How to Hire the Best EV Charging Companies: Why Your EV Charger Installer Matters

Top EV Charging Companies Have Expertise in EV Charger Technologies

With 80% of EV owners charging at home, residential Level 2 EV chargers are quickly emerging as an affordable and convenient option. Many EV charging companies offer installation services, but not all installers can deliver quality service. When choosing your installer, it is important to hire an electrician who is certified in EV charger installations and other electrification services, has comprehensive knowledge on the latest electrification trends and installation techniques, as well as a strong understanding of what charger best meets your everyday needs.

Technology Expertise

Installing a residential Level 2 EV charger is unlike any appliance you have in your home, as these chargers require a dedicated 240V circuit with specific wire gauge requirements and additional safety features, thus furthering the need for a certified electrician with experience installing these technologies.

It is critical that your installer is familiar with the different chargers available on the market and the varying manufacturers’ specifications and recommendations, ensuring they are an expert when it comes to following best installation practices for the safety and efficiency of your EV charger for years to come.

High-Quality Materials

From selecting the right type of wiring to installing outlets compliant with the National Electric Code, your expert electrician should emphasize the importance of using quality materials for your plug-in or hard-wired EV chargers, ensuring your investment in home charging is designed to last and perform for your electric vehicles.

Your certified installer should have a deep understanding and communicate to you that even in residential installations you will still need to use commercial-grade materials to ensure the safety and longevity of your wires and charging materials.

Latest Trends

From 2022 to 2023, EV registration had a 60% year-on-year increase, and with the rapidly evolving industry, EV installers must keep up with the changing technology to support the evolving charging standards as technology continues to improve.

As the industry evolves and new charging products are on the market, recommendations from Ev Charger Manufacturers are updated, as well as changes to the national or local codes are modified to better fit the new technology, you will want to be sure that your installer is up-to-date, EVITP certified, as well as continually upskilling their installation knowledge and practices.

Compatibility and Performance

When figuring out what charger is the best fit for your EV and your lifestyle, it’s important to also take into consideration EV battery capacity and EV charger capabilities. Keep in mind that your electric vehicle will not be able to charge beyond the vehicle’s kWh and amperage capacity, so having a higher-powered charger that exceeds this will not be beneficial.

An experienced installer will be able to recommend the right charger for your vehicle by considering how much amperage your EV’s battery can support, whether your vehicle uses the J1772 charging protocol or the newer NACS ports, your existing electrical infrastructure, and daily driving needs.

You can also discuss future-proofing with your installer by exploring technologies like bidirectional charging or selecting a charger with an adjustable amperage to anticipate your next EV purchase.

Compliance With Local Codes and Regulations

Aside from meeting installation requirements outlined in the National Electric Code (NEC) and any EV manufacturer recommendations, specialized electricians working with these technologies should also install chargers in accordance with any local codes and regulations to ensure that the installation is safe, passes inspections, functions at top performance, and is insured for electrical fires with the necessary permits.

Safety

As the National Electric Code is only updated every 3 years and the technology behind EVs and EV charging is evolving at a much more rapid pace, many municipalities have also developed local ordinances designed to further improve safety for at-home EV charging, with rules governing emergency disconnects, location requirements, or load management best practices that are updated to match the improving technology.

While many of these laws and requirements are designed to meet the safety needs for a continual use between 4-10 hours of EV charging each night, they still may not be sufficient based on the latest requirements. As such, it is critical that your EV charger installer is aware of not only these national, state, local, and utility requirements, but also any manufacturer requirements and other best practices.

Failing to follow these rules and industry best practices can result in failing components, melted materials, a lower efficiency on your EV charger, and can even jeopardize the safety of your electrification project resulting in losses that may not be covered by i