Everything You Need To Know Before Buying An Electric Vehicle
Do you need EV charger installation in Columbus Ohio?
As more and more vehicle owners transition from gas-powered cars and trucks to their electrical counterparts, there is equally a growing need for EV charger installation across Central Ohio. Each vehicle owner who makes the switch to an EV has a choice to make: where will they shop, especially if they have a long drive home or lack a home charger.
And for those lacking a home charger, is this something that can be easily fixed? Sure, Superchargers are more common in our area than perhaps in more rural parts of Ohio. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could simply plug your car in overnight, charging it while you sleep?
Yoder Electric can help with commercial and residential EV charger installation
Regardless of who you are, our team has helped hundreds of customers across our region with their EV charging needs. This includes setting up chargers in home garages, large parking areas, and smaller lots. Of course, before a customer makes the decision to install an EV charger, there are a few steps involved to do it the right way.
EV charger installation steps
The easiest way to install an EV charger is to work with a licensed electrician. EV charger installation starts with having the right type of amperage. As there are two primary types of EV chargers, each has its own power needs. After contacting an electrician, you’ll need to select your ideal location and talk with them to decide if it’s the right spot for your charger. As this step applies to both residential and commercial customers, this means it can be as simple as hanging the charger on the right wall in your home garage or selecting a parking spot conducive to increasing customer traffic.
After approving the right spot, your licensed electrician will then evaluate your power situation, letting you know if it will require additional lines to be run, whether any type of trenching and backfilling will be necessary, and if there are any special requirements for the unit you’ve selected.
Finally, they’ll begin the EV charger installation. Each project should conclude with the area looking pristine, almost as if the EV charger has always been there. That’s the mark of a true expert.
And, is(,) by the way, also the level of service we provide to every customer who needs an EV charger installed at their home or business.
The cost of EV Charger installation
As with any other electrical project, costs can vary. These factors include what changes will need to be made to the existing infrastructure, the type of unit you’re installing, and if you’re adding multiple spots or just a single charger. That’s why we encourage all of our customers to contact us so that we can provide them with an accurate quote that takes into consideration all factors. Uploading pictures can help, and our team offers no-obligation/no-contract estimates for all EV charger installation projects.
What is a Level 1 charging station?
Engineers designed a Level 1 charging station to charge your electric car’s battery at the same rate that it would be drained when you’re driving. This type of charging is also called “trickle charging” because it happens at a slow rate. Do you remember those smaller, 5W charging bricks Apple used to provide with iPhone sales? That’s a good way of picturing the charge level that you will get with a Level 1 charging station. It will get the job done, but at a much slower rate than the newer 30W charger. A Level 1 charger typically uses a standard 120-volt outlet. This means that it can take hours to fully charge an electric car. A Level 1 charger is typically installed inside your garage, allowing you to plug it into an outlet there.
Of special note: a Level 1 charging station is not designed for daily usage. We’ll repeat that to be clear: a Level 1 charger is meant for occasional charging, like when you plan to drive a long distance and want to take an electric car.
Practically speaking, and depending on the size of your battery, It can take up to 10 hours to fully charge a car with a partially drained battery. If your battery is at a low level, a Level 1 charger can take even longer (up to 50 hours).
However, you may work from home for the majority of the week, so a Level 1 charger will fit your needs just fine.
If so, and you plan to use it, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- Your outlet must be at least 1 foot above the ground
- Your breaker box will need enough circuits to install a Level 1 charger
- The installation will require a 120-volt outlet near the car, and
- Finally, before charging, make sure the outlet isn’t turned off
What is a Level 2 charging station?
A Level 2 charger runs off 240 volts and is wired directly into your home’s electrical system and is the most effective way to charge your car quickly.
The biggest difference here is that a Level 2 charger is meant for daily charging. For those who drive to the office each day or run the kids back and forth to school, you will want to go directly to a Level 2 charger when choosing your EV charging station installation. (It can fully charge an electric car within 4-10 hours, so you can plug it in at night and be ready to go the next day.)
As with a Level 1 charger, you’ll need a licensed electrician to do it properly. They will then make sure it’s connected to the right circuits in your breaker box. You’ll also need to have a 240-volt outlet installed near the car. This is where your Level 2 charger will plug into.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Services F.A.Q.
Imagine you’re a forward-thinking home buyer looking for your first (or next) place to live. While you may not have purchased an EV yet, it’s something you’ve been thinking about for a long time. When walking through a home, you notice that it already has a built-in EV charger in the garage. Suddenly, the home becomes more valuable, even if the actual price of adding an EV charger to a garage is relatively low-cost (compared to other home upgrades). It’s a powerful selling tool, so yes an EV charger is an excellent investment for your home. Whether you’re preparing to sell your property or getting ready to buy your first EV, installing a charger today will provide untold benefits later.
Does Ohio get snow during the winter? Of course it does! Likewise, investing in EV charging stations for your business is an excellent way to draw in more business. Think about out-of-town drivers, such as someone from Lima or Youngstown making a day trip to Columbus to go shopping. Mileage-wise, both groups will drive more miles in a single trip that an entry-level EV can charge. While places like Polaris and Easton may have a few EV chargers in their parking garages, not everyone from out of town can charge at the same time. If your business offers EV chargers on-site, it makes it far more likely they’ll visit your locale because of the ease of access. In other words, an EV charging station in your parking lot can boost foot traffic to your establishment.
For decades, vehicle owners have been keenly aware of the cost of refiling their car or truck. $4 per gallon times 20 gallons equals $80 per fill-up. Does the same formula work for charging an EV? To answer this, we need to talk about power consumption. The cost to charge an EV will differ based on where you live, your current power consumption, and the type of charger you install. However, in the long run, an average charge can save you money. How so, exactly? The typical rate to charge an EV (at home) from zero to full is between $50 to $100 ($5 to $10), depending on your battery capacity and power consumption. Compare this to the typical fill-up at gasoline rates, and you’ll quickly see how an EV charger installation can save money!
In a word, yes! EV chargers allow customers to easily access your place of business, build healthy customer relationships, and demonstrate your commitment to sustainability. Everyone’s heads turn when they see one of the newer EVs drive up next to them along the highway. Electric vehicles have entered the public consciousness, and as more and more businesses support this initiative, it will only grow in popularity within customer expectations. To look at it another way, 10 years ago no one cared about tap-to-pay functionality. Today, some customers won’t even visit a retailer unless they offer it. EV charging stations are the next step in this customer expectation process.
We highly encourage you to do so! As you’re installing your EV charger, post about it on your social media. Use it in your advertisements. When performing Pay Per Click campaigns, target demographics that reflect the behavior of a typical EV owner. Marketing is how you get the word out about your business, and when you add EV charger availability to your marketing messages, it communicates a ton about your business and its commitment to helping our planet overcome environmental issues.
For homeowners looking to install an EV charging station in their garage, there are two types of charging stations. We’ll talk more about these in more detail shortly, but essentially they are known as “Level 1” and “Level 2” charging stations. The primary difference is the rate at which they charge your vehicle. Based on your typical driving behavior, you may elect one over the other.
Although we hesitate to say yes or no, we’re confident that we can figure out a way to make just about any garage setup work. Be sure to contact us and send us photos to get a full estimate on your EV charger installation. Considerations for a home-based EV charger installation Home-based charging installations have a variety of factors to consider, but the most important one is whether you’ll need a Level 1 or a Level 2 charger. As we mentioned, the primary difference is the rate with which the charger provides electricity to your EV. Is one better than the other? It depends on your needs. Let’s break them down individually.
Which is better for my home?
When deciding which type of EV charger is right for your home, it will essentially boil down to your usage. How often do you drive? How far do you drive when you leave your home? Do you run a lot of errands, work from home, or have kids with extensive commute needs (we’re looking at you high school sports parents)?
Generally speaking, we would recommend that most homeowners choose a Level 2 charger. Even if you primarily work from home, and even if you homeschool your kids, nothing beats the convenience of being able to pull out of your garage early in the morning with a full battery. Depending on when you last drove your EV, a Level 1 charger may not provide you with the battery expectations or needs that you require.