How to Prep Your Home for an EV

When you’re bringing home a new car to your Eagan or Woodbury, the last thing that’s probably on your mind is how to properly prepare your home. However, if you’re bringing home an electric vehicle, you’ll need an electric vehicle home charger. We’ll tell you how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle and have a brief discussion on electric vehicle charging stations so you can prepare for your next vehicle purchase. Mauer Chevrolet is ready to help you make the most out of your electric vehicle purchase!

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

If you haven’t already looked into electric vehicle charging batteries, now is a good time to start. Most home car charging systems are either Level 1 or Level 2, and here’s more information to help you out:

• 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. You can 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.

2. Ready Your Garage

If you haven’t yet cleaned out your garage, this is the time to do it. Clear out your junk and make space for an electric vehicle home charger.

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

The power panel in your home distributes electricity throughout the entire building. It should be rated for a maximum amount of current flow measured in Amperes. Most new homes come with a 100 Amp power panel, but there should be an amperage rating printed on the main circuit breaker.

4. Hire an Electrician

Next, you should hire an electrician. They’ll tell you how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle, including summarizing your power consumption. This should cost a few hundred dollars, but it might cost more if they find your power panel isn’t sufficient and needs to be upgraded.

5. Buy Your Charger & Have it Installed

If you haven’t already researched and purchased an EV charger at this point, it would be the right time to look this up. The electrician will install it for you.

Contact Mauer Chevrolet to Learn More!

If you’ve got further questions about how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle, we’re ready to help! Contact us today or check out our manufacturer information to get a handle on what we can do for you near St. Paul.