warranty
- They may set up smart charging features such as dynamic load balancing to optimally allocate loads between your EV and your appliances.
- They can go a step further to implement measures so you can use solar power to charge your EV.
- They may install solar panels on your roof and use a smart charger to implement EV charging and solar integration.
Renewable energy options for EV charging
You already know you can use your home battery to charge an electric car. The battery storage unit stores energy sourced from solar panels so you can use the energy later on for EV charging. Alternatively, your home electricity retailer may provide you with a green energy plan for charging your vehicle with renewable energy.
Electrical contractors can help With EV charging
This post has considered the benefits of installing an EV charger at home and discussed EV chargers and home solar installations. Inviting a professional electrical contractor to handle home EV charger installations is best. They can provide EV charging installations and residential or commercial solar solutions.
