How to Charge an Electric Car at Home

A step-by-step guide for charging an electric car at home

written by Steven Ewing^{Director, Editorial Content
Steven Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. In that time, he's written thousands of articles and tested just as many vehicles. Steven is Edmunds' director of editorial content and has previously been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. Steven has also contributed to Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and dozens of other publications. In his spare time, Steven loves to play the drums, cook, and drive his 2000 BMW M Roadster.}
12/26/2023
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If you own an electric car, chances are you'll want to charge your vehicle at home. This might not be an easy solution for renters, or people who live in large apartment or condominium complexes. But for homeowners, having a home charging option is great for making sure your electric car is always fully charged and ready to go when needed.

In this article, we'll go over the basic need-to-know information points for making sure you're able to charge at home. Then we'll go through the easy steps for actually charging your electric car at home.

Am I Ready for an EV?

EV ownership works best if you can charge at home (240V outlet) ^{This typically means a 240V home installation, or other places your car is parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice.}
Adding a home charging system is estimated to cost $1,616 in
^{This is an estimate for your area. Using your address and the answers you provide, Treehouse can provide a more accurate price.}
Edmunds is partnering with Treehouse, an independent provider of home EV installation services. Learn more ^{Edmunds customers receive a 10% installation discount and 4% smart charger discount. Discount excludes permit, hosted inspection, and load management devices. Valid for 30 days.}

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Do you need to install a charger?

If you aren't worried about frequent charging or needing to charge a new electric car with a large battery, you can simply plug your EV into any household 110-volt outlet. However, this will offer the slowest charging rate. For electric cars with small batteries — including plug-in hybrids — you might find this to be a perfectly acceptable solution.

If you want to charge quicker, however, installing a 240-volt — sometimes called Level 2 — charger is key. This will allow your vehicle's battery to replenish at a faster rate of charge. Home EV chargers can cost anywhere from $300 to $800, and installation rates will vary. You can easily use a website like Treehouse.pro to get a free estimate of the costs associated with putting a charger at your house, as well as buying and setting up installation.

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How much charging power do I need?

While a standard household outlet (Level 1) will charge an electric car, a more powerful Level 2 home charger is ideal for replenishing your vehicle's battery at a faster pace. Some homes also have higher-voltage NEMA 14-50 outlets, and there are mobile cords capable of handling this power. No matter which setup you choose, you will want to make sure the charger's cord will reach the outlet on your vehicle based on where you most often park your electric car.

When should I charge my vehicle?

Many vehicles have programs where the car can be set up to charge when strain on the energy grid is lowest, and some home chargers offer software to optimize charging costs as well. For some homeowners, you may find that charging at night is recommended. If your home has solar panels, you might be better off charging during peak daylight hours. A number of variables play into the overall charging cost, which we explain here.

How do I charge an electric car at home?

Once you have a charger installed at your house, charging your electric car is an incredibly simple process. Follow these easy steps to charge your car at home.

1. Park your car and plug in

After parking your vehicle in its desired location, take the connector cable off the home charger and plug it into the outlet on your electric car. You will hear the connector click when it is fully connected to the vehicle. Usually the home charger will have lights or another indicator to let you know it is fully connected and charging correctly.

2. Let your vehicle charge

Once the charger is connected, your electric car will start charging. You can sometimes use the charger — or a smartphone app that controls the charger — to vary the charging speed, or program the charger to run when energy costs are the lowest. Some modern EVs are sold with embedded software where you can set parameters like, "I need to leave for work at 7:30 a.m. and have a 60% state of charge," and optimize the charging accordingly.

3. Unplug your vehicle

Once your car has finished charging, unplug the cord from your vehicle. You may need to hit an unlock button on the car itself to release the charger. Put the cord back on the home charger and enjoy your juiced-up electric car.

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