If you own an electric vehicle or are considering buying one, you might be wondering what it costs to have an EV charger installed. As a Texas resident, it’s important to understand what goes into EV charger installation costs and what you can expect to pay.
If you’re used to charging at charging stations, imagine how convenient it would be to have your own charging source at home. The same is true for many businesses in Texas. Business owners are finding that their employees could benefit from having EV chargers at work.
Whatever the case may be, you need to know precisely how much you can expect to pay for an electric vehicle charger so that you can plan accordingly.
Before we explore EV charger installation pricing in Texas, let’s first discuss electric vehicles in a little more detail so that we’re all on the same page.
What Exactly Are EVs?
The most basic definition of EVs (electric vehicles) is that they are automobiles that use electricity rather than gas or diesel. While this is true, there are actually other factors that come into play.
Instead of using a combustion engine like those found in conventional vehicles, EVs use electric-powered motors. However, there are some models of EV that use a combination of both electric motors and gas-powered engines.
These are known as “hybrids.” The great thing about any type of EV you go with is that they use far less gas than their traditional gas-powered counterparts. And in doing so, you can look forward to saving an exponential amount of money annually on fuel costs.
This is a big deal, and one that usually serves as the tipping point for many drivers to make the switch from gas to electric. In fact, the average EV owner will save between $3,000 and $10,000 over the course of owning their electric car.
Although that’s a pretty big difference, it’s important to remember that some EVs use both electricity and gas while others solely use electricity. It also makes a difference depending on the make and model of your EV.
Types of EVs
There are three different types of electric vehicles. Depending on your driving frequency, one version may be more suitable to you than others.
BEVs
BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) run on an electric battery. These models benefit from fast charging and lack any combustion engine components. If you want an all-electric vehicle, this is the type for you.
HEVs
HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles) use a combination of an electric motor and gas-powered engines. All vehicle energy comes from gas fuel. This EV type will help offset your fuel costs by a wide margin, saving you money and improving gas mileage at the same time.
PHEVs
PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles) are like HEVs. However, you’ll find both a gas tank and a charging port on HEVs. What’s more, if you use up all of the electrical charges, the vehicle will automatically switch to the gas engine, ensuring continuous driving.
You’ll want to think about your daily driving needs to help you better determine which type of EV is right for you. While each type will save you on monthly fuel expenses, some do so better than others.
Research different EV manufacturers and the models they offer to find out which one offers the best savings in its class.
The Birth of EVs
The first electric vehicle was invented back in the mid-to-late 1800s. So while electric cars aren’t technically anything new, the technology that powers modern EV is. Today’s EVs are capable of doing things that were once seen as science fiction.
Even by the time the historic Model T came out, the price for an electric car was infinitely higher. Adjusted for inflation, a new Model T would cost you about $17,000 in today’s money.
An electric car, however, cost about $45,000. It’s interesting to note, that figure isn’t too far from what EVs cost today. The average cost for an EV today is around $55,000. While that may seem like a lot of money – and it is – you have to remember how much money you’re going to save.
Since the average EV owner saves between $800 and $1,000 in annual fuel costs, you could save more or less depending on how much driving you do. If all you do is travel, you’re going to benefit significantly by investing in an EV.
Given that EVs are still pretty expensive automobiles, it makes sense that you’d want to take advantage of any incentives that are available to you. By choosing to install your own charging station at home, you can avoid commercial charging stations and the fees that they entail.
Read on to find out how much these commercial stations typically cost and the savings you can look forward to by installing your very own EV charger.
What Are EV Chargers?
At present, there are approximately 100,000 EV charging stations in the United States. Texas alone is home to nearly 1,000 of these stations. However, most EV owners charge from home rather than using commercial charging stations.
In fact, 80% of all EV owners in the United States opt for charging at home. It makes sense, then, that you’d want to consider doing the same. In doing so, you can look forward to saving both time and money.
If you were to fully charge your EV’s battery at a commercial charging station, you’re going to pay an average of $11. Why do this when you can provide your own charging source in the comfort and convenience of your home?
Installing an EV Charger in Texas
So, you’ve decided that you want your own EV charger at home or for your business. While you can always use what is known as a “Level 1” charger and charge your EV at home via a 120-volt outlet, this method is slow.
It can take several long hours to fully charge your EV’s battery this way. Most electric vehicle owners don’t want to wait the length of time it takes to do this, so they opt to have a Level 2 or Level 3 charging station installed.
Obviously, a Level 3 EV charger is going to provide you with the fastest charging available. They offer the most powerful charging, giving you between 60 and 80 miles of driving in just 20 minutes of charging.
However, Level 3 chargers are also the most expensive. Since they charge more than one EV at once and do so quickly, you can expect to pay anywhere between $12,000 and $35,000.
Due to the high cost of these charging systems, most EV owners choose to go with a Level 2 charger. Residential EV chargers use a 240-volt outlet, while commercial systems for businesses use a 208-volt outlet.
If you want a Level 2 EV charger in Texas, you’re likely going to spend about $1,200. This is for a single-car charging station. If you own two EVs and require a charging station that can charge both vehicles at the same time, you’re looking at a total cost of around $4,500.
If you’re on a tight budget and need to install a simple 120-volt Level 1 outlet, it will set you back about $300. Given the time it takes to charge on a 120-volt outlet, you’d be better off saving up to have at least a Level 2 unit installed.
Conclusion
As you can see, any type of EV charger you go with is going to be an added expense. However, it’s an expense that pays you back in the long run, much like electric vehicles themselves.
As such, you’ll want to take into account how much time and money you stand to save by installing your own EV charger at home or work. For most people, the initial cost is well worth it.
