How to Prep Your Home for an EV

Close Up Of Hand Holding Power Cable For electric car

Let’s say you’ve got your eye on the Cadillac LYRIQ, but you’re not sure how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle. The good news is that EV ownership is easy, and installing your own electric vehicle charging station makes charging a total breeze. Below, we’ll go into the steps of choosing your electric vehicle home charger, your electric vehicle charging batteries, and getting your garage ready for the transformation! 

1. Decide on a Charging Type (AKA Charging Level)

First, what type of charging experience do you want? Any driver in Leander and Georgetown can utilize Level 1 charging simply by plugging their car into a grounded outlet. But, this is the slowest method of charging by far. Most drivers opt for a Level 2 electric vehicle charging station for greater convenience. What’s the difference?

  • Level 1 EV charging often takes days to fully charge an electric car. 
  • Level 2 EV charging often takes several hours to fully charge an electric car.

Level 1 charging can charge a plug-in hybrid in just a few hours compared to electric vehicle charging battery rates. If you have an electric vehicle, charging batteries takes considerably longer. That’s why most EV owners eventually get a Level 2 electric vehicle home charger instead.

2. Ready Your Garage

Most Cedar Park drivers install the electric vehicle charging station in their garage. And if that’s the case, one of the best ways to prepare your home for an electric vehicle is to clean up your space. Take the time to get organized, clear out the clutter, and make sure there’s plenty of room for your electrician to work. 

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

Your house is equipped with a power panel, which sends electricity throughout the entire building. Most homes have a 100 Amp power panel, but it’s good to check your main circuit breaker to be sure. Take inventory of how much electricity you use in an average day. This will be important information once you get an EV, since you don’t want to overload the electric distribution panel.

4. Hire an Electrician

Next, it’s time to start the installation process. Hire an electrician to go over any questions you have about the process, and be sure to share the results of your self-assessment from step 3. Some homeowners will simply add a dedicated 240-volt plug or add a hardwired circuit back to the power panel for a few hundred dollars. But if your power panel can’t handle the extra energy usage from a home charging station, you’ll need to upgrade your power panel, which could cost upwards of $1,000.

5. Buy Your Charger & Have it Installed

Finally, it’s time to buy your electric vehicle charging station. You can choose the model of your choice or ask your electrician for suggestions. Once it arrives, contact your electrician and get your home charger up and running!

Learn More About EV Ownership at Covert Cadillac

Now you know how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle, but what other questions do you have about owning your electric vehicle? Feel free to contact us at Covert Cadillac, and we’d be happy to help. You can also stop by Austin to start test driving new models in person or even buy online!

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