How to Prep Your Home for an Electric Vehicle

Thinking about making the switch from your old gasoline-powered car to an all-electric vehicle? Buying an electric vehicle will surely be the start of an exciting new chapter in your life, but it also requires a lot of preparation. Before you bring an electric vehicle to your garage, you’ll want to ensure that you’re able to charge it. While you can find electric vehicle charging stations around Meridian, home charging is the most convenient and practical way for electric vehicle charging batteries.

In the following guide, we dive into the many ways you can prepare your home for an electric vehicle!

1. Select a Charging Type (Also Known as Charging Level)

If you weren’t really familiar with the different types of electric vehicle home chargers, you have two options: Level 1 or Level 2 EV Charging. What are the differences between these two electric vehicle charging stations?

• Level 1 EV charging is the slowest method of charging and is done through a common three-prong charging cord. These charging cables usually come with the purchase of a new EV, but this method can take you more than a day to fully charge your vehicle.
• Level 2 EV charging is the most popular type of electric vehicle home charger among Nampa drivers. This method requires professional installation, can charge your vehicle within several hours, and is far faster than Level 1 charging.

2. Prepare Your Garage

Got a lot of junk in your garage? A new electric vehicle is the perfect opportunity to finally have that garage sale you’ve been thinking about! To prepare your home for an electric vehicle, you’ll want to clean and organize your garage to make room for an electric vehicle charging station.

3. Locate Your Power Panel & Plan Your Consumption Levels

The next step to preparing your home for an electric vehicle is assessing your power panel and desired consumption levels. Your home’s electrical panel serves as the hub for distributing electricity throughout the entire structure and is designed to handle a specific maximum current flow. This current flow is typically measured in Amperes.

Most new homes in Caldwell are equipped with a 100 Amp power panel, and you can find the amperage rating on your main circuit breaker.

Before installing a system for electric vehicle charging batteries, it’s especially important to assess your household’s consistent electricity consumption to prevent overloading your electrical distribution panel.

4. Hire an Electrician

The next course of action is to hire a good electrician to evaluate your power panel. You can voice any concerns about your power consumption and have them install a dedicated 240-volt plug or add a hardwired circuit back to the power panel. Typically, the cost of installation is a couple hundred dollars. But if your power panel isn’t sufficient, you may have to shell out anywhere from $1,000 or $3,000 to upgrade your panel.

5. Purchase Your Charger and Have it Installed!

Once your power panel situation is sorted out, the final step is to purchase your electric vehicle charging station and have it professionally installed by the electrician of your choice!

Learn More About Going Electric With Peterson Chevrolet Buick Cadillac!

Have any additional questions on how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle? Our service team is happy to answer any of your questions. Contact us online, or give us a call at (208) 323-5000 today.