Charging Forward

Forget public charging…it’s all about in-home

While everyone’s freaking out about the critical need for public charging stations, the truth is that if you’re thinking about going electric, plan on charging at home.

I’ve personally had an EV for almost 5 months and have yet to charge in public. This surprised me, but the experience has motivated me to debunk the idea that it’s critical for EV ownership. Why? Well, first there’s the full spaces. Then there’s the consistently broken screens. Finally, there’s convenience–or, rather, inconvenience. Instead of making trips to gas stations (and come one, who enjoys that), you simply plug your EV in at home every night, or whenever you need it. Easy peasy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 80% of EV charging is happening in the owner’s garage–so I’m not alone.

Getting a reliable in-garage charger set up may seem a bit intimidating, but don’t let it be–it just takes a little creativity. I first had to buy a universal 120-volt charge cord off the Internet because many manufacturers don’t supply you with one. Then, I literally duct taped my charger to the garage ceiling to get it to the ideal electrical outlet. After a few months, I decided to have my dad (conveniently, an electrician) install a 240-volt outlet closer to the front of my garage. Not only does it look better, but my charging time was cut in half.

I then bought one of the new in-market chargers. It was much quicker, and the one I chose allowed me to alter the amount of amperage flowing into my car (good for avoiding peak electricity rates or overtaxing my home’s electrical box), monitor charging with an app, schedule charge times and keep track of how much I’m paying for electricity. For me, it was the logical step towards setting up my in-garage charging ecosystem for EVs that will charge even quicker than today’s options. Already, I’ve turned amperage up and down based on various test cars’ charging capability. Electricians, permits and inspectors had to get involved and we had to bolt my newest charger to the wall, then sync it with my home’s electrical panel, making the loaded investment around $1,400. Not cheap…but the impact on my EV ownership experience has been monumental.

In sum, let’s not dwell too much on the current inefficiencies of public fast charging. It’s going to get better, but realize that it’s not a dealbreaker. Instead, embrace that most charging happens at home, doing so is a great thing, and it’s only going to get easier as more turnkey, fast in-home chargers show up for us.