The Growth of Electric Vehicles
by Kara Murray, Partner
Did you know that in 2014 there were 5,200 electric cars sold in Canada? Did you know that in 2021 that number jumped to over 66,000? That is a growth factor of close to 1,200% over 7 years. To say that electric vehicles are on the rise is an understatement.
So what does this mean for your new home or home renovations? It means that your garage might be getting a bit more attention than it did in the past. Ensuring that your electric car is being maintained and stored in a safe, efficient and appropriate manner to keep it working optimally is something that most definitely needs to be considered. And the icing on the cake? Make it look great and have it organized as well.
Before we just jump into the construction of the garage, let’s look at a few things and plan it out. A couple of questions to ask yourself…
- How many cars will I want to be stored?
- How else do I want to use my garage? Just for my cars, organization and storage, or any other purposes?
Once this is established- let’s start investigating!
What kind of changes should I consider to accommodate my new electric car?
Obviously, the first thing that pops into mind would be the addition of a charging station. It makes perfect sense to install one in your garage so that you can avoid some of the downsides of driving an electric car: Finding a charging station and the wait times that go along with accessing it and charging it. The typical amount of time it takes to charge a car from zero to full with a level 2 at home charger is 8-12 hours. This can be done in as little as 30 minutes at a commercial charging station that uses 480V+ public fast chargers. While this is much faster, it is still inconvenient to be waiting around during this time. (The variable is the size of the battery and the charging point speed). It would be of optimum use to have the car charging overnight or during downtime while it is parked in your garage.
Your electric car will be able to be plugged into your standard household outlet which uses 120-volt plugs so you might wonder why you need to upgrade the electrical in your home/garage to accommodate your car at all. Well while it CAN work, it isn’t ideal at all. It takes the speed of charging from 8-12 hours and lengthens it to over 24 hours. Not useful at all if you rely on your car for a majority of your transportation needs. Furthermore, you are only able to charge one electric vehicle at a time and the plug can only be used for that purpose as it isn’t compatible with any other appliances.
The best way to charge your vehicle is with a level 2 charging station as it can deliver an 80% battery charge in about 5 hours (full in about 8 hours). You would want a certified electrician to assist with this as it needs to be plugged into a particular and unique type of outlet or it can be connected to the electrical panel directly. They would also have to test the load of the home to ensure that it can handle the additional AMPERAGE, or if additional LINES need to be installed. The charging station itself can be established in the garage or even the side of the house. (although in Alberta climate – not the best idea)
If you have or think you will eventually have a second electric vehicle, consider getting a dual charger that can accommodate both vehicles. It will need to be installed in a location where both cars will be able to have access. You can start out with one charger first and then add another later but it is more expensive to do it that way.
Living in Alberta, we deal with all types of extreme weather (we are a tough group) and this can impact your car, your battery life and your charger. How can we mitigate this? The best way to protect your investment is by making sure that you are setting it up to be protected from the elements. This would mean getting a weatherproof charging unit as well as a flexible cable for charging. However, I would suggest going a little bit further and ensuring that your garage is heavily insulated and perhaps even heated. This will give your space that extra layer of protection to maintain the life of the charger and battery.
It is also important to consider safety and proper maintenance with home-based charging stations. Make sure all equipment is certified, and use a reputable electrician. Keep the unit protected from water and other fluids and out of reach of children.
Now that your garage is actively working for you, it might be the time to also give it a bit of TLC. Some cosmetic and functional upgrades you may want to consider are:
- Epoxy floors
- Storage shelves or lockers
- Lighting
- Painted walls
- Sink
- Work station
I heard a joke once that the definition of an Albertan is one who has a double garage but keeps their vehicles on the driveway and uses the garage for storage. This is weirdly accurate, but all that will be changing with the increase in electric vehicles and the overdue importance that will be given to a functional, organized and pleasing garage.