EVs are seemingly everywhere now. However, it wasn't uncommon a while back to go days without seeing an EV, but now the EV craze is making EV sightings more common than ever. With this explosion of EVs, many people ask themselves if they should buy one.

The great news is that buying an EV is simple, especially the charging aspect, which many people are reluctant about. Still, many people wonder how you can charge your EV at home and what steps are required to up the ante and charge your EV in a faster manner from home as well.

What Is EV Charging?

Electric vehicles run off of electricity that powers their electric motor. In contrast to gasoline-powered cars, you can charge your vehicle at home and never have to worry about refueling pit stops (especially if your commute is local). An EVs lithium-ion battery pack allows the vehicle to store power, which is later used to power the electric motor (or motors in the case of vehicles like the amazing feature-packed Rivian R1T).

Electric vehicle charging is quite simple. At the core of it, you're basically getting power from your home's grid and supplying it to your vehicle via a cable. Of course, charging times vary, depending on the type of outlet you're using. But the great thing is that EVs include a basic 120V charging cable that you can connect to your conventional outlets at home and get charging immediately.

Level 1 Home Charging

charcoal colored ev charging

Depending on your needs, you might need to make some modifications to your home, or you might simply be able to use the supplied 120-volt cable to charge your car without any additional work. EV manufacturers already supply a cable to charge your vehicle, so why not try this out before modifying your home.

The supplied 120V charging adapter is known as an L1 (level 1) charger. This adapter will charge your vehicle using your home's standard 120V infrastructure and can recharge your vehicle at a rate of approximately five miles of range per hour of charging.

This doesn't sound like much, but you can recuperate about 50 miles of range if you leave your car charging overnight. If your commute is less than 50 miles per day, then you really don't require an L2 charger, which is great news. Charging a lithium-ion battery to 100% constantly isn't the best for its battery life, so using the L1 charger overnight also ensures you can protect your battery long-term.

Not only this, it can't be overstated how convenient it is to have a charging solution for your vehicle that you simply plug into a conventional outlet and can immediately begin charging your car. It truly is plug-and-play. The fact that most EVs allow you to program when your vehicle begins charging is also a huge advantage because you can schedule your vehicle's charging to begin at the cheapest rate hours on your local grid.

Level 2 Home Charging

electric vehicle charging point

On the other hand, if you need to charge your vehicle faster due to a more demanding daily commute, the answer is an L2 (level 2) home charger install. The L2 system actually uses 240V power, and as an example of how fast it can charge your vehicle, Enel X Way says their JuiceBox charging stations can add anywhere from 12 to 60 miles of driving range per hour. L2 chargers can also be found for public use, and if you're lucky, you might be able to charge your EV for free.

Even at the minimum end of the range, this is way faster than the conventional L1 charger and can top your vehicle off to 100% during the same timeframe an L1 charger would fail to do so. However, the installation procedure for an L2 charger and charging station for your home is more involved, and it's recommended that you consult an electrical professional in your area, so they can inspect your home and determine the necessary installation procedures.

If you already have a 240V outlet (the same type of outlet your washing machine plugs into) in your garage, then you likely have almost everything you need. Regardless, it is still recommended that you talk to a professional, so they can let you know if it's safe to install the L2 charger and run it off of your home electrical infrastructure.

If you don't have a 240V outlet at the ready, an electrician will need to modify your electrical system and install an outlet that supports 240V, so the charging station can plug into it. There are also charging stations that can be hardwired into your home electrical system instead of simply plugged into a 240V outlet. These hardwired stations are sometimes mandated if you install them outside.

Even though L2 chargers are not a necessity, many people will decide to install them for peace of mind. It's a great feature to have, even if you don't use it every day. An ideal scenario for one of these L2 chargers is in preparation for a long road trip. You can simply charge your vehicle overnight and be ready for the road with 100% battery. After you leave home, you can schedule your trip through a charging app like ChargePoint and plan accordingly to see where you want to make charging pit stops.

L2 Chargers Will Become the Norm for Home EV Charging

As more and more EVs are sold, the dilemma of installing an L2 charger in your home will slowly become a problem of the past. EVs will be standard fare transportation in a few years, and most new homes will be constructed with electric vehicles in mind.

It's not farfetched to imagine most new homes will include L2 charging infrastructure, or perhaps even L3 charging in luxury homes. A good way to increase the market value of an older home is to implement EV-friendly electrical infrastructure in your home, and adding an L2 charger is a great start.