One thing most electric-car buyers discover is that they have to equip their home to facilitate the use of their new vehicle. A new survey has found that the homes of most electric-vehicle buyers have the electrical foundation to support advanced charging, but they often require a custom solution installed by an expert to take advantage of this option. The survey looked at about 2,000 potential owners in five U.S. markets where electric vehicles are currently rolling out: California, Michigan and Texas, as well as the New York and Washington, D.C., metro areas. It was conducted by SPX Service Solutions, a company that specializes in electric-vehicle infrastructure.
“One key finding is that, for the most part, their homes are conducive to home-charging,” says Tanvir Arfi, president of SPX Service Solutions. “Most respondents own their own homes, live in single-family dwellings and have electrical systems that can support 240-volt charging. In addition, the types of garages and foundations in their homes vary considerably, indicating the need for highly flexible, custom charge-station installations.”
Arfi presented the findings from the electric vehicle home-charging survey during the Automotive News Green Car Conference in Novi, Mich. Some key findings from the survey include:
- Ninety-eight percent of survey participants own their own home
- Sixty-three percent live in single-family dwellings
- Ninety-nine percent of these homes have electrical systems equipped with circuit breakers, an important piece of infrastructure needed to support a 240-volt charge station
- Seventy-one percent have space on their electrical service panel for additional breakers, allowing space for a charge station to be added
- Seventy-eight percent of respondents lack a 240-volt outlet or line near their parking location, which is essential for faster charging at home
Building foundations, garage types and the location of electrical service panels create different charge station installation requirements. Garage types also vary: Forty-seven percent of garages are attached, 7 percent are detached. Thirteen percent of homes have only a carport or driveway. The location of the main electrical service panel also varies from home to home: Thirty-two percent of homes have them in the basement, 29 percent in the garage, and 31 percent outside of the home. Participants indicated that they usually want the charge station installed in their garage, but also want the flexibility of charging their vehicle in their driveway.
