How to Prepare Your Home for an EV in 5 Simple Steps

When Paducah drivers buy a new Chevrolet vehicle, they typically plan on either parking it on the driveway, the street, or in their garage. However, a little more thought has to be put into preparing your home for an electric vehicle. You can expect to find EV charging stations in the Murray-area, however, you’ll still want to ensure an electric vehicle home charger is still available. Although the preparation takes a bit of work, the reduction in your carbon footprint and lower maintenance costs of owning an EV makes the investment well worth it. Find out how to prep your home for an EV in five simple steps, so you can get your house ready for a new Chevy Bolt EV or EUV today!

1. Figure Out Your Charging Level (AKA Charging Type)

Before you even begin searching for new electric vehicles, you’ll first want to do your research on the different types of EV chargers. Most electric vehicle home chargers fall into Level 1 or Level 2:

• 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 typically get between 60-200 miles of range in just 20-30 minutes with Level 2 DC charging. For this reason, most people intermix daytime “top-off” charging with overnight charging.

2. Prepare Your Garage

Now you’ll have to clear out your garage, so there’s plenty of space to fit your electric vehicle charging charging system, and of course, your EV!

3. Locate Your Power Panel & Evaluate Consumption

Your power panel distributes electricity throughout your home and is rated for a maximum amount of current flow measured in Amperes. Many new Murray homes come with a 100 Amp power panel, however, there should be an amperage rating printed on your main circuit breaker. It’s critical that you assess how much electricity you use before installing an electric vehicle home charger. Overloading your electric distribution panel can result in power outages, fires, and physical harm.

4. Get Help from an Electrician

Next, you’ll want to hire an electrician to discuss any concerns you may have about your power consumption and installing an EV charger. A certified electrician will be able to install a dedicated 240-volt plug or a hardwired circuit back to the power panel for additional support. The upgrade can run anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 depending on the condition of your power panel.

5. Purchase & Install Your Charger

You’re finally prepared to buy an electric vehicle home charger at this point. Go ahead and order it online or in-person at the store and have it professionally installed by a trusted electrician.

Still Have Questions? Country Chevrolet of Benton Has Answers!

If you still have questions about electric vehicle charging batteries or how to trade in your car for an EV upgrade, don’t worry! Country Chevrolet of Benton has the answers! Simply contact us online for more information and car buying tips today.