Congratulations! You are buying an electric car. If you are already thinking about charging at home, it is a wise move. Ninety percent or more of electric car owners we surveyed said that they almost only charge at home.

Before we go too far, please note that EV chargers are sometimes called EVSE (Electric Vehicle Power Supply Equipment). We call it a charger here, because this is what most electric car owners and people who make home chargers say when they mention the idea of ​​a travel wall that can help you charge your electric car.

Here are the things you need to do to get your home charger up and running.

Related story: Everything you need to know about D​​​​​​​​​ . I am very lucky that I already have a 20 amp 230 V service line and socket at home. Therefore, I bought a cheap charger for $199 on Amazon, which can provide about 10 miles of range on the charger. As an electric car tester who owns three ICE cars, I am happy to take me wherever I want to go. If you are buying a pure electric car, you may want to get a faster setup.

Realize that as the charging capacity of electric vehicles increases, the speed at which they can swallow electrons is also increasing. A good example; Tesla recommends a 60-amp circuit. The new Ford F-150 EV truck will be equipped with Ford's wall charger with a current of 80 amps. Therefore, we recommend that you install circuit breakers, service lines and endpoints (sockets or junction boxes) for your charger, which is beyond what you think today.

Related story: These are the three most stupid electric car questions raised by car owners

Step Two-Planning for two electric cars If your family is set up in a two-car garage or in a driveway that can accommodate multiple cars, please consider installing two lines on your circuit breaker. You may not need two electric cars now, but you may need them in the future, or the person you end up selling your house to may have two electric cars.

Step 3-Your panel may need to be upgraded. If you add a new high current circuit, the panel of the circuit distribution on your property, that is, the service panel, may need to be updated or changed.​​​ Many (very many) electric car owners in the electric car club report that this is the most expensive part of getting a home electric car charger setup. The cost of a new service panel with a capacity of 200 amps can be as high as $5,000 or more. No one wants to admit that electric car chargers consume more power than anything else in the house. Or the electric car you use every day may double your energy use. Both are true.

The charger budget is at the top of the panel, and you need to run the wiring for the new EV charger. Then there is the cost of the charger itself, ranging from a minimum of US$200 to a maximum of US$1,000. Most decent electric car chargers, such as Tesla's wall chargers, cost about $500. However, adding Tesla accessories to the charger, such as a base and wiring kit, costs close to $1,000.

Call an electrician-The plan allows you to use Google or other trusted sources to find and read reviews from electricians who can safely, professionally, and obtain building permits. Most municipalities in the United States require that any new socket installation be approved. The permit is not expensive, and you can hire a second electrician to check the installation to make sure it complies with the specifications, which is part of the fee charged to you by your town. Remember, the electrician does not need to know which car you have chosen. She just needs to know the amperage line you need to power it and where you want it to be on the property.

Which charger you choose to buy a charger depends on whether you want to charge indoors or outdoors. Find the UL list of the product of your choice. The charger can also be plugged in or hard wired into place. Which effect is best depends on your situation.

Which charger is right for you is beyond the scope of a quick article, but here is a good starting point. We strongly recommend that you read the reviews of the products you plan to buy. One last tip; many experts say that smart chargers are the only way out. These chargers enable you to arrange charging with your electricity supplier. If we are shopping, it will be something we will observe carefully.

Paying for your charger Many car manufacturers, including now General Motors, want to help you pay for the charger setup. Your electricity supplier may also want to help. Why not say "yes"? Find a way to get help paying for the charger. Coverage or partial coverage of costs is very common.

If you have installed an EV charger that satisfies you, or a charger that has taught you some lessons, please share what you have learned below. You can help other electric car owners make more informed decisions.

John Goreham is a long-term member and rehabilitation engineer of the New England Automotive Press Association. John's interest in electric vehicles can be traced back to 1990, when he designed a thermal control system for electric vehicle batteries as part of an academic team. After earning a degree in mechanical engineering, John completed a marketing course at Northeastern University and worked in auto parts manufacturers, the semiconductor industry, and biotechnology. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in dozens of American newspapers and provided reviews for many car shopping websites. You can follow John on TikTok @ToknCars and Twitter, and check his credentials on Linkedin