If you are buying your first electric vehicle or still using a charging station to charge your car, home charging must come across your mind. Even though home charging will take more time to charge your car, it also can save you some money and a slower charging rate can be good for your car's battery. So purchasing a home charger can be a better choice in the long run. If you are confused during this process, this article may help you. We will explain how to choose the right home EV charger for you.
What do you need to consider when selecting an EV charger?
1. Charging speed
Charging speed is a key factor to consider when getting a new home EV charger. You need to know how much power you need for your daily driving which will affects how quick you need the charging process to be. Home EV charging units can range 3kW to 22kW, and the higher their power range, the faster they can charge your vehicle. And sometimes, the charging speed may be limited by your vehicles. So you also need to know the maximum power your EV battery can take in.
2. Connecter Type
Each manufacturer may develop a different type of connecter. So you also need to pay attention to the connecter and the plug type you use at home. Below shows a visual summary of the eletric vehicle connectors that are currently used in the market.
3. Unique features
Smart EV chargers come with apps and allow the owner to do things like review charging sessions, monitor real-time charging, start/stop a charging session, schedule charging, set up reminders to plug in, and more. Dumb chargers don’t have the ability to do anything but charge your EV, which is all that some EV owners want from their charger. Dumb chargers do stop when the battery if full.
4. Location
One thing to consider is the length of the cable and whether it will reach all the way to your vehicle. If you can't park right next to an outlet or permanent charger, choose a charger with an extended cable or buy an extension cord. If you need to charge outdoors, be sure to buy a waterproof charger that can withstand a variety of weather conditions. Attempt to keep it close to your electrical panel as this saves you money on conduit costs for hardline chargers.
