Steps to install a home EV charger

It is a reality that the number of electric vehicles is increasing as the year progresses. In fact, in March 2021 there have been a total of 3,414 electric vehicle registrations in Spain, a country where the electric car is not yet fully established. This figure represents an increase of almost 64% compared to the same period in 2020!

This is why more and more users are considering to buy an electric vehicle and the consequent installation of a charging station with the aim not only of saving money but also of establishing more sustainable and environmentally friendly routines.

One of the great unknowns of electric vehicles is charging, which is affected by multiple factors such as vehicle range, the energy cost and, above all, the location of the charging stations.

That's why today we want to tell you how to install a home EV charger, so that you no longer have any excuses and you decide to buy the electric car you've always wanted!

First steps to install a home EV charger

First of all, you will have to consider where your installation will be located: single-family home, private garage or community garage. Below, we detail what to do in each case:

• Single-family home or private garage

Installing a home EV charger in a single-family home or private garage is one of the simplest options, as, if the contracted power is enough, you can install your charging station directly, taking advantage of your electrical installation.

If the contracted power is equal to or greater than 5.75 kW, it will be more than enough to charge your electric car since, with a 3.3 kW home EV charger, you will be able to charge the vehicle at night; time when there is practically no consumption at home and, in addition, you will be able to take advantage of the off-peak tariff.

If you do not have enough power, you should consider how much it would cost to contract a power increase with your current company and/or consider changing to another electricity operator.

It is advisable to locate the charger in the place where your electric car will be parked for most of the time and, in addition, you should take into account that it should be a place that is sheltered from the weather and where neither the charging station itself nor the wiring can be affected.

• Community garage

The first step in installing a charging station in a community garage, condominium or shared parking space is to notify the homeowner’s association (HOA) in writing of your intentions for the installation, through the president or administrator. Along with that, you should also attach a technical report with a cost-effective plan and the design of the installation, taking into account the planned date for the work and the installation scheme, whether it is a charging point connected directly to the meter or connected to a new specific supply point in the car park.

In addition, you should also mention the potential benefits for the owner of your property taking into account the expansion of electric mobility. It would be likely that your HOA accept this proposal as a shared charger could benefit the whole community and could even increase the property’s value.

The good news is that some states and provinces (California, Colorado, Florida, Ontario and Oregon) have implemented the “Right to Charge” law, making it hard for an HOA or condo board to reject a resident’s request to install an EV charging station. If you do not live in any of these states, make sure to find out which regulation or law applies in your city or country.

Above all, it is important to bear in mind that generally you will have to pay for the installation costs and the energy consumed if you are the only one interested in installing the charging point and the community does not accept an economic distribution of the costs.

Next step: choosing the correct charger

Another aspect to consider is the type of charger your electric vehicle needs, because depending on the battery, the range and the number of kilometres you plan to drive per week, you will have to choose different types of chargers. So the next step is to choose the appropriate type and brand of charger:

• Charging point with conventional domestic socket (Schuko)

This is a linked, simple and inexpensive charger, whose plug is usually a Schuko type, which incorporates a safety device and is equivalent to a Level 1 charger and to communication Mode 2.

In this case, we are talking about a charging process that can reach a maximum of 3kW. A clear example would be the Green'Up brand:

• Wallbox charging point

This is a robust and exclusive charger for charging electric vehicles and has a specific sleeve. In Europe it is marketed with the Mennekes connector (Type 2) and both in Asia and America it is marketed with Yazaki (Type 1). This type of charger is equivalent to Level 2 charger and to communication Mode 3. It can reach power ratings of up to 7.5kW.

There are many brands that offer wall chargers, which are the most recommended and safest for user installations. Some examples would be the Wallbox brand itself or others such as Power Electronics, ChargePoint, EVlink, Enel X JuiceBox…

Important! Whatever type of charger and brand you choose, it is preferable for it to be programmable so that you can choose when to charge your electric car and thus take advantage of the hours when the electricity tariff is cheapest.

Last step to install a home EV charger

Once you are clear about the location and type of charging point, you must hire an authorised electrician to comply with the current regulations of your state or region, in relation to electrical installations within the scope of LVD, The Low Voltage Directive (for European citizens) concerning the installation of charging points in garages and homes, applicable to both private and collective users (such as neighbourhoods).

However, nowadays, there are many car dealerships that take care of the entire process in the case of acquiring a new electric car.

And once installed, if you want to go further, you will only need to contract an EV charging stations management system, either to obtain significant data such as the CO2 savings generated by your electric car or to efficiently manage the charges of the entire neighbourhood community (being able to organise at what times they need to charge, at what power…).

So, what are you waiting for?

Which are the charging times and charging station prices?

As for charging times, to give you an idea, let's take the following example: with a Tesla Model 3 with a 75 kWh battery (which offers a range of about 300 miles), supplied with a charging power of 7kW, it would take about 10 hours to fully recharge. In contrast, a Volkswagen e-Golf with a 35.8 kWh battery (offering a range of around 125 miles), supplied with the same charging power, would take around 5 hours to recharge.

However, you should bear in mind that, in order to take optimum care of the battery and not wear it out, it is advisable to charge it up to 80% and only charge it fully when travelling or on long journeys, and it is also advisable to avoid fast chargers or only use them on specific occasions when they are really necessary.

Regarding charging points, the price can range from £100 to £1,000, depending on the type of charging point (conventional or wallbox) and the type of charging offered, as well as its features (programmable, supporting smart charging, etc.).

And as for the price of installing a charging point, it is around £1,000. However, there are many government subsidies for the installation of domestic charging points.

So, charging your EV at home is the most viable and cost-effective option!