Key takeaways:
- Installing an at-home EV charger is an opportunity to think about your electrification goals.
- By thinking ahead, you can save big on labor and on group electrical upgrades, like installing a new panel or adding more circuits to your home.
- EVPlugz can help you review your whole-home electrification needs and discuss upgrade options.
EV charging is a major electrical load you’re adding to your home. It can represent 30% or even more of your total electricity usage and requires electrical upgrades.
These upgrades are an opportunity to consider electrification and how EV charging fits into a lifestyle that prioritizes it.
What’s Electrification?
Electrification is about replacing old systems with new ones powered by electricity. Adopting an EV is a form of electrification, but the use of electric HVAC solutions (like heat pumps) is also on the rise, along with electric cooking ranges, solar systems, smart home devices and more.
Installing an EV charger in your home is a major step toward electrification. Instead of just planning to power this charger, you should consider electrical upgrades to support future applications, whether it’s a heat pump or more electric appliances in your kitchen.
EV Charging in Whole-Home Electrification
Because EV charging introduces a major electrical load for your home, you’ll typically need a panel upgrade.
Instead of getting a panel that is good enough for EV charging, you can save on long-term upgrades by installing a new panel that aligns with your future electrification plan. This could be a 400-amp panel that can charge two EVs at once or charge your EV while powering a heat pump.
Wiring and circuits are another important consideration. Your EV installer will add a dedicated 240V circuit to power your Level 2 EV charger. While they’re doing electrical work on your home, you can save by having them install another 240V circuit for your kitchen or laundry room if you’re planning to electrify some old appliances. They can also run another dedicated 240V circuit that will power a heat pump in the future.
An installer like EVPlugz can perform a load calculation for your home to determine the best panel upgrade for your needs and recommend where to install new circuits.
Energy Management Systems
There is no need to get a 400-amp panel to charge an EV at home. Many homes do so with a 200-amp panel or even a 100-amp panel, with an energy management solution in place.
There are different ways to manage EV charging, including using a smart charger, prioritizing loads with a smart panel, or adding a load management device to your infrastructure.
Exploring Alternative Power Sources
Once you have an electrical infrastructure designed for electrification, integrating alternative power sources becomes easier. Your home could draw power from the grid, a generator, a battery backup, solar panels, or even your EV if it supports bidirectional charging.
The key is to design a smart infrastructure that can draw power from the right source and adjust loads based on the capacity of the source you’re using at the moment.
For instance, an electrician can add a transfer switch to go from grid power to battery storage when the power goes out. A second switch can draw power from bidirectional EV charging when battery levels get low, while your load management device cuts power to non-essential circuits.
Besides keeping the lights on during outages, this type of smart infrastructure can help you better manage your energy usage so that you’re using less electricity during on-peak hours if you’re on a time-of-use plan.
EVPlugz can advise you on how to build your custom power system and which upgrades you’d need for your home.
Plan Your Electrification Journey With EVPlugz
EVPlugz is a trusted provider of EV charging solutions on the Space Coast. If you’re planning a whole-home electrification project or simply curious about how EV charging can be a first step toward electrification, we can create a custom plan for you.
Give us a call at +1 (321) 549 7002 or contact us online to tell us more about your electrification goals.
FAQ
What is whole-home electrification?
Whole-home electrification means replacing traditional gas or oil-powered systems with electric alternatives, ike EV chargers, heat pumps, and induction ranges, to make your home cleaner and more energy efficient.
Do I need a new electrical panel for EV charging?
Most homes need at least a panel check, and many require an upgrade. A 200- or 400-amp panel can better handle future electrical loads, such as EV charging and heat pumps.
Can I install an EV charger without upgrading my panel?
Sometimes, yes, if you have an energy management system or a smart charger that balances loads. An installer can evaluate your panel capacity and recommend the best option.
How does EV charging fit into home electrification?
Installing an EV charger is often the first big step toward full home electrification, prompting upgrades that make it easier to add other electric systems later.
