Buying your first electric vehicle is like having your first child, meaning it’s all about the preparation. Okay, so maybe it’s not exactly like having a child, but it can make some people nervous. For instance, when buying a traditional car with an internal combustion engine (ICE), you don’t think twice about where you’re going to fill it up with gas. However, with your first VinFast it is best to have a home charger installed. Below is information on how to get yourself and your home ready for your first charger.
Why It’s Best to Charge at Home
You may be thinking, “Why should I worry about charging my VinFast at home when I can charge it at a public charger?” Simply put, charging your car at home saves time, money, and is also smarter your battery’s overall health. Since chargers like the VinFast Home Chargers are smart, they can charge slowly overnight and charge your car for when you leave in the morning. When it comes to saving money, charging at home in Plano, Texas, will cost you about 13.9 cents per kWh according to MarketWatch. This means that charging from about 50% every night when you get home from work will only add about $5 or so per nightly charge.
Finding the Right Electrician
The first step is to look for a local electrician that will give you an estimate. Going about this process can be daunting, so the best way to find someone is to ask friends and family who they have used in the past. It’s also not a bad idea to get a few different consultations to check price, availability, and reviews.
Potentially Upfitting Your Breaker Box
It is important that your home be ready with at least a 200-amp breaker box, which is pretty standard for newer homes. Some houses may have a 100- or 150-amp breaker box, which would mean you should contact a professional electrician to talk about potentially upfitting your home to be sure it can handle the extra needs of the charger for your VinFast VF8 or VF9.
How to Know What Amperage Your Breaker Box Is and How It Can Be Upgraded
You can safely and easily check to see what the amperage is of your home breaker box by opening your master breaker panel door and checking the top switch that turns the entire system on and off. The switch will say either 100, 150, 200, or 400. If an electrician needs to upgrade your box, he will first contact the electric company to turn off the power to your home. Then the electrician will change out the wiring that goes from the outdoor meter socket into the home, installing a new meter socket that will be either 200 or 400 amps, and then changing the breaker box in your home. After that, he will connect the wiring up and get the power turned back on to your home.
Reorganizing Your Garage to Accommodate Your New Charger
When you do choose a qualified electrician, he will install a Level 2 240-volt that will be able to easily charge your battery overnight. Now it’ll be time to make sure that your charger can go on a wall or in an area where it can easily be accessed by your VinFast. You may need to reorganize your garage and move all of your things from one side to the other. Keep in mind that the charge port for both the VF8 and VF9 is on the driver’s side fender, which will dictate whether you need to pull in or back into your garage.
Why Choose Ewing VinFast
At Ewing VinFast of Plano, we have the best prices on dozens of new VinFast EVs and used cars. Our well-educated sales staff and finance department will happily assist you with your EV questions and needs. Our fantastic service department will ensure your vehicle stays in the best condition.
We look forward to serving you.