One of the main concerns of EV owners is charging problems. This brings out a common question: do you need to install a new outlet or can you charge the vehicle from a regular resident outlet?

Charging an Electric Car from a Regular Outlet

The simple answer to this question is yes. It is possible charge an EV from a regular resident outlet. All you need is an emergency charging cable. However, a Level 1 charger is slow and can take up to 24 hours to fully charge a car, depending on the make and model.

Even if it seems more convenient to charge your car from a regular socket, this type of charging has two major drawbacks: Long charging time and risk of fire damage.

Long charging time

The faster charging is always a better choice. A standard 120-volt outlet will take about a whole day to charge your EVs. In this case, you will need to install a 240-volt outlet.

Fire Hazard

The main risk of charging an EV from a regular outlet is possible fire damage. EV charging from a regular outlet can also put a strain on your home's electrical system, especially if you have other high-energy devices plugged in. 

Regular outlets are not designed to handle the high power demands of EVs. They are designed for domestic use and charging car batteries with more than 20 kWh is therefore not possible, at least not without overheating. 

Conclusion

Although it is technically possible to plug an electric car into a regular outlet, this is not the best option. Not only it is not efficient, but it might also cause a fire. If you plan to plug your car into a regular outlet, you should make sure that a professional electrician checks the circuit for you.