图片来源: FleetCarma.com

电动汽车有助于降低排放和燃料成本，提高燃料经济性，并加强能源安全。 And considering the volatility of gas prices—and their general skyward trajectory—electric fuel shows promise as an economic alternative. 但转向电动汽车需要的不仅仅是新的驾驶习惯和与陌生人的交谈。 It’s also a lifestyle update. 从在车库设置充电站到保持最佳温度，看看这些有用的车库准备技巧，以确保你的电动汽车电池处于最佳状态。

选择充电器：1级vs. 2级

Charging an electric vehicle is more involved than charging your smartphone, and you'll likely need a home station charger. 也就是说，确保你熟悉家庭充电设备和大多数公共充电站提供的两种主要级别的电动汽车充电器，这样你就可以为你的家庭和汽车选择最好的充电器。

一级充电器

1级充电线可提供110或120伏的标准家用电流，大多数插电式汽车在购买时都会配备。 It’s outfitted with a three-pronged, household plug at one end that’s connected to a control box by a short cord. 盒子的另一边有一根15到20英尺长的绳子直接连接到汽车本身。

• 如果你有时间，可以选择1级。 但要事先警告：你得到的是或多或少的涓流充电，每小时充电大约能跑3到5英里。 例如，日产聆风（Nissan Leaf）在标准的120伏家用插座上充满电大约需要24小时。
• The upside is, Level 1 equipment doesn’t entail an elaborate setup of high-power circuit breakers or dedicated electrical lines, which are required by major appliances like stoves and refrigerators.
• Because cord sets are portable, plug-in vehicles can be charged virtually anywhere there’s a standard outlet. Provided the circuit isn’t a household outlet that’s patched into the same circuit as other demanding appliances—in which case you could trip a circuit breaker.

二级充电器

You can also consider installing a Level 2 charger, which delivers 240 volts and replenishes pure electric vehicles in about three hours—which is about seven to eight times faster than Level 1 equipment. 与1级设置的简单性不同，由于电气规范、设备设置和必要检查的繁琐，2级充电器可能需要专业人员的服务。

• 二级充电器的价格从300美元以下到1500美元以上不等，价格最终取决于电源线的长度和电流。
• Level 2 outputs typically range between 16 to 30 amps, but professionals often recommend around 30- to 40-amp systems—an adequate overnight charge for most plug-in electric cars.

安装充电站

It’s worth mentioning that the “charger” you’re installing is technically referred to as Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE). This is the wall-mounted box with cord and plug that delivers electricity and functions as a communication and safety unit for the 实际 charger situated inside the vehicle itself. The EVSE ensures the battery doesn’t overheat and shuts the charging session down if there’s a short circuit, power surge, or any other type of faulty hardware.

If you’ve opted for a Level 2 ESVE, you’ll likely need to reach out to a professional electrician to wire up equipment and determine where the ESVE should be situated in regards to where your vehicle is parked. 尽管有过时的电线、仪表和断路器等因素，为你的电动汽车更新车库实际上应该是相当简单的。

安装费用

The installation cost generally hinges on the work involved—such as the amount of wire that needs to be run, whether additional or replacement breaker panels are necessary, and the cost of labor in your area. 这可能从几百美元到几千美元不等。 It's also worth looking into your local. utility company's offerings, as you may qualify for special rates or a rebate when you install an ESVE.