Installing an Electric Vehicle Charging Station at Home

While there is an ever-growing network of EV charging stations in the Warwick area, home charging will still probably be your primary method for keeping your MINI Cooper Electric Hardtop 2 Door charged up. The good news is that installing an electric vehicle charging station at home is a relatively easy task. This guide from the team at MINI of Warwick will walk you through how to prepare your Providence, RI-area home for an electric vehicle. If you run into any problems or if you have any questions about electric car charging at home, please don’t hesitate to contact us. 

1. Decide on a Charging Type (AKA Charging Level)

The first thing you need to do to get ready for electric car charging at home is to determine what type of EV charger to install. Home car charging systems are typically available in two levels: 

• Level 1 EV charging often takes days to fully charge an electric car. 
• Level 2 EV charging often takes several hours to fully charge an electric car. You can often get between 60-200 miles of range in just 20-30 minutes with Level 2 DC charging, though. For this reason, most people intermix daytime “top-off” charging with overnight charging.

2. Ready Your Garage

To prepare your home for an electric vehicle you should clean and organize your garage. You’ll want to have space for your home charger and room to walk around the vehicle as needed. The compact size of a MINI Electric should make this an easy task. 

3. Find Your Power Panel & Assess Consumption

The power panel in your home distributes electricity throughout the entire building. It should be rated for a maximum amount of current flow measured in Amperes. Most new homes come with a 100 Amp power panel, but you should check the amperage rating printed on your main circuit breaker.

Before installing an electric vehicle charging station at home, you’ll want to get a handle on how much electrical energy you consistently use. You do not want to overload your electric distribution panel.

4. Hire an Electrician

A certified electrician can help assess your power consumption and install a dedicated 240-volt outlet in your garage with a hardwired circuit back to the power panel. This usually costs a couple hundred dollars in the Cranston, RI and Newport, RI area, but could be up to $1,000 or $3,000 if your power panel requires upgrading. 

5. Buy Your Charger & Have it Installed

Once you have determined what type of EV charger will work best for you, purchase it and arrange to have it professionally installed by your electrician. Installing an electric vehicle charging station at home should only take a few hours.

Learn More About Electric Car Charging at Home 

The team at MINI of Warwick will be happy to fill you in on all you need to know about electric car charging at home and provide you with details regarding:

• The benefits of electric cars
• The new MINI Electric vehicle lineup
• The MINI Cooper Electric range
• Electric car battery life expectancy
• And more!

If you have additional questions or concerns about how to prepare your home for an electric vehicle, feel free to give us a call at (877) 361-3387.