Congratulations! You’ve made up your mind about buying an electric car. Now comes the part that’s specific to electric vehicles (EV)s: choosing a home charging station. This can seem complicated, but we’re here to help!
With electric cars, the process of charging at home looks like this: you arrive home; hit the car’s charging port release button; step out of the car; grab the cable from your (soon-to-be) new home charging station a few feet away and plug it in the car’s charging port. You can now go inside and enjoy the coziness of your home as your vehicle completes a charging session in tranquility. Tad-ah! Who ever said electric cars were complicated?
Now, if you’ve read our Beginner’s Guide to Electric Cars: How to charge at home, you're now up to speed about the benefits of equipping your home with a level 2 charging station. There are different models and features to pick from, so we’ve prepared this handy guide to help you choose the right home charging station.
Before you start, here’s a fun fact that will make it easier to find the perfect home charging station to match your new vehicle:
In North America, every electric vehicle (EV) uses the same plug for level 2 charging. The only exception is Tesla cars which come with an adapter.
Otherwise, whether you chose to drive Audi, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Nissan, Porsche, Toyota, Volvo, and so on, electric cars sold in North America use the same plug—the SAE J1772 plug to be exact—to charge at home with a level 2 charging station. You can learn more about this in our guide How To Charge Your Electric Car With Charging Stations.
Phew! You can now be sure that any level 2 charging station you pick will be compatible with your new electric car. Now, let’s get started with choosing the right home charging station, shall we?
Choosing where to put your home charging station
1. Where do you park?
First, think about your parking space. Do you usually park your electric car outdoors or in your garage?
The main reason why this is important is that not all home charging stations are weather-proof. Among the units that are weather-proof, their levels of resistance will also vary depending on how extreme the climate is.
So, if you live in a region that exposes your EV to icy winter conditions, heavy rain or strong heat for example, make sure to choose a home charging station that can handle these types of extreme weather conditions.
This information can be found in the specifications and details section of each home charging station displayed in our store.
On the topic of extreme weather, choosing a home charging station with a flexible cable is the best option to manipulate it in colder climates.
2. Where will you install your home charging station?
Speaking of cables, when choosing a home charging station; pay attention to the length of the cable that comes with it. Each level 2 charging station has a cable that varies in length from one unit to another. With your parking space in mind, zoom in to the exact location where you plan on installing the level 2 charging station to make sure that the cable will be long enough to reach your electric car’s port!
For example, the home charging stations available in our online store have cables that range from 12 ft to 25 ft. Our recommendation is to choose a unit with a cable that is at at least 18 ft long. If that length isn’t sufficient, look for home charging stations with a 25 ft cable.
Cable for two, please?
If you have more than one EV to charge (lucky you!), there are mainly two options. First, you could get a dual charging station. These can charge two vehicles simultaneously and need to be installed somewhere where the cables can plug into both electric cars at the same time. The other option would be to purchase two smart charging stations (more on that later) and install them on a single circuit and link them. Although this gives you more flexibility with the installation, this option is generally more expensive.
Matching your home charging station to your lifestyle
3. How nomadic are you?
If you tend to head over to your cottage on a weekly basis, or have a career that requires you to move often, you might choose a portable charging station, rather than a unit that is hard-wired and permanently-mounted.
Here are the differences between the two:
Here, the home charging station is connected directly to the electrical panel with a wire. The installation of these units is often considered cleaner and are best for EV drivers that have a sedentary lifestyle. They also have the advantage of being much more difficult to steal, since someone would need to cut a live 240-volt wire to remove it.
These simply hang on the wall and plug into a 240-volt receptacle. With these, pay attention to the plug the portable charging station comes with—it will usually either be a NEMA 14-50P (a common outlet for electric stoves) or a NEMA 6-50P (a common outlet for welder plugs). Make sure it’s compatible with the wall receptacle. Some homes already have a 240-volt receptacle where the station will be installed, which makes it easy to match! If you don’t already have a 240-volt outlet, you can have an electrician install whichever matches the plug you purchase.
4. Which home charging station will charge your electric car the fastest?
Finding out which home charging station offers the fastest charging speed is a popular topic among new EV drivers. Hey, we get it: Time is precious and valuable.
So let’s cut to the chase—there’s no time to lose!
In short, no matter which model you choose, the selection of level 2 charging stations available on our online store and in general, across North America, can charge a full EV battery overnight.
However, EV charging time is dependent on a host of variables such as:
Among these variables, the charging time of an electric car comes down to the following two: the power source and the vehicle's on board charger capacity.
If you’re a numbers person, here’s the formula for charging time: total charging time = kWh ÷ kW.
Meaning, if an electric car has a 10-kW on board charger and a 100-kWh battery, you can expect it to take 10 hours to charge a fully depleted battery.
This also means that even if you equip your home with one of the most powerful level 2 charging stations—such as one that can provide 9.6 kW—most electric cars won’t charge any faster.
5. What else can a home charging station do for you?
Some level 2 charging stations are ‘smart’ and can be controlled remotely with an app on your phone over WiFi or Bluetooth. These smart home charging stations don’t charge any faster, but they do offer perks, such as access control or data monitoring. If those interest you, check which smart features are offered by a specific home charging station before buying it.
One thing to keep in mind: Most EVs have their own smartphone app which can do some or all of these smart features, so we recommend you start by checking what your electric car already offers to make sure you don’t pay twice for the something you might already have.
Final aspects to choose the right home charging station
Ready to choose the right home charging station?
If you answered each question in this guide, you have everything you need to choose the right home charging station. Browse level 2 charging stations available in our online store and find you match or compare them here.
Get started with EV home charging—it’s electrifying!
Once that’s done, download the ChargeHub app for your weekend getaways. You’ll be able to Go EVerywhere with your electric car.
*Some illustrations in this guide contain designs created by pch.vector from freepik.com.
The four main considerations that EV drivers have when purchasing an EV home charger are: energy efficiency, ease of use, warranty, and data insights.
As the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road skyrockets and is expected to reach 200 million by the end of the decade, more and more people are discovering the benefits of driving electric and the ability to charge their cars at home.
Still, for many, driving electric cars is a completely new experience, let alone charging one. With a myriad of different home charging stations, each offering various features, charging speeds, and coming at a range of costs, how do you know which one is the best for you?
In our latest Mobility Monitor report, we’ve asked thousands of EV drivers which factors they find most important when buying a home charging station. In this article, we break them down for you so that you’ll know exactly what to look out for when you’re in the market for a home charging station.
While there are many different types of EV home charging stations, there is no single perfect one: the best EV home charger is the one that fits your needs the most.
As such, simply choosing the fastest or most advanced charging station may not be the right option if it doesn’t fit your needs.
For instance, you might not need the fastest charger if you use your car for commuting to work and mainly charge at night, as even “slower” charging stations can charge an average EV up in less than 8 hours.
Based on our research in collaboration with Ipsos, we identified the four main considerations that EV drivers have when purchasing an EV home charger:
Energy efficiency;
Ease of use;
Long warranty and service;
Data insights.
Let’s look at each of them in more detail.
With the energy crisis and rising costs across the world, it’s not surprising that energy efficiency is a key consideration for many EV drivers.
Our research – conducted before the height of the energy crisis – shows that 65% of EV drivers consider energy efficiency as the most important factor when looking to purchase an EV home charger, and we can imagine this number will have only increased since.
Beyond just choosing the most efficient charging station for your home, it’s often worth considering smart charging features offered by newer chargers that let you monitor and control your energy use, helping you save even further on charging costs.
The second most important feature EV drivers look for in an EV home charger is the ease of use, with 54% citing it as their main consideration. Switching to electric mobility can seem daunting and complicated enough, and moving away from the familiarity of the gas pump is a big step.
As such, having a charger that makes the transition easy can be a major benefit. For instance, many EV home chargers come with easy-to-understand LED lights that let you quickly tell the status of the charging session. On top of this, many connected charging stations offer smartphone apps that allow you to monitor and control the charging process remotely.
While EV home charging stations come in many different shapes and sizes, they all generally represent a considerable investment. It’s not surprising, then, that 47% of EV drivers cared most about long warranties and 25% about preventative maintenance services.
Indeed, it’s worth taking steps to ensure that your wallbox will last as long as possible. While charging stations almost always come with a standard warranty, some vendors or manufacturers can offer an extended warranty or extra service options. Even though these come at a premium, they may be worth it to help guarantee your wallbox’s longevity.
Connected charging stations can also benefit from software updates and open up opportunities for remote servicing.
Keeping your charging station up-to-date will ensure optimal performance, while remote maintenance allows service providers to diagnose problems remotely based on real-time data and insights, often eliminating the need for an in-person visit altogether.
Perhaps the most underrated aspect of an EV home charger is its connectivity and the insights it unlocks. Still, our research shows that 42% of EV drivers state the ability to view charging session costs and fees as their main consideration, while a further 32% consider access to insights as the most important aspect of an EV home charger.
Connected charging stations can unlock access to a range of real-time insights about energy use and costs, allowing drivers to stay informed throughout the charging process and adjust their behavior accordingly. For instance, knowing your EV’s energy use and how much you currently pay for charging allows you to find ways to reduce and optimize charging costs.
Choosing the right EV home charger for your home can be a difficult decision, so before diving into all the possible options, it’s essential to consider your priorities. As with any investment, it’s worth considering the long run and not making a decision overnight.
If you want to know which type of EV home charger fits best with the capabilities (or limitations) of your electric car, have a look at our handy tool. Since you now have an idea of the 4 main considerations, you still might be wondering if you need one in the first place, what it will cost, and how to get one installed. Luckily, we’ve written a complete and free online guide that will tell you everything you need to know about EV home chargers.
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