Home EV Charger Buying Checklist

These are the steps I'm working through myself before I buy a charger. Print this page or save it as a PDF.

1. 1Look at your car's charge port: NACS (Tesla style) or J1772
2. 2Find your car's maximum AC charging rate in the owner's manual
3. 3Check how much spare capacity your electrical panel has (ask an electrician for a load calculation)
4. 4Choose the charger location and measure the cable length you need
5. 5Decide between plug-in (NEMA 14-50) and hardwired
6. 6Make sure the charger is UL or ETL certified
7. 7Choose an indoor or outdoor (NEMA 3R/4) rated unit
8. 8Ask your utility about off-peak rates and charger rebates
9. 9Check state incentives
10. 10Get 2–3 quotes from licensed electricians and ask about permits
11. 11Run your numbers through the savings calculator

Useful next stops: the state rebate finder, the savings calculator and the charger comparison.