Charging is a significant concern among current and prospective electric vehicle owners. While nearly every automaker offers some kind of credit for public charging through one of their charging partners, that doesn’t help you out with the most common type of charging—home charging.
Home is the most reliable alternative for those who can do such a thing. It also tends to be the least expensive option now that home charging units have come down in price. However, there are potential hidden costs that could make it a more expensive option than it seems, which makes any incentives very welcoming.
Chevrolet And Cadillac
The 2023 and 2024 Cadillac Lyriq and all remaining new 2023 Chevrolet Bolts are eligible for a $1,500 credit toward the cost of installing and getting the permits for an approved charger if customers choose to forgo a $500 EVgo public charging credit. It’s a straightforward plan, and the dealer should be helping the customer find an approved installer.
Honda And Acura
Honda and Acura offer a slightly more complex set of incentives for home charging on the Prologue and ZDX, respectively, which have been open for reservations for a few months but have yet to reach customers. But the plan is comprehensive for anyone looking for a break on the cost of a home charger.
Honda and Acura have three plans for charging incentives on these two SUVs that customers pick when they take delivery:
Plan 1: The companies will include a charger from their respective accessories catalog, add a $500 credit towards the cost of installation, and give a $100 credit for EVgo public charging.
Plan 2: That includes a portable charging cable for a 120 or 240-volt outlet, $250 towards electrical upgrades to your garage to include a 240-volt plug and $300 in EVgo credits.
Plan 3: $750 for charging at EVgo stations. That’s it.
The first plan is a good deal for those who aren’t yet set up for Level 2 home charging because by Honda’s own estimates, a Prologue will take at least 8 hours to charge from 0 to 100% on a system like that. A 120-volt portable charger will add just 30 miles for every 8 hours
The Honda/Acura deal is also good because most of the chargers from other automakers — including those that offer any incentives or help—have a recommended cost of around $600 before installation (save for Porsche, which asks a cool $1,670 for its branded unit), which they make you pay out of pocket like any dealer-installed accessory, rather than including it in the price or being able to roll it into the monthly payment for the car.
Installation is trickier to price, but nearly all automakers use Qmerit to line up customers with an electrician in their area to install the charger and make any electrical upgrades necessary.
Ford
Honda and Acura aren’t the only brands to throw new EV customers a lifeline. Ford will periodically offer a discount on its branded chargers, of which it offers two. As of this writing, there’s a 20% discount off the $799, 48-amp unit for the Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit or the $1,310, 80-amp box for the F-150 Lightning.
Others
Some automakers have programs to get customers connected with energy-saving services when they arrange for charger installation, such as the Hyundai Home network that lets dealers connect clients with not only charger installation but also get an estimate for solar panels on their homes. Most companies also let prospective EV customers look up the incentives available in their area through local, state, and federal governments, as well as utility companies.
And that’s where most of the discounts are today for home charging. With public charging no longer a bargain and becoming less dependable if you’re not using the Tesla network, home charging is the most reliable option for those who can take advantage of it. Just don’t expect all of that equipment and installation to be thrown in for free when buying any new EV.
