Photo: ChargePoint
ChargePoint now offers installation with the purchase of its Level 2 home EV chargers in the US to simplify the setup process, so I got a quote – here's how it went.
ChargePoint's new home EV charging system
Customers who purchase the ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 home charger, priced in the mid-$500s up before tax credits and rebates, will be able to include “easy, affordable, and straightforward” home charging with their purchase.
The ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 charger can be installed indoors or outdoors and includes a 23-meter charging cable. It has the ChargePoint mobile app for scheduling charging sessions, adjusting charging speeds, and getting connection reminders. Home Flex can also connect with Alexa or Siri.
ChargePoint has partnered with Qmerit, which has the largest network of certified installers in North America and has Schneider Electric as a strategic partner. The “one-stop-shop” system is available only on the ChargePoint website.
Customers who choose home EV charger installation answer questions and are then provided with a quote and installation date. I tested it out of consideration, because I actually have a Level 2 ChargePoint charger at home and I wanted to see how the installation price compared to what I paid.
ChargePoint says you answer “three” questions, but there are a lot more questions than that, so I don't know why ChargePoint does that.
It asked for my address and contact information, and confirmed whether or not it could provide service in your area. (It can in mine, which is Vermont.) Then it asked what model my EV was. He asked if I have a car, or when I will get a car.
It asked if I was going to install a wall charger or a NEMA 14-50 240 volt charger, and if I still had the charger or not. I guess I chose wall mount and said I don't have one yet.
He asked if I rent or own my property; I replied that I was yours, and that I didn't need HOA permission. I said I have a single family property with a two car detached garage. I told it I wanted it on the inside wall of my detached garage, with existing power and a small electrical panel. I told it I wanted a charger on the wall opposite my mini panel. (That's where my charger is now.) I told it the distance (30) between the charger and the small panel.
It asked where my main electrical panel was (inside my house), and I told the location that an electrician could run the wires along the garage wall. I know my small garage panel has capacity for an EV charger, as it is already done. I said the wifi power is good. It asked for a square footage of my house, and then asked a series of questions about what electrical appliances work in the system. Ask about solar and battery storage, and a generator.
Then it wants pictures of my panels, and where the EV charger will go. Once I sent the photos, ChargePoint emailed me my initial estimate of $1,399:
Electrek's Take
I had my ChargePoint Level 2 hard charger installed in December 2022, and the electrician charged me $920. Taking inflation into account, that installation would cost me $977 today.
So, the ChargePoint price ended up being over $400 more than what I paid. It makes me wonder why it doesn't offer bundles or special deals to be more competitive.
The good thing about the new ChargePoint service is that your vehicle is tested, but you have to do all the initial work online, which took me about 30 minutes, and could take even longer for someone who was new to EVs and wasn't. they don't know their electrical system.
Shopping for more than one estimate before choosing someone to install your home EV charger can probably be the most budget-friendly thing to do.
Read more: Tesla NACS cables appear on ChargePoint EV chargers
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