What is the difference between a Level 1 & Level 2 EV Charger?
Level 1 is using a standard 120-volt electrical outlet that you will find in your garage. This limits you to 3-5 miles of charging per hour and is the slowest charging option.
Level 2 is charging with a 240-volt circuit. This requires professional installation of either a NEMA 14-50 outlet or a hardwired charging station. This increasing your charging rate significantly so you can easily recharge your vehicle overnight. This is your fastest charging option within your home.
Which Level 2 charger should I buy?
There are several charger manufacturers that we highly recommend based on reliability, quality, and pricing.
For Tesla Users- We highly recommend a Tesla Wall Connector, or Tesla Mobile Connector (240V)
For Non-Tesla Users- We highly recommend Chargepoint, Juicebox, or Wallbox chargers.
How much will my Level 2 charger installation cost?
Most standard installations range from $899 to $1,700. This does not include the actual price of a Level 2 charger (about $500 to $800 depending on the model).
The standard installation includes all permits, inspections, labor, materials and expertise needed to add a dedicated circuit and either install a NEMA 14-50 electrical outlet, or hardwire your charging station and mount it on your wall.
The majority of homes in our area qualify for a standard installation, which just means that your garage must be attached to the home and your electrical panel must have:
• Adequate power to handle the load of the new charging station
• Enough physical space to accommodate the new circuit breaker
If your home does not meet these requirements, we can absolutely provide you with different solutions so you can still enjoy the benefits of a Level 2 charger in your home.
I thought you said it was FREE??
Time for the good news! It absolutely can be free. Duke Energy has recently started a very new program to encourage all households to become EV ready. What that means, is they are providing customers a very generous rebate up to $1,117 for electrical upgrades associated with EV chargers.
Since most of our Level 2 charger installations fall below this rebate amount, you can have your new Level 2 charger installed for free.
The main requirements for the rebate program are:
-Installation must be done by a Licensed electrical contractor (we are)
-Installation must be permitted within your town (we will file the permits for you)
-Installation must be inspected by your town inspector (we will meet the inspector for you)
-Detailed invoice & inspection form must be provided (we will provide them to you)
We will provide you with all of this so all you have to do is fill out the online rebate application through Duke Energy. Once they have everything, they will credit you for the total amount up to $1,117.
For more details on this offer, visit Duke Energy:
https://www.duke-energy.com/home/products/ev-complete/charger-prep-credit
Do I need a permit?
100%. Not only is a permit required for the completion of a Level 2 charger, but it is in your best interest to have one.
Safety - Permitting allows you to have a final inspection performed by a town electrical inspector to ensure your installation is safe and installed properly.
Insurance - An improperly installed Level 2 charger can be a major fire & safety risk. Having a permit & inspection not only lessens that risk, but it also protects you in the event of an unforeseen accident related to the EV charger. If a claim is ever filed, your insurance company would likely request proof that everything was installed properly.
We simplify the whole installation by handling the permitting and inspection process for you.
How long will my installation take?
For reference, our standard installations are typically completed within 3 hours. That means you can start charging your vehicle as soon as we are done cleaning up!
Will there be any power interruptions during the installation?
Almost all of our standard Level 2 installations can be performed with zero interruptions to you. We understand that more and more people are working from home, so we go above and beyond to make sure your full electrical system remains uninterrupted during installation.
Everything sounds great, but how do we get the installation process started?
We have a very simple process to get started. We will start with a brief phone call where we can answer any additional questions you might have. We will also ask you a few basic questions (type of car, where you plan to park, electrical panel location, etc). We will also request one or two general photos to help us assess your electrical system.
We will then put together a quote for you once we have all the information we need. After receiving your approval, we will file all associated permits & inspections, then contact you to schedule your installation date & time.