Home charging basics
Most EV drivers just plug in at home overnight and wake up to a full battery. Here’s the short version.
Checked Oct 24, 2026
Two ways to charge at home
- Level 1 (120 V): an ordinary outlet, about 4 mi of range per hour. More.
- Level 2 (240 V): a wall charger on its own circuit, typically 7–11 kW, enough to fill most cars overnight. Installation.
Plugs
Most new cars use NACS (the Tesla-style connector, standardized as SAE J3400) or J1772 for AC, with adapters between them.
Save money
Set the car or charger to start in your utility’s cheapest hours: rates guide. Every kWh costs the same, whatever the charger speed.
Compare public charger prices: Prices change, check before you charge. The price shown in the operator’s app or on the charger is the one you pay.