How to Charge Your Electric Car at Home
Switching from a traditional fuel-powered vehicle to an electric car or hybrid can save you money and reduce harmful emissions, reducing not only your carbon footprint, but also the amount of money you spend on gas. Electric and hybrid-electric cars can travel an average of 100 miles on just 25-40 kWh before requiring a recharge.
Can You Charge an Electric Car at Home?
One of the misconceptions associated with electric cars is that it can be difficult or inconvenient to find a charging station. With an electric car home charging station, you don’t have to search for a place to recharge your car. Bryant Electric Service can install your home charging station and show you how to use it; we also install office and commercial charging systems.
Different Volt Levels for Electric Cars
Electric car charging stations aren’t one-size-fits-all; our Austin electric service professionals will help you choose the best volt level for your needs. Options include:
- Level 1 — This level of charger uses the wall sockets in your home. We don’t recommend this for most drivers because charging times are long. It would take approximately 22 hours to achieve a full charge with this option.
- Level 2 — A better option is a Level 2 charger, which works with a 240V wall outlet and gives you around 70 miles per charging hour. Although you can use the same wall socket utilized for your washer and dryer, we highly recommend getting a dedicated socket for your car. This minimizes the risk of potential problems from alternating electricity flows and maximizes convenience. If price is a concern, there are tax credits up to $1,000 that can help cut costs.
- Level 3 — This is the fastest and most efficient option for charging your electric car at home. Level 3 chargers — also known as DC fast chargers — use a special charging port to get power to the battery while bypassing your vehicle’s onboard charger. With this level of charging station, you can fully charge your vehicle in approximately 30 minutes. We offer several types of Level 3 home charging stations: CHAdeMO, Tesla, and SAE. Our knowledgeable professionals can direct you to the best one for you.
Benefits of Having an Electric Car Home Charging Station
The biggest benefit of having an electric-car home charging station is the convenience. You will not need to travel anywhere to charge your car and you will beat the lines for electric vehicle charging stations. As electric cars become more popular electric vehicle charging stations are becoming more crowded with cars.
Bryant Electric Service is your residential electrical services expert in Austin, Texas. If you’re interested in smart home technology for your house, contact us today! We can help you learn more about your home electric vehicle charging options!
