Let me tell you something. This whole home charging station thing is new territory to me. Going from a gas to an electric mindset is exciting and challenging. Navigating the EV home charging station options taught me a lot and I found there are programs that help average joes understand what they need.
First of all the Volt can be charged off a regular electric outlet. But the best charging option is to get a home charging station, charging goes much faster using one. There are many programs that help with the cost of the station and the installation. Plus you get a break on electricity charges using one. Very interested to see my electric bill for this.
My home charging station was installed two days ago. After much research decided to get my home charging station through my electric company, DTE Energy’s Plug-In Electric Vehicle Program. They have a great program that pays for up to $2,500 in costs, both installation and the unit. The whole process took about a month since I had my Volt before their program was available. DTE representatives were great to work with. They answered my questions, explained the process well and made me feel very comfortable.
The process included
- Completing a survey about where the station would be located
- Having the electrician come out survey the area and provide a quote for service
- Picking which unit I wanted
- Installation
The Plug-In Electric Vehicle Program is a partnership with SPX who handles the installation. When Chuck from Mr. Electric came over to my house I knew I was in good hands. He handled the estimating and the installation. He did a great job. Very professional and knowledgeable. Now I can plug it at home, program the car to charge during off-peak hours and jump in my car that has a full charge. I’m off and running!
