Make Sure Your Home — or Your Future Home — is EV Charging Ready
Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are a trend you can’t afford to ignore. While the U.S. is behind the rest of the world when it comes to electric vehicle adoption, EV sales are taking off. In 2018, EV sales his 328,188, a 63% jump over 2017.
If you’re thinking about buying an electric vehicle, have you considered whether your home’s infrastructure can support it? And for homebuilders, are you making the homes you build EV-ready? EVs and plug-in hybrids have specific charging needs, meaning you might need to add electrical capacity to get the right charge for your car.
Have Questions?
Do you have unanswered questions about electric vehicles? Here’s what you should know from master electrician Ted Puzio of Southern Trust Home Services in Roanoke, Virginia, one of the amazing clients of our public relations agency division, Ripley PR.
Most EV or plug-in hybrid owners charge their vehicles in the garage overnight, so access to adequate electricity is crucial. Make sure your electric panel board has capacity for the extra circuit, and add 120-volt or 220-volt dedicated outlets in the garage.
Benefits of an EV
Why are more drivers adopting electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids? Because they cost less to operate and they’re better for the environment. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, operating an electric vehicle for a year costs about the same as you would pay to use your air conditioner per year. And some models like plug-in hybrids cost even less to charge.
Dollar for dollar, an electric vehicle can be fully charged for about the cost of four gallons of gasoline in the U.S. So even if you aren’t concerned about the effects of carbon emissions on our planet’s health, switching from fossil fuels to electricity for transportation makes sound financial sense.
While electric vehicles cost more to purchase for now, the lower fuel and maintenance costs can make them a more cost-effective mode of transportation for many. And as advances in technology make charging times shorter and battery life longer, these vehicles are only gaining in popularity.
At Orange Orchard, we are proud to represent brands on the cutting edge of green technology, companies who are making a sustainable life possible for so many. For more information about who we are and what we do for our clients, call (865) 977-1973 or contact Orange Orchard online.