Smarter Home EV Charging

As electric vehicle ownership becomes more commonplace, there are more reasons to have a bespoke charging solution at home. Installing a home charger for your EV is the safe and efficient solution to help future-proof your garage.

EV ownership is becoming increasingly mainstream, and the reasons drivers are switching from combustion-engine to battery-powered cars are varied. Some have made the transition due to rising fuel costs or to reduce carbon emissions and their car’s environmental impact. Others are attracted to the new and rapidly evolving EV technology and the performance credentials of the latest models.

The cars are typically provided with a three-pin removable wall plug, which is fine for temporary charging or as an emergency tool when out and about, but it’s by far the slowest method of charging. And while it works well as a portable or back-up solution, it’s not really a suitable method for longterm use, in part due to safety considerations.

You see, this rudimentary charging method relies on the integrity of house’s wiring, the wall plug itself, and safe charging habits. These are why NZ’s Worksafe strongly recommends against this charging method, ‘Mode 2’ in an employee in-home charging context where businesses are responsible for safety.

Home-grown solutions Evnex is an NZ-based company developing technology solutions beneficial to all EV drivers, and its bespoke homecharging solutions are backed by professional installation and ongoing support. Justin Rypma, digital marketing manager, explains that the best scenario is to install a smart charging system with EV equipment that’s connected to the internet: “It’s a convenient way to connect your EV to the most affordable and cleanest electricity, but with faster charging speed and the ability to be wirelessly upgraded over time.

“Home charging allows you to charge in a safe and clean environment at times when electricity is cheapest, typically overnight starting at 9pm. Smart charging systems allow you to take advantage of these off-peak times of use when electricity retailers offer less expensive rates that are ideal for EV owners. These are often times when a higher percentage of electricity on the grid is produced from renewable sources.”

In terms of future proofing, Justin says smart charging trialsare already underway in NZ to make this process simpler forEV owners. While customers currently need to set a chargingschedule to overlap with their electricity provider’s off-peakrates, advanced features like automated charging schedulingare being tested to shift with factors like clean energyavailability, time of use pricing, and potential strain on the grid.“In the future, this technology will allow us to connect driverswith electricity companies directly, helping lines operatorsprevent blackouts while EV drivers continue to wake up totheir EVs ready to go.”

Another consideration with installing a faster AC chargerat home is its increased energy demand. “One of the mostcommon dedicated AC chargers is rated at 7.4kW, and thiscan pull up to half a home’s maximum energy load. If you’relooking for a way to charge as fast as possible with thatsystem – up to 40km of range in an hour – but in a safe way,consider a charger that offers home overload protection.”This is a feature by which a smart charger monitors yourelectricity draw and throttles back its charging speedas you get close to the maximum load threshold, which iscommonly 63A.

“Down the line, householders may have more than one EV,and simultaneous charging demand doubles this strain onthe mains, but smart charging can allow two EV chargers tocommunicate with each other and manage the shared load.”

The cheapest home charger installation will be at a siteclose to your switchboard that requires no more than threemetres of cable to be run between the two. And if your carpredominantly lives outside, there are options for the chargerto be mounted on the exterior of the house or via a pedestalmount near the home.

Visit evnex.com for an answer to every charging question and a solution for every EV driver.

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