- ChargePoint is now offering installation with its Home Flex Level 2 chargers.
- This will make home charging less cumbersome, the company says, as buyers won't have to worry about arranging electricians separately.
A bad charging experience can be one of the biggest barriers to broader EV adoption but now an increasing number of companies are stepping up to make that process hassle-free.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 80% of EV charging happens at home. That contradicts the notion that you have to always hunt for public DC fast charging stations. And even though the footprint of fast chargers is growing, home charging remains the preferred option for the majority of EV buyers.
That means for charging companies and automakers, it's a golden opportunity to streamline the purchase and installation of home chargers to ensure that it doesn't feel like a headache.
That's exactly what ChargePoint is trying to do. It announced today that buyers of its Home Flex Level 2 chargers can choose the installation option while buying a unit online. This, ChargePoint says, will eliminate the need to find an electrician, schedule pre-installation inspections or separate the charging process from the purchase.
The benefit will be available only to those who purchase the Home Flex chargers online. All you have to do is enter your address and answer a few questions, like the type of garage you have, the distance between your home's electrical panel and the charging location and the appliances already installed in your home.
Then you'll get a quote and can set up a date for installation, which starts from $900. In New York City, the installation cost showing up on the website is $2,000. (This will of course vary depending on the city and state.) NYC offers a $2,000 incentive for the installation of Level 2 plugs, so I could practically have one installed for free. So be sure to check the incentives available in your region.
The Home Flex units cost $599 for the plug-in version and $549 for the hardwired one. The former can connect to a 240-volt outlet whereas the latter can connect directly to your home's electrical system. It has both the J1772 and NACS (Tesla) plugs.
InsideEVs has reviewed the Home Flex charger and it's in fact one of our top picks for Level 2 home chargers. Here's a full list of the best electric home chargers for 2024.
