In just over a decade, all new vehicles sold in Canada will be electric. With this change galloping towards us and the price of gas and carbon taxes regularly rising, more and more people in the GTA and York Region are switching to electrical vehicles (EV). If you are one of them or are considering the change you may have questions about electrical vehicle charging and EV charger installation. Along with switching to an electric vehicle, installing a dedicated charger can bring a number of benefits.
Home Electric Vehicle Chargers
There are two ways to charge your electric vehicle at home.
Level 1 charger, also known as 3-pin plug:
often comes with your EV
uses a standard 120V outlet
Level 2 charger, also known as a 7kW charger:
uses a 240V outlet, which is about equivalent to a clothes dryer or an oven outlet
can be installed by a professional electrician
Both levels of electric vehicle charger will charge your EV; however, there are significant differences between the two that are laid out in the following table.
| Level 1 charger | Level 2 charger |
Average range/hour of charge | 8 KM | 35 KM |
Average charging time | 25-46 hours | 9-15 hours |
Location of plug | Outside or inside; may need to run a cord through a window, door, or doggie door | Wherever you choose, usually inside or outside the garage |
Ease of Use | Cable often needs to run several meters from the car to the outlet | Tethered chargers allow easy storage and shorten the cable distance |
Safety | Not designed to carry heavy loads for extended periods; overheating is common | Designed for heavy and lengthy charging |
Cost | EV charger installation is not required, so there are no electrical upgrade fees | EV charger installation is required; additional electrical upgrades may be needed |
Energy Use | Uses less energy over a long period | Uses more energy in a short period |
Advantages of a Level 2 Home Electric Vehicle Charger
The table above makes clear several advantages of a Level 2 electric vehicle charger.
It allows for safe and fast charging.
It is easy and convenient to use and store.
There is no loss of energy due to passing the charging cable through windows or door.
Benefits of EV Charger Installation
Once you see the advantages that Level 2 electric vehicle chargers have over Level 1 charging, you will surely want to have a dedicated EV charger installed at home. While a Level 2 EV charger requires an initial investment, it can save you money as well.
Since a Level 2 electric vehicle charger requires less time than a Level 1 charger, you can more readily charge your EV out of peak hours.
Since your Level 2 charger will be able to fully charge your EV, you won’t need to use expensive charge points to top up.
Even after the EV charger installation fees, you will still be paying more than 4 times less for electricity than for gas.
EV Charger Installation in the GTA
If you’re ready for your own EV charger, contact Black Forest Electrical for a quote. Our licensed electricians can install a Level 2 home EV charger for as low as $899+HST. We serve homes in Newmarket, Bradford, East Gwillimbury and throughout the GTA with residential electrical services.