Adding an Electric Vehicle Charger?

If you’re thinking of buying an electric vehicle, what does it take to add a Level 2 EV charger at home? It’s an important question to think about before you bring the car home.

Long story short, how easy (aka cheap) it is to add an EV charger depends on the size and age of your electrical system.

If you have a modern, properly sized system, then you’ll look to spend about $1500-$2000 to purchase a charger and have an electrician install it where it makes sense for your charging needs. If you live in Seattle, then you may qualify for rebates from the city on these costs.

But, if the electrical service to your home is undersized, then you need to work with the city to increase your service (size of wires from the city pole to your home) and then with an electrician to install a new electrical panel. This can be anywhere from $3000-$4000. And that’s all before you actually install the EV charger.

With more EV options and efforts to reduce carbon emissions, I think we all should be looking ahead.