In 2013, Mike Vasquez decided to go electric and bought a Nissan Leaf. This was back in the early days of electric vehicle ownership and for the first time, he had options to power his car that didn’t include a gas station.
Like many EVs, Mike’s Leaf came with a Level 1 charging system that simply plugs into a regular wall outlet and is a good way to get started with the concept of fueling a car with electricity. However, charging this way takes time. A good rule for Level 1 charging is about four to five miles of range per hour of charge. For people who drive less than 40 miles a day, this is fine. Others want faster charging.
Quicker ‘fill-ups’ at home
The next level up in charging is, no surprise, Level 2. These 240-volt home systems charge an EV up to 5 times faster than plugging into a regular outlet. They do require an electrician to install them and to evaluate your electrical panel. When Mike moved up to a Level 2 charger he was able to save with rebates and incentives and, good news, many of these incentives are still available. Right now, there are rebates of up to $6,000 to help offset the costs of a Level 2 charging system. You also receive ongoing bill credits through our Smart Charging program that make it easier than ever to save with your EV.
Here an EV. There an EV. Everywhere an EV.
At PGE, we’re always looking for ways we can help our customers power their electric cars. This summer we’re installing EV chargers on electrical poles in local neighborhoods that’ll give folks who park on the street a place to charge. We hope to have more than 50 of these installed by the end of the year. More and more businesses are adding EV charging stations, too. You’ll find them at shopping malls, hotels, grocery stores and even the doctor’s office. This makes charging up your EV easy and convenient, even when you’re on the go. And for super-fast charging on the go, check out our subscription service through our Electric Avenue locations.
