Years ago, people wondered about what would happen to gas stations if everyone switched to electric cars. Some people thought every gas station would simply become an electric vehicle charging station. Some thought there would be magical batteries that last forever. Some people never believed it would be so easy for people to own electric vehicles at all.
Recharge options have proliferated over the years and especially here in Santa Rosa. Electric vehicle technology has evolved and the number of people who own electric cars has increased greatly. From an increased number of public EV charging stations in Santa Rosa to the at-home electric vehicle charging station, you now have better options than ever for powering up.
Why you need to set up a special electric vehicle charging station at home
Today’s electric car can be refueled, so to speak, right at home without any special equipment. The only problem is how relatively slowly your vehicle’s battery will charge when plugged into a regular power outlet. The typical 120-volt power outlet can recharge most electric car batteries but only provides enough juice to charge at a rate of 2 to 5 miles per hour plugged in.
For some people, some of the time, 120-volt charging works well enough. For most people, it makes more sense to set up an electric vehicle charging station at home. Let’s say you live in Marin County or Sonoma County and commute to another part of the San Francisco area. A full night’s charge can get you to work in the morning, but you don’t have enough power to drive around, going about your life, without feeling anxious about being about to recharge before your battery runs out.
For hybrids, you want to avoid turning over to gasoline as much as possible. For a fully electric engine, you certainly want to have peace of mind about always having enough battery life.
In short, for the best performance and reliable battery power, you need an electric vehicle charging station at home or in your community.
EV charging station options
With the overwhelming trend toward electric vehicles, especially in California, it makes sense for homeowners and communities to invest a little in an electric vehicle charging station solution. There are essentially two easy fixes:
- A 240-volt vs 120-volt outlet at home. By adding a higher voltage power outlet inside your garage or wherever you park your car, you can plug in our electric vehicle and recharge significantly faster. The 240-volt outlet powers up current vehicle batteries at a rate of about 10 to 20 miles per hour plugged in. The specific numbers can vary depending on your vehicle and battery type, but the 240-volt outlet will always be much faster than the 120-volt.
- An electric vehicle charging station in your community. Homeowners’ groups and apartment complexes can install a special electric vehicle charging station to power many cars in one central location. If this might work for you and your neighbors, it’s worth looking into. California even passed a law that helps prevent homeowners’ associations from blocking the installation of community charging stations.
You can also find an increasing number of charging stations around Marin and Sonoma counties and throughout California. We’re definitely moving toward more and better options for charging our electric vehicles, including public stations that work like gas stations as well as faster options for at-home charging stations.
Get in touch to find out about what you can do to set up an at-home electric vehicle charging station so you stay powered up and ready to drive.
