EV Level 2 Charging at Home

Did you know that 80% of EV Level 2 charging happens at home?

With more than 80% of EV charging happening at home, Level 2 charging makes it a quick, convenient, and economical way to charge your vehicle at home.

To get started, you’ll need a dedicated 240V circuit to charge your vehicle. You can either use the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) that comes with your car or you may opt for a home charging station.

Determine what charging solution best meets your needs.

If you prefer a faster charging solution, you’ve probably already decided on Level 2 charging for your home. Once you decide to install a Level 2 charging solution at your property, here are additional decisions that you need to make.

What amperage charging solution is best for you?

The higher the amperage & power, the faster your car will charge. For example, if you purchase a new EV with a 65 kWh battery, it will charge in about 8.5 hours with a 32A charger and 6 hours with a 48A charger.

You’ll need to consider how long it will take your car to charge with different amperage chargers and think about what is right for you. Importantly, your car has a maximum acceptance rate that dictates the amount of power it can handle. Unless you want to prepare for future EVs with higher acceptance rates, there is no need to get a charging station that delivers more than your acceptance rate.

Do you want a plug-in charging station or one that is directly wired into your house?

Most charging stations come in two options – plug-in or hardwired. For a plug-in charging station, you’ll need the correct receptacle to accommodate Level 2 charging. Instead of a standard outlet, you’ll need an outlet that accommodates your charging station. For most stations, this is a standard oven outlet (NEMA 14-50) or dryer outlet (NEMA 14-30). As a note, the charging stations with the highest amperage (over 40A) must be hard-wired.

Do you have Level 2 charging equipment with your car?

It’s important to understand what charging capabilities come with your vehicle. All cars come with EVSE that accommodates Level 1 charging, and some come with a dual charging cord that allows Level 2 charging as well. If you have EVSE that accommodates Level 2 charging already, you may not want to invest in a home charging station. Even if you use your vehicle’s Level 2 EVSE, you would still need to add a dedicated 240V circuit to accommodate the Level 2 charging solution.

Complete a site assessment.

Before you order your equipment, you’ll need an electrician to complete a virtual or in-person assessment to determine the complexity of your installation and provide you with an estimate for your job. The cost of the installation varies based on the distance between your electrical panel and your charging location, the space left in your breaker box, and the way the arrangement of your home dictates how the wire will run (e.g., through a crawlspace vs. through the garage). Dominion Energy Solutions can make this process simple by connecting you with high-quality trusted electricians who can conduct an assessment and you can count on to provide you with a fair quote.

Order your charging equipment.

Once you have your installation details and are ready to proceed, it’s time to order the needed charging equipment, if applicable. Dominion Energy Solutions can help order which equipment would be best, and any incentives that may be available.

Complete the home installation.

Now comes the exciting part – get the charging station installed and begin charging at home. Dominion Energy Solutions will install a new breaker in your electrical panel, run circuitry from your panel to your charging location, and install the charging station (hardwired) or correct receptacle (plug-in).