Real estate
BY GRACE DICKENS
What to know before installing an electric vehicle charger
Charging ports Level 1 and Level 2 options for charging ports are available for residential homes.
Level 1
Level 2
Voltage
120 volts
240 volts
Plug-in hybrid vehicle charge time from empty All-electric vehicle charge time from empty
With at least 840 public charging stations avail- able across the Austin metro per the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy, Magnify Electric president James Dougherty in Spicewood said the convenience of home charging is a major draw for installing electric vehicle chargers in homes. Magnify Electric services the Central Texas area. Dougherty shared with Community Impact what goes into the EV charger installation process and what homeowners need to know. What does the electric vehicle charger installation process involve? It starts with ... a brief phone consultation just to kind of understand the needs of the customer and the layout of the home. And then, a visit to the home so we can ... determine if any changes need to be made to the system. What factors should homeowners take into account when considering one? They want to think about what kind of vehicle they’re purchasing, whether it’s a hybrid or fully electric. They want to think about the different levels of chargers ... and if their electric system can handle the additional load. Is there a difference between attached and detached garages? The determining factor typically is where your main electrical panel is located in the home in relation to where you want your EV charging unit installed.
5-6 hours
1-2 hours
40-50 hours
4-10 hours
Electric range per hour of charging
2-5 miles
10-20 miles
Many homes are able to support this through an existing outlet
Many homes need a qualified electrician to install a higher voltage outlet
Installation process
JAMES DOUGHERTY
How much does it cost to install? We’ve done installs as low as just installing a 240V outlet, as low as a few hundred dollars, all the way up to full panel upgrades with multi-unit installs for multiple thousands of dollars. ... I would say on average it’s $2,500. How long does the installation process take? The install process can be done in 1-2 days depending on the intensity of the work. ... Permit- ting can drag it out several weeks. How can homeowners find a reputable installer? The best thing to do is to make sure they are ask- ing for electrical contractors that are insured and licensed. They are verifying they have performed EV installations before.
SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
71
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22503 Hwy. 71, Spicewood www.magnifyelectric.com
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .
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