How to Prepare Your Home for an EV

Given all the benefits of electric vehicles, you may be considering upgrading to an EV such as the new Kia Niro or Kia EV6. If that’s the case, you’ll need to know how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle – and that includes getting an electric vehicle home charger. While there are plenty of public electric vehicle charging stations around Greensboro to charge your electric vehicle, charging batteries at home is the most common method for Greensboro drivers. The experts at Carolina Kia of High Point have everything you need to know about preparing your home for an EV below. 

1. Select a Charging Type (AKA Charging Level)

When it comes to electric vehicles, charging batteries at home is the most common method. First, you’ll need to decide what type of EV charger you want. Typically, most electric vehicle home chargers are considered Level 1 or Level 2. Here’s what you should keep in mind:

• Level 1 EV charging usually takes days to fully charge an EV.
• Level 2 EV charging usually takes several hours to fully charge an EV. With just 20-30 minutes of Level 2 charging, you can often get between 60-200 miles of range.

2. Prepare Your Garage

To properly prepare your home for an electric vehicle, it’s a good idea to clean out your garage and remove any clutter so that there’s plenty of room for your electric vehicle charging station.

3. Locate Power Panel & Assess Consumption

While electric vehicle home charges are convenient, you don’t want to overload your electric distribution panel. That said, you’ll need to look at your power panel and find your amperage rating. You’ll then need to perform a self-assessment to determine how much electricity your household uses.

4. Hire an Electrician

The next step is to hire an electrician. If you have any concerns about adding EV charging to your current power consumption, now is the time to address them. If needed, the electrician can install a 240-volt plug or add a hardwired circuit back to the power panel for a couple hundred dollars. However, if your power panel needs upgrading, that number could go up to between $1,000 and $3,000.

5. Buy Your Electric Vehicle Home Charger & Have it Installed

Now all that’s left to do is have the electrician install your electric vehicle home charger so that it’s ready to go when your new EV arrives!

Learn More About EV Charging With Carolina Kia of High Point

If you still have questions about electric vehicles, charging batteries, or any other topic, don’t hesitate to let us know! You can also check out our Kia research for more information. We’re here to help ensure your transition into the EV lifestyle is as streamlined as possible, so contact us today!