Level 1
The cord that came with the car, in a regular outlet.
- Adds
- About 5 to 8 km per hour
- Circuit
- Standard 15 A outlet
- Good for
- Plug-in hybrids, short daily drives
02 / EV chargers
A Level 2 charger, sized to your panel
Plug a car into a regular outlet and it adds a few kilometres an hour. A Level 2 charger fills most cars overnight. Before we quote one we work out whether your panel can carry it.
Charger types
Three ways to charge at home
Level 2, hardwired
A wall unit wired straight to its own circuit.
- Adds
- About 40 to 60 km per hour
- Circuit
- 40 to 60 A, 240 V
- Good for
- Daily commuters, two-car homes, outdoor mounting
Level 2, plug-in
A charger that plugs into a 240 V outlet we install.
- Adds
- About 35 to 50 km per hour
- Circuit
- 40 or 50 A outlet
- Good for
- Renters who may take the charger with them
The load calculation
Will my panel take it?
Every house has a limit on how much power it can draw at once, set by the service size. A load calculation adds up what your house already uses at its busiest, like heating, cooking and the dryer, then checks whether a charger fits on top.
We do it at the site visit with the appliances you actually have. It's included in the quote.
- It fits. We run a new circuit and install the charger. The usual case with a 200 A service.
- It's tight. A load management device watches the house and slows the charger when the dryer and oven are on. Often far cheaper than a new panel.
- It doesn't fit. Then a panel upgrade comes first, and we quote both together.
Example: 100 A service, 1950s house
Peak use is about 72 A before the car. A 40 A charger would push it past 100 A, so this house gets a load management device or a panel upgrade. We would quote both and let you choose.
Typical prices
What a charger install costs
Installation only, before HST, including the permit. The charger itself runs about $600 to $1,100 depending on brand; buy your own or we can supply one.
Panel close by, room to spare
$950 to $1,400Charger in an attached garage within a few metres of the panel.
Long run or outdoor mount
$1,400 to $2,200Detached garage, driveway post or a run through finished space.
Add load management
+ $600 to $1,100When the panel is tight and an upgrade isn't worth it yet.
About rebates
Charger rebate programs come and go, and their rules change. When we quote, we'll tell you what we know is open at that time and give you the invoices and photos a program asks for. We can't promise a rebate or its amount.
Next step
Tell us the car, the panel and where you park
A photo of the panel and one of the spot where you want the charger lets us quote faster.