Learn about electric vehicle charging at home, EV chargers, electric vehicle charge times, costs, and EV charger rebates.
When considering the purchase of an electric vehicle (EV), questions around charging are first to come to mind. This article explains charging your electric vehicle at home, how long it takes to charge an EV, charger options, costs to charge, and EV charger rebates.
Electric Vehicles continue to gain popularity, with more automotive manufacturers releasing all-electric and plug-in hybrid models. You can now find many choices for luxury electric vehicles such as the Porsche Taycan, Mercedes-Benz EQS, Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-PACE, Volvo XC40 Recharge, and the Tesla Model X.
There are also many great options for electric SUVs with the Mustang Mach-e, Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Kona Electric, Tesla Model Y, and Kia Niro EV. Lastly, you can now explore electric sedans and electric pickup truck models, like the Rivian R1T.
Explore the world of electric
with our guide to electric car charging at home.
When you purchase or lease an electric vehicle, you must have a charging set up at your home. For at-home charging, you have two options:
It may sound surprising, but you can plug your electric vehicle into a regular wall outlet to charge the battery. All EVs have an adapter that will plug into your standard wall socket. Level 1 charging is convenient, but it does take a long time to charge the vehicle’s battery. Therefore, regular outlet charging is best when you can leave your car plugged in for several hours or overnight.
Installing a Level 2 charger station is the best way to charge your EV or PHEV at home. A Level 2 charger is installed onto a wall either inside or outside. Most chargers are designed for indoor or outdoor use. If your charger needs to be outside, make sure to pick a station that can withstand weather conditions and changing temperatures. Once you choose your charging station, it is recommended that a licensed electrician installs it.
There are three levels for electric vehicle charging: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Levels 1 and 2 are most common for at-home charging. In comparison, Level 3 chargers or fast chargers are usually found at public charging stations.
The charge times for each level is as follows:
Level 1 (120-volt) Charge Times
Level 2 (240-volt) Charge Times
Level 3 (Fast Chargers) Charge Times
All electric vehicles come with an electrical cord to plug into a wall socket for Level 1 charging. In comparison, Level 2 chargers are separate units. Level 2 charging stations are compact units installed onto your wall by an electrician. Level 2 chargers use a 240-volt outlet, the same outlets used for ovens and dryers. The price for Level 2 chargers ranges from $700 to $1,000 and has a cable length of 15 to 20 feet.
When choosing your Level 2 charging station, here are the factors that you need to consider:
Electric vehicles can cost more to purchase, but you save money over the length of ownership compared to owning a gas-powered car. EVs have a lower cost of ownership due to the limited maintenance and servicing costs, provincial and federal incentive programs, and no fuel costs. Therefore, EVs and PHEVs may have a higher sticker price but cost less to own overall.
One of the ways that owners of electric vehicles save money is by never having to pay for gas again. The best resource to calculate how much it would cost to charge your EV or PHEV is CAA Driving Costs Calculator. This calculator allows you to compare driving costs of gas, hybrid, and electric vehicles.
For example, let's say you have a 2021 Hyundai Kona EV that you drive 10,000km per year. You would spend approximately $239.13 per year on electricity to charge your vehicle.
In comparison, a gas-powered 2021 Hyundai Kona that you drive 10,000km per year would cost you roughly $1,234.28 per year in fuel costs.
Keep in mind that you may only end up doing 80% of your charging at home. The other 20% could happen at public charging stations that are usually free.
As the movement towards going electric continues to gain momentum, the federal and provincial governments are offering incentives to purchase or lease electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Some provinces also offer rebates for purchasing and installing EV charging stations for single-family homes, apartment and condo buildings, and office buildings.
EV charger incentive amounts vary by province. And not every province offers incentives for EV charging stations. British Columbia, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories offer monetary incentives, while Manitoba and Nova Scotia provide a financing option. Additionally, some individual cities offer EV charging rebates or financing options.
To learn more about EV charger incentives and financing options by province and city, check out our article on what provinces offer EV charger rebates.
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