Like many people in the Twin Cities area, if you plan to purchase an EV in the next few years, good for you! You’re making a smart choice that’s good for both the environment and your wallet. However, getting the most out of a new EV requires some careful preplanning. You’ll need to think about adding a fast charger to your home so you can keep your EV charged up and ready to go at all times.
It’s one of the best ways you can overcome the general lack of public EV charging infrastructure that persists in our area. But before you go through with it, you’ll want to know how much money you can expect to spend on installing an EV charger in your home. Here’s everything you need to know.
The Cost of a Home EV Charger
The first component of the costs involved with installing an EV charger in your home is the cost of the charger itself. Depending on the charger model you choose, those costs may vary considerably. For example, you can now purchase a Level-2 fast charger from companies like Lectron. However, that’ll only get you a bare-bones charger without any smart features and with only modest charging speeds.
If you want a high-end EV charger with the fastest possible charging speeds, you may end up spending more on your charger. For that, you can buy something like the ChargePoint Home Flex charger, which supports 240-volt charging at up to 50 amps and works with a variety of other smart home products. Either way, however, buying the charger is just the beginning. You’ll also need to have it installed. That’s where Plugz Electric comes in.
EV Charger Circuit Installation Costs
The cost of installing your EV charger can also vary significantly. That’s because different models of chargers come with different electrical requirements. Plus, your home could require an electrical service upgrade if your existing service isn’t enough to support your charger. Generally speaking, a Level-2 EV charger will require a new 240-volt circuit to support it. Unless you already have an unused one in your garage or charger installation location, that’ll be the first cost involved in the installation.
However, there are some situations where installing a new circuit won’t be possible with your home’s existing electrical setup. For example, if your electrical service panel doesn’t have any more room for additional circuit breakers, you’ll need to make a choice. To solve the problem, you could install a new sub-panel to add the needed space for your new circuit. Otherwise, you can replace your existing main electrical service panel with a larger one, which will cost a bit more. In most cases, this is the route you’d need to take if you also require an electrical service upgrade to handle your new power needs.
For example, if your home has only 100 amps of electrical service, you may need an upgrade to 200 amps to ensure sufficient capacity for your existing appliances, lighting, and outlets once you begin using your new EV charger. Typically, a service upgrade would include an all-new main electrical service panel with sufficient room for your current and future power needs.
EV Charger Installation Costs
Fortunately, the physical installation of a new EV charger, once the electrical work is out of the way, isn’t difficult. That part of the cost covers connecting the charger to your home’s power infrastructure and mounting it on the wall in a convenient spot.
Trust the EV Charger Installation Experts
As you now know, the cost of installing an EV charger in your home could cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on your specific needs. Whatever those needs are, though, Plugz Electric is the company to trust to handle the job for you here in the Twin Cities area.
Our electricians have experience installing a variety of EV charger models and can ensure that your home is ready when you bring your new EV home. We also offer comprehensive electrical services ranging from simple outlet repairs to ceiling fan installations, outdoor lighting, surge protection, and more.
So, if you’d like to have an EV charger installed in your Twin Cities home, call the team at Plugz Electric right away!
