How to Prepare Your Home for an Electric Vehicle

Many Spring Hill and Inverness drivers are making the switch to electric vehicles for the environmental and financial benefits, but what does the day-to-day ownership look like? In this guide, we’ll go through how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle. From researching the types of electric vehicle charging station to getting the unit installed by a professional, we’ll help you prepare for your next GMC Hummer EV.

1. Electric Vehicle Charging Station Levels

What type of electric vehicle home charger do you want? Many Hernando Beach drivers are surprised to learn that there are multiple charging levels to explore. Here is a brief overview of the differences in electric vehicle charging station levels:

• The Level 1 electric vehicle charging station utilize the common household grounded outlet, but they are the slowest. Charging often takes days to fully charge an electric car. 
• The Level 2 electric vehicle charging station is much faster, and you can often get between 60-200 miles of range in just 20-30 minutes. However, you’ll need to have this unit professionally installed.

2. Ready Your Garage

When you’re ready to prepare your home for an electric vehicle, it’s time to do some cleaning. We recommend cleaning and organizing your garage ahead of time to start fresh. Not only does this free up more room for you in your daily routine, but it also helps your electrician work faster and more efficiently. 

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

An electric vehicle charging batteries can use a lot of power, so it’s important to assess your current power consumption before you add another element into the mix. Your power panel is responsible for distributing electricity throughout your home, and it is rated for a maximum amount of electric flow—usually around 100 Amperes. You’ll need to conduct a self-assessment to see how much energy you use typically, so you can determine whether your power panel can handle an electric vehicle charging batteries on top of that.

4. Hire an Electrician

The next step is to find an electrician who can install your electric vehicle home charger. You can relay the results of your self-assessment and explain any concerns you have about adding an electric vehicle to your power panel. Many drivers choose to add a dedicated 240-volt plug or a hardwired circuit back to the panel, which costs a few hundred dollars. But if your power panel can’t handle an electric vehicle charging batteries in its current state, you’ll need to upgrade it—which can cost up to $1,000 or $3,000! That said, there are many federal tax credits to help out with the cost! 

5. Buy Your Charger & Have it Installed

Now is the time to purchase and pick up your electric vehicle charging station of choice. Once you have the unit in your garage, make an appointment with your electrician to have it professionally installed. And then, you can charge your electric vehicle without leaving the house!

Contact Buick GMC Brooksville to Learn More!

Want to know more about electric vehicle ownership? Contact us at Buick GMC Brooksville to learn more about your options. Whether you want to know about the benefits of the EV segment or where to charge your electric vehicle in Brooksville, we’d be happy to help.