How do I charge an electric car at home?

how do you charge an electric car at home?

At a fundamental level, charging an EV works much the same way as any electronic device with a battery – an EV needs to be plugged into a power source from which it can draw electricity to recharge its battery. 

The simplest way to charge an EV is to plug it into a standard wall outlet: this does not require any special equipment aside from a charging cable that is typically included with the car. However, this is the slowest way to charge and only adds about 4 miles of range every hour. It is also the least safe as there is no protection from your charger overloading your home’s electrical circuit and causing damage to your network. 

A safer, faster, and more convenient alternative is a dedicated home charger.

The principle remains the same, except that a charging station is installed by an electrician and can handle greater loads of charging an EV. As such, it can deliver much higher power and achieve faster charging speeds than a home outlet. 

While using a dedicated home charging station is about 3 to 7 times faster than charging it with your regular outlet, charging on the go at level 3 DC fast charging stations is even faster. Some of these rapid chargers can charge up your car in as little as 15 minutes (depending on the charger’s power output and your car’s battery).

However, getting this type of speed at your home is simply not possible, as your home’s electrical supply cannot deliver the high power required for level 3 fast charging.

Why should I charge my electric car at home?

Charging at home is the preferred way to charge for 64 percent of EV drivers, and it’s easy to understand why.

For one, charging at home is the most convenient: instead of having to go out of your way to find a public charger, you can simply plug your car in whenever you come home from work and charge it while you're not using it. 

Charging at home is also usually cheaper than charging publicly, as you avoid the additional fees that public charging operators add for offering the service.

There is no doubt about it, home charging is one of the most convenient ways to charge your EV. 

Do I need to buy a home EV charging station?

You may be asking yourself, then, do I need to buy a charging station to charge my car at home?

In a nutshell, the answer is no, but there are some things to consider. 

While you can charge your car by simply plugging it into a power socket at home, the safety, speed, and convenience of a home charger are worth considering.

So, while purchasing and installing a charging station has a price tag, this expense might be well worth it for its efficiency and simplicity for everyday usage.

Still, there may be situations where you can’t install a home charger, either because of a lack of room, no adequate wiring set-up around your parking space, or not having a parking spot to begin with.

This doesn't mean you can't get an electric car though, as there are many options to charge it elsewhere.