Hyundai’s Great Home Charger Offer and What You Should Know About EV Home Charging

With the addition of the new, redesigned Kona EV as well as the award-winning IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6, Rairdon’s Hyundai of Bellingham has one of the most robust EV offerings in the country. If you are wondering how an EV might fit into your life, there is little question that it becomes much more practical, enjoyable, and even cost-effective if you can charge your vehicle at home.

Hyundai is making this easier because if you purchase your Hyundai EV through Hyundai Motor Finance, they will give you a complimentary ChargePoint® Home Flex Level 2 charger valued at $549 MSRP plus up to $600 towards charger installation credit. This will give you the ability to plug your EV in after you are home for the day and have it fully charged and ready to take you somewhere between 200 and 300 miles before coming back and doing the same for the next day. If your daily routine never approaches your EV’s range, you might never interrupt your schedule for a recharge until you embark on a long trip. If your home situation allows you to do so, you absolutely want to install a home charger for your EV.

Prior to getting into the details of installing a home charger, this is a quick review of the three different kinds of charging that are available for EVs.

• Level 1
  You do this from a conventional home socket. While you can technically charge your EV from such a plug, the rate is quite slow. Typically you only gain about 3 miles of driving per hour of charge for an EV car. If you have a daily commute or driving routine within 20 miles or so, you would be able to charge what you need every night, but fully charging an EV battery from a low level would take days. Level 1 charging works well for Plug-in hybrids, and emergencies but isn’t really how you want to charge your EV at home.
• Level 2
  All home chargers are Level 2, and it is the most effective and practical way to charge regularly while keeping the battery in optimal condition. Providing 240v power, Level 2 charging will take an IONIQ 5 or 6 with the 58-kilowatt hour (kWh) battery about 5 hours to charge from 10 to 100%. The larger 77.4 kWh battery will take longer though the miles gained per hour of charging will remain about the same. The new Kona EV will fully charge in about 6 hours.
• Level 3
  These are the fast or DC-direct chargers you can find at most public charging stations and are not available for the home. With their 800-volt electrical architecture, the IONIQ 5 and 6 shine here as they are able to charge from 10 to 80% in about 18 minutes. This makes EV driving on long trips far more convenient. However, while Level 3 charging is great for long trips, daily use of it is not recommended as it can be detrimental to battery life.

  Level 3 charging rates are usually given to 80% of charge because, above 80%, a charging rate quickly declines to the point that charging from 80 to 100% doubles the time from 10 to 80%. Thus, charging to 100% on a Level 3 charger is not practical or time-efficient. 

Charger and Installation Costs

To put Hyundai’s complementary charger offer in perspective, most good home chargers cost between $350 to $750. A typical installation can cost from $800 to $2,000. Older homes with an electrical box already at full capacity could cost more. It is advisable to check into the cost of installing a charger prior to purchasing your EV. As with any home modification, it is best to get at least three bids.

What to Look for in a Home Charger

Should you go on your own for a home charger, here are a few general rules:

• Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Intertek (ETL) certification
  There are less expensive chargers without these independent certifications, but the risk of future repairs or even a possible fire increases. Given that most of the cost is in the installation don’t economize on an uncertified charger.
• The Correct Power Level
  Home chargers generally range from 7.2 to 11.5 kilowatts (kW). The IONIQ models and the 2024 Kona EV have an acceptance rate of 10.9 kW. Any EV will only take what it can, so there is no risk of getting a charger that is too high-powered for your vehicle.
• Have a 20 Foot or Longer Cord
  A long cable gives you flexibility in where and how you can park your vehicle. If your charging station is close to the garage door, a long cable will also allow you to charge in your driveway if your garage becomes needed for storage. If a garage is simply not available, It is no issue to mount the charger outside.
• Plug vs. Hardwire
  Some chargers simply plug into a 240-volt outlet, while others are hard-wired to your house grid. A plug-in charger is easy to remove and take with you, should you relocate or have a vacation home that also has an accessible 240-volt outlet. The downside is plug-in chargers are more prone to what is known as “nuisance tripping”, in which your circuit breaker trips prematurely from a surge in the system. Plug-in chargers are more vulnerable to this because both they and the wiring behind the outlet will have a ground-fault circuit-interrupting (GFCI) breaker, and twice the circuit breakers increase the chance of tripping one of them. Discuss this with your installer.
  
  If you do go with a plug-in charger, make sure it has a commercial-grade plug. Most common 240-volt plugs are not designed to be used continuously for 8 to 12 hours and may generate heat as a result. Nor are they designed for frequent plugging and unplugging. Think of your dryer or refrigerator, which are always plugged in but only draw power periodically. EV charger plugs need to be much more robust. Discuss the plug or hardwire question with your installer.
• Wi-Fi Connectivity
  Wi-Fi connectivity will enable you to see your state of charge in a smartphone app and also let you set a charging schedule. This is useful if your electricity rate drops sometime in the evening, letting you arrange not to start charging until that time. However, Hyundai EVs already have these abilities built in. There may be additional info from the charger your EV does not have, it is up to you if it is worth the added cost.

Finding An Installer

Rairdon’s Hyundai of Bellingham has sold quite a few EVs by now and thus is ready to help you with recommendations for local installers. Qmerit is a national firm that specializes in EV charger installation. Keep in mind that there is a specific EV charger certification from the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP). It isn’t required for charger installation but can give you some assurance that your installer understands all the nuances of EV charging. 

Once you decide to get a home charger, you will not regret the decision, and keep in mind that as EVs continue to increase in popularity, an EV charger in your home will be an added selling point should you relocate. Good luck on your EV journey.