5 Steps to Prepare for an Electric Vehicle Home Charger

Are you considering buying an EV near Deltona, FL? If so, you'll need to decide what kind of electric vehicle home charger you plan on using for your charging station. Take a moment to learn how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle, and what home charging options you can use to replenish your electric vehicle charging batteries. Then, reach out to Subaru North Orlando for assistance in Sanford, FL. 

Choose Your Electric Vehicle Charging Station Level

The first step to prepare your home for an electric vehicle is to decide which level of EV home charger you prefer. Take a moment to review the two primary levels of home charging and the speeds at which they typically charge your electric vehicle batteries: 

• Level 1: This 120-V electric vehicle home charger comes standard with most EVs and allows you to simply plug your EV into any 120V outlet. The downside is that this electric vehicle charging station takes up to 24 hours to fully replenish your electric vehicle batteries. 
• Level 2: This charger can charge between 60 and 200 miles via a 240V outlet in just 20-30 minutes. That said, you'll need to hire an electrician to install a 240V outlet and may need to upgrade your power panel. Read on to learn more. 

2. Prepare Your Garage

You'll want to clean out your garage and create a space where you can park your car near an outlet. Cleaning your out your garage also provides the opportunity to sort and get rid of stuff you no longer want or need! 

3. Determine Whether You Need to Upgrade Your Power Panel 

If you plan on installing a Level 2 electric vehicle home charger, you'll need an 240V outlet installed and wired to your power panel. You'll also need to inspect your main circuit breaker to determine how many amps your power panel can handle. If it's less than 100 amps, you'll need to hire an electrician to upgrade your panel. 

4. Hire an Electrician

If you plan on installing a Level 2 electric vehicle charging station in your home, the next step of how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle is to hire an electrician. They'll install a 240V outlet in your garage and have it wired to your power panel. This should only cost a few hundred bucks. If you need to upgrade your panel, however, you can expect to pay between $1,000 and $3,000. 

5. Set Up Your Electric Vehicle Charging Station 

If you're preparing for a Level 1 charger, all you need to do is park your car next to a 120V 3-pronged outlet in your garage and plug in. You don't need to buy a charging cord, because virtually every EV comes standard with a Level 1 charger. If you're preparing for a Level 2 charger, however, reach out to our parts department to purchase the cord. 

Have Questions About How to Prepare Your Home for an EV? 

If you have more questions about selecting an electric vehicle home charger or how to set up an electric vehicle charging station in your Lake Mary, FL home, contact us! The parts specialists at our Orlando Subaru dealership are happy to answer any questions you may have.