What kind of charging solution should you have at home? It depends on your driving habits, and the car that you choose.
Let’s remember that a Level 1 EVSE (the type you can plug into a standard wall outlet) charges an EV at a rate of about 3-5 miles per hour. That means you can gain about 30-50 miles in a given night (assuming 10 hours) while you sleep. If you’re the type of person who drives fewer than 50 miles per day, or if you have a plug-in vehicle with a smaller battery that is only capable of 30-50 miles per charge, Level 1 charging might be plenty for you.
If, however, you drive more than this, you may want to explore your options for Level 2 charging at home. As we now know, Level 2 will give you between 12 and 60 miles per hour of charge, meaning a large EV with a big 100 kWh battery can charge in a single overnight session.
Level 2 uses a 240v plug. You’ll want to explore options with your electrician, to see if you have the capacity to either use an existing plug or add one. Your installation costs will vary accordingly, from a few hundred to a few thousand depending on the type of work that may need to be done. If you're one of the lucky ones who has an acceptable 240v outlet in your garage, a Level 2 EVSE cable with a matching NEMA adapter may be all you need.
Once your home is ready with a 240v outlet, you may choose to install a wall-mounted EVSE. A wal lunit, depending on the model, may connect to your home’s wifi and offer a list of smart home features like scheduling your charging for off-peak rates, monitoring your car’s charge level and power usage, and integrating with smart home assistants like Alexa or Google Home.
There are many popular models of EVSE, and most run between $250 and $500 for the hardware (not including installation). Some auto manufacturers offer units of their own, but these are typically optional extras and often you’ll save money by shopping around. It's worth checking with your state and with your power utility, as many offer attractive rebates or discounts for installing an EVSE in your home. If you really want to go green, solar power and home energy storage are fantastic supplements to EV ownership, but that’s a whole other topic.