How to Prepare Your Home for an Electric Vehicle

Have you been thinking about making the switch to an electric vehicle in Van Nuys or Sun Valley? You are making an excellent decision! Electric vehicles are not only more eco-friendly, they also cost less to maintain. While there are plenty of public charging stations around Mission Hills, you may be interested in adding an electric vehicle charging station at your home. In this guide from North Hollywood Toyota, we’ll discuss how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle.

1. Choose Your Preferred Charging Level

When it comes to electric vehicle charging batteries, the charger level you select will affect how long the process takes. Most home car charging systems fall into Level 1 or Level 2. See how the two compare below:

• Level 1 EV charging could potentially take days for your EV to reach a full charge.
• Level 2 EV charging usually only takes a few hours to fully charge an electric car. In many cases, you can get between 60-200 miles of range in just 20-30 minutes with Level 2 DC charging.

2. Prep the Garage

You will need to make space in your garage for the electric vehicle charging station to be installed. If your garage has been used as a storage location, you may need to organize or clear out your belongings so that there is enough room to install the charging station.

3. Locate Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

The power panel in your home distributes electricity throughout the entire structure, and it should be rated for a maximum amount of current flow measured in Amperes. If you have a newer home, you likely have a 100 Amp power panel. Take a look at your main circuit breaker to find the amperage rating.

You then need to be aware of how much electrical energy you consistently use at your home. Assess your electricity consumption so that you do not overload your electric distribution panel when you install your electric vehicle charging station.

4. Hire an Electrician

Hire an electrician who can answer any of your questions about the installation process and your power usage. You may be interested in having your electrician install a dedicated 240-volt plug or add a hardwired circuit back to the power panel.

5. Choose a Charger and Complete the Installation Process

Select your preferred electric vehicle charging station and have it professionally installed. You do not want to tackle this task on your own.

Learn More with North Hollywood Toyota

Is it time to prepare your home for an electric vehicle? Reach out to the team at North Hollywood Toyota for more information. We look forward to helping you make the switch to electric vehicle ownership! If you’re not yet ready to make the switch, we recommend one of our efficient hybrid models.