How to Prepare Your Home for an Electric Vehicle

Many Orfordville drivers are making the switch to electric vehicles. If you’re one of them, have you prepared your home for an electric vehicle? When you purchase a new electric vehicle, you’ll want to be sure that you have an at-home electric vehicle charging station ready to go because home charging will likely be your primary method of EV charging. Read on to learn the five steps on how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle, and contact us with any questions.

1. Decide on a Type of Electric Vehicle Home Charger

If you haven’t already done so, research the types of electric vehicle home chargers. Your options are a Level 1 or Level 2 electric vehicle charging station. Here’s the difference:

• Level 1 EV charging often takes more than 24 hours to fully charge your electric car and work on a regular three-pronged domestic outlet.
• Level 2 EV charging takes a few hours to fully charge, so you can get out on Whitewater drives more quickly. You can usually get between 80-250 miles of range in about an hour with Level 2 DC charging, but Level 2 electric vehicle home chargers must be professionally installed. Most Orfordville drivers use both daytime “top-off” charging and overnight charging.

2. Make Room in Your Garage

If you haven’t already cleaned and organized your garage, now is the ideal time! Make sure that your garage is ready for your electric vehicle home charger before you pick it up from the dealership! Electric vehicle charging batteries don’t take up a lot of space but do require preparation.

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Your Consumption

Your power panel in your house distributes electricity throughout the entire property, and it should be ready for the maximum amount of Amperes. Most new homes today come with a 100 Amp power panel but look for an amperage rating printed somewhere on your main circuit breaker. Review your recent electric bills to see how much electricity you typically use in your house because you want to be careful not to overload your electric distribution panel when you have your at-home charger installed.

4. Hire a Professional Electrician

Call an electrician and discuss any concerns you have about your power consumption and adding an electric vehicle charging station to your garage. They may install a dedicated 240-volt plug or add a hardwired circuit to your main power panel. The cost varies from just a few hundred dollars to over $3,000 if your power panel is insufficient and needs upgrading.

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

Once you’ve chosen a home charger and have hired an electrician, schedule a time to have it installed. Soon you’ll be able to charge your EV quickly and efficiently before your Janesville drives.

Drive Burtness is Always At Your Service

If you have additional questions or concerns about preparing your home for an electric vehicle, contact us at Drive Burtness. We are your best resource for all of your automotive needs. We’re here for you from our service center to our parts department or a new Chevy Silverado.