A Level 2 home charger adds 25–40 miles of range per hour of charging — but only if your panel can feed it and the circuit is done right. Here's how a proper install works.
The charger itself runs a few hundred dollars; the install depends on distance from panel to charger, whether your panel has space and capacity, and whether the service needs upgrading. A charger 10 feet from a 200A panel with open spaces is a straightforward job. A charger 80 feet away through a finished basement on a maxed-out 100A panel is a project.
I quote EV installs free — send photos of your panel (door open, labels visible) and where you want the charger, and I'll give you a real number. If the panel can't handle it, I'll tell you that too, with options.
You can — it adds roughly 3–5 miles of range per hour. Fine for short commutes, painful for anything more. Most owners upgrade to Level 2 within months.
It adds usage, obviously — but at residential rates it's far cheaper per mile than gas. My $99 Energy Hog Hunt can also find what's already wasting power in your home to offset it.
Not always. A proper load calculation decides. If you're already tripping breakers, though, the charger conversation starts with the panel — see my panel upgrade guide.