Can You Charge an Electric Car Anywhere?

Are you thinking about buying an electric car but aren’t sure where you’ll be able to charge? If so, you’re not alone, and we have some solutions for you.

The increased availability of electric cars before a full-fledged infrastructure of public chargers is only possible because many homeowners can install at-home chargers that support Level 2 charging. If it weren’t for these chargers, which require a 240-volt outlet, EVs might not be as far along as they are. Still, what if you don’t have a Level 2 charger or access to one? Here are some ways you can charge an electric car without a garage with an at-home charger.

Townhomes offer simple solutions

Some townhomes have garages, but we’re discussing ways to charge your EV without garage access to an at-home electric charging system. The simplest solution is to install a Level 2 charging system on a power pole next to your driveway. Before doing this, you must ensure your HOA allows this change to be made. If it’s allows, you’ll need to pay for the wiring, but you’ll have a charging solution at your home.

Some apartments have charging stations

Because electric vehicles are on the rise, with more and more of these vehicles being sold, some apartment complexes (especially newer ones) are installing several EV chargers in designated parking spots. This could become problematic once EVs are more plentiful, but for now, most apartment complexes with EV charging access make this available for their residents driving electric cars. Currently, many of these chargers sit unused, but that won’t continue as more EVs are created and sold, but the infrastructure could be much better.

Public charging could require membership

Do you notice some people fill up their gas-powered cars at the same stations every week? If so, you can bet these drivers have a membership card for those stations, giving them a discount on the price of gasoline. The same goes for public electric charging stations. Membership has its privileges, and you’ll need to sign up for services to use some public chargers to charge your electric car. It’s also important to ensure the charging cables you have for your car are compatible with the charging station.

Can you charge at a Tesla Supercharger?

There was a time when the only vehicles that could utilize a Tesla Supercharger wore the company brand. Recently, most automakers have announced they will add a Tesla plug to their EVs to ensure more public charging access. Tesla is calling this change the North American Charging Standard, which could allow more public chargers to switch to the same plugs and increase the available infrastructure for all EV drivers. This is an important change that brings the EV world together.

Why not charge your EV at work?

Many modern companies are offering benefits that don’t have much to do with health or retirement. One of these benefits is installing charging stations at the workplace for EV drivers to charge up during the day. Some employees are taking advantage of this and can charge their electric car without paying for the electricity. This seems like a pretty good trade-off but could be problematic when more EVs are in the parking lot. When this happens, who will get to charge and when?

Can you use other EVs to charge yours?

Some new electric cars have the ability to send power outward to enable owners to charge electric tools, devices, and even other EVs. In a pinch, you could get an owner of one of these EVs to give you a bit of their juice and add some driving range to your vehicle. This could be a great way to meet new people, but you could also end up stranded if you rely on other EV drivers to come along and give you some of their charge.

Use a regular outlet

Yes, when you own an electric car, you can charge it anywhere that electricity is available. When visiting a campground for several days, you can plug in near the bathhouse, which probably has an outlet, and let your car charge. This charging is slow and might take several days to bring your batteries to full, but it can be done. So far, all electric cars are still equipped with 120-volt plugs to make this slow charging possible.

Can you charge an electric car anywhere? For the most part, the answer is “yes,” but you’ll want to have a dedicated port at your home if that’s a possibility for you.