How to Prepare Your Home for an Electric Vehicle

Interested in buying a new electric Chevy vehicle? You’ve no doubt done your research when it comes to the benefits of buying an EV. We’re sure you know all about how electric cars greatly reduce your carbon footprint and offer lower maintenance costs than their gas-powered counterparts. But how do you prepare your home for an electric vehicle, exactly? 

You can expect a fair amount of work ahead of you, however, the alternative of having to hunt for electric vehicle charging stations throughout Asheville or purchase electric vehicle batteries makes the setup more than worth it. You can also count on the experts at Sunshine Chevrolet, LLC who have broken down the simplest method of installing an electric vehicle home charger. Simply follow our instructions below to prepare your Hendersonville area home for a new Chevy Bolt EV or EUV! 

Step 1: Decide on a Charging Level

If you’ve already done your research on the different types of EV chargers, you can skip this step. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the different types of electric vehicle home chargers, you can expect most of them to fall into two categories: 

• Level 1 EV Charging: This level requires a few days to fully charge an electric car. 
• Level 2 EV Charging: This level requires several hours to fully charge an electric car. You can often get between 60-200 miles of range in just 20-30 minutes with Level 2 DC charging, though. For this reason, most people intermix daytime “top-off” charging with overnight charging.

Step 2: Prepare Your Garage

In preparation for your electric vehicle home charger, you’ll want to clean out your garage of any unnecessary clutter or trash. You’ll want plenty of space to install and house your EV charger once it arrives at your Fletcher household.

Step 3: Locate Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

Not sure what or where your power panel is? Your home’s power panel distributes electricity throughout the entire structure. Power panels are generally rated for a maximum amount of 100 amperes or Amps. However, you’ll want to consult the amperage rating printed on your main circuit to confirm. 

Once you find the power panel within your home, you’ll want to evaluate how much electrical energy you consume before you install an electric vehicle charging station. You don’t want to blow out your electrical distribution panel. 

Step 4: Employ an Electrician

You’ll want to get an electrician’s help installing your EV home charger, as well as consult with them about your potential power consumption. Many electricians can also help you install a hardwired circuit back to the power panel or add a 240-volt plug. Keep in mind that this usually costs anywhere from a coupon a hundred to several thousand dollars if your power panel requires significant upgrades. 

Step 5: Purchase & Install Your Charger

Are you still waiting to buy your EV home charger? Now would be a good time to do it, since you’ve successfully cleared out your garage and hired a professional electrician by this point. 

Find Out More About Getting Your Home Ready for an EV at Sunshine Chevrolet, LLC

Have any further questions about electric vehicles? Then reach out to us at any time at Sunshine Chevrolet, LLC! Our knowledgeable team members are more than happy to explain the nuances of electric vehicle charging batteries, current prices for our available EVs, and any other DIY service tips we can think of when it comes to electric vehicle maintenance!