I’m looking at EVs or PHEVs and was wondering what I need at home. I know I can charge with a standard 110 outlet, but what about a 220? Would I be able to charge directly from it or do I have to get a charger installed?
Thank you
I’m looking at EVs or PHEVs and was wondering what I need at home. I know I can charge with a standard 110 outlet, but what about a 220? Would I be able to charge directly from it or do I have to get a charger installed?
Thank you
You do not need a 220. However a 110 has its limits. ~3miles of charge per hour (12 hours of charging ~36 miles of range). That is very dependent on outside temperatures. If it gets really cold (below 0F) you will get to a point that the power needed to heat the battery is higher than the current you can draw. Thus, you will get no range increases, no matter how long you are plugged in.
110 is less efficient, loose more in heat, than 220. Finally, I have never seen a 110 outside outlet that is a single run. What I mean is, there will most likely be one to several outlets or appliances on the same circuit. This can lead to trip breakers or overheating.
Now, I currently do not have a 220 outlet so I have been using 110 for over a year. So yes it can be done. I will upgrade to 220 once some renovations are done.
For 220v, you have options. The best is a dedicated level 2 charger. There are many to choose from.
The other option is a 220v outlet that is compatible with your mobile charger. This would be cheaper.
Either way, have an electrician do it. Make sure to tell them it is for constant use. This way the size the wire and breaker correctly!
A receptacle is not necessarily cheaper, because you want a high quality one so it doesn’t burn up like the cheap ones do in EV service, and more importantly, most jurisdictions require a GFCI breaker which adds about $120 to the cost.
Be sure to check on your car’s charging capabilities though. New Tesla Model 3 RWDs, for example, max out at 32A which is what most 240V plugin chargers can do. Hardwired L2 chargers can usually go higher, but if your vehicle doesn’t support the higher amps then the added cost wouldn’t give you any actual benefit.