Canary Media’s Electrified Life column shares real-world tales, tips, and insights to demystify what individuals can do to shift their homes and lives to clean electric power.
When Ryan Saffarini got his first electric car in 2021 , he hit a speed bump of sorts: His Tesla arrived before the EV charger did. Level Two Charger
“ I ended up understanding why people have range anxiety,” he recounted to Canary Media. For two weeks, the chief technology officer at Sun Valley Solar Solutions, a solar energy contractor and EV-charger installer based in Chandler, Arizona, had to drive about 20 miles to a Tesla Supercharger station to refuel.
“ Learn from my mistakes,” he says. “ Make sure that you have a charger — or a place to charge — so you don’t have to go through that.”
Swapping your gas vehicle for an EV is one of the best things you can do to lower your emissions. Of course, it depends on how much you drive, but according to a 2024 analysis, the average CO2 pollution savings per year of switching to an EV was double that of getting an electric heat pump.
And unlike with internal-combustion vehicles, drivers can refuel their EVs at home. Not only is that convenient but it can save owners $800 to $1 ,000 a year compared to filling a tank with gas.
But which home charging setup is best for you depends on many factors, from your electrical service to utility reward programs. Here’s what to consider before you say goodbye to the gas station for good.
Different types of EV chargers supply different amounts of power. Level 1 chargers — which resemble big laptop power cords — deliver about 1 to 3 kilowatts of juice and plug into a typical 120 -volt outlet. They provide a trickle of about 3 to 6 miles of charge per hour, depending on the vehicle.
Level 2 chargers, which can plug into the wall or be hardwired in, are capable of about 6 to 19 kilowatts. They require a beefy 240 -volt outlet — the kind you might plug a water heater or clothes dryer into. With this torrent of power, Level 2 devices can recharge an EV battery “ 10 to 20 times faster” than a Level 1 charger can, Saffarini says.
But level 2 EV chargers amount to hefty electrical loads. Some home electrical panels may not be able to handle them without upgrades.
Level 3 or direct-current (DC ) fast chargers are even more powerful; they can supply more than 100 miles in half an hour but require a 480 -volt connection, so this level isn’t for home use.
When you buy or lease an EV , a Level 1 charging cord often comes as part of the deal. You may not need to invest in more than that. Americans drive an average of 42 miles a day — and trickle charging at home could charge a car up enough to go that far.
Alexia Melendez Martineau, senior policy manager at EV-advocacy nonprofit Plug In America, uses the charging cord set that came with her electric Ford Mustang Mach-E for home charging. “ I spent zero dollars on it,” Martineau says. “ It’s super convenient, has been 100 % reliable, and I love it.”
Something of a chimera, Martineau’s charger is both Level 1 and Level 2 , with attachments for either a 120 -V or 240 -volt outlet. It suits her lifestyle; she can do Level 1 charging at home and Level 2 charging at work or when visiting family members who have an accessible 240 -volt outlet.
The takeaway: “ Don’t buy more than you need,” Martineau advises.
Maybe you have more than a 20 -mile commute, can’t charge at work, or plan to get a second EV . For whatever reason, if you’re set on getting a Level 2 charger, here are some of the most important factors to keep in mind:
• Is it safe and energy efficient? Look for chargers that are UL and Energy Star certified, Martineau says.
• What kind of charging port does your EV have? If you’re getting a Tesla, pick a charger with a compatible so-called NACS plug. Alternatively, your EV may sport a J1772 port. You could use an adapter to make the configuration work, but that’s inadvisable long-term, Saffarini says.
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• How much power is too much? If your home’s electrical service is stretched to the limit, you may be able to avoid an expensive upgrade by getting a lower-power or flexible-amperage EV charger. (Some go down to as little as 6 amps or 1 .4 kilowatts.) Ask an electrician to do an electrical load calculation to scope your options.
• Does your EV charger need smarts? Having Wi-Fi-connected equipment can enable you to dynamically schedule charging and take advantage of cheaper electricity rates when they’re available. But most newer EVs are also capable of tracking grid data and charging accordingly, in which case a smart EV charger could be redundant, Martineau says.
• Do you want to participate in a utility program that rewards you for charging at certain times of the day to help avoid overtaxing the grid? These emerging programs can remotely schedule your charging, but only certain EVs and chargers may be eligible to participate, says Zach Woogen, interim executive director of the advocacy group Vehicle-Grid Integration Council.
• If you plan to get an EV that can provide home backup power — such as a Ford F-150 Lightning or one of many GM models — do you want to buy the enabling charging setup? While a few EVs are capable of acting as a home generator, they need specific charging equipment to unlock that ability. A bonus: In the future, these EVs and charging systems may be eligible to send power back to the grid and earn customers money, Woogen says.
When it’s time to install your home charger, make sure to place it somewhere that makes sense, Saffarini says. If the charging port is located on your car’s flank, don’t put the charger at the back of the garage unless you’re comfortable maneuvering the car in reverse.
Also check which side the EV ’s charging port is on; you don’t want to pull in to refuel only to realize (face-palm) that the charger was installed on the wrong wall. If you don’t have a garage and must put the charger outside, check that it’s rated to withstand your weather extremes.
If you rent, you may not be able to wire in a Level 2 charger, but you could still get a portable version if you have access to a 240 -volt outlet. Your building’s owner might even be willing to install an EV charger to upgrade the property.
If you have to park your car curbside, you may need to get creative. One idea is to run your EV charging cord from your home to your vehicle with traffic cones on the sidewalk to alert pedestrians of the tripping hazard. But you’ll want to make sure your community’s cool with that.
Some of the best-reviewed Level 2 EV chargers retail for about $200 to $800 . Installation and necessary electrical work can drive costs hundreds to thousands of dollars higher.
But help is out there. Automakers may offer rebates on a Level 2 charger when you buy a new EV ; Ford is currently throwing one in for free. And some utilities — such as Salt River Project in Arizona — have online marketplaces for select EV chargers, where customers can get an upfront discount rolled into the price.
At the moment, individuals in eligible low-income and rural census tracts can also tap into the 30 C or Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property federal tax credit. It allows taxpayers to take 30 percent of the cost of an EV charger, up to $1 ,000 , off their federal tax bill.
However, the incoming administration has threatened to roll back Inflation Reduction Act provisions, putting 30 C ’s future in limbo.
If Congress repeals the IRA incentives, “ then the tax credits could be discontinued immediately,” says Ingrid Malmgren, senior policy director at Plug In America. In that case, taxpayers who qualified for 30 C while it existed but hadn’t yet filed their taxes would no longer be able to claim it.
Still, local incentives abound. For example, Colorado has a mind-blowing $13 ,500 in state tax credits and rebates to purchase a new EV , with several utilities offering customers rebates of $500 or more to install home chargers. Search on PlugStar’s incentive tool for what’s available to you.
Having an EV-charging system at home requires some work upfront, but can make owning an EV that much sweeter, Martineau says. “ Every morning when you wake up, your car is charged.”
E Car Charging Station Alison F. Takemura is staff writer at Canary Media. She reports on home electrification, building decarbonization strategies and the clean energy workforce.