Huge Marketing Opportunity for Electricians – Home Charging
By Edward A. Sanchez – Feb. 14, 2021
If you’ve followed me for a while on The Watt Car, you’ll know I’m one of the biggest cheerleaders for EVs out there. But I’m not so delusional as to think there will not be some speed bumps to large-scale EV adoption. One of the biggest, which I’ve alluded to in past posts, is charging availability. The one vocational sector this is a potential cash cow for is electricians. I will explain in a moment.
Other than EV enthusiasts, the general public’s knowledge of the types and availability of EV chargers is rather scarce. Some people have broadly heard of the Tesla Supercharger network, and some have possibly heard of Electrify America through news reports. But aside from that, if you asked the average non-EV driver, “Where is the closest public EV charging station?” most would just give you a blank stare and a shrug.
I can already see the scenario playing out: A young couple buys a new Mustang Mach-E (or Bolt EUV, or Nissan Ariya, etc.) and are blown away by the vehicle’s smoothness and acceleration, as well as being impressed by its sophisticated in-cabin technology. The dealer pitches home charging installation as part of the usual F&I pitch of add-ons including the proverbial underbody sealant package, maintenance plan, and extended warranty. If they’re anything like me, It’s about 30 consecutive minutes of saying, “No, no, no, no.”
They get the car home, then later go on their normal loop of school drop-offs, yoga classes, grocery shopping, and so on. After a few days of driving, they get a 50-mile range notification. They vaguely remember the salesperson showing them the plug-in portable charger in the trunk, so they pull it out, plug it into the basic 110V outlet in their garage, and then look at the display in the car: 20 hours remaining to full charge. The driver sends an angry text to her partner, “What kind of a POS did you just convince me to buy? I plugged it in, and it says it’s going to take 20 hours to charge it up! I have a ton of errands to do. What am I supposed to do? Take an Uber?”
Level 1 charging can be slow and frustrating, especially for first-time EV owners who don’t know Level 2 home charging is an option. (Image by Philip Royle)
Those buyers who do the homework on EVs, and actually take the salesman’s recommendation of a home Level 2 charger installation seriously instead of just a smarmy up-sell, will enjoy easy overnight charging and a full battery every morning. Those who ignore it and think just a basic household Level 1 charger will suffice, are in for a world of headaches, frustration, and inconvenience.
If electricians are smart, they will start promoting their services for home EV chargers now. Many already have, and display the service prominently on the side of their trucks and vans. However, the sticker shock could throw potential customers for a loop. I learned the hard way how much the “run” (distance from the outlet to main panel) can factor in to the overall price for a 220/240V outlet installation. At my previous townhouse, the garage was on the opposite side of the entryway from the main circuit panel for the house. Consequently, the quote to install a new 240V outlet in the garage was over $1,000. I politely passed. About a year later, in a new home, the main panel was just on the outside wall of the garage. I asked an electrician if they could install the outlet just on the opposite side of the panel. The total price was around $300. I have since enjoyed easy overnight charging, and a full charge nearly every morning.
If car brands getting into the EV game in a big way are smart, they will offer home Level 2 installation as part of the vehicle financing. For an additional $10-20 a month over the course of a 36- or 60-month loan, it would be a no-sweat way of giving owners that necessary charging convenience. If local electricians are smart, they will contact their regional dealerships or the manufacturers directly to become “(Car brand name here) certified installers.”
However, the OEMs aren’t exactly making it easy. Ford has a document outlining requirements for its dealers, but doesn’t have an easy-to-find link or application for independent electricians to become certified or recommended installers. Ford does offer a consumer-oriented guide on home charging options, but no specific guidance on electricians, other than vaguely recommending “professional installation.”
Possibly the best bet for electricians looking to get in on the home EV charging action early is to apply to become an Amazon Home Services certified installer. As of this writing, no certified installers came up for my area – surprising, since I live in a relatively densely populated suburban area in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.
The other option is becoming a certified installer for one of the many EVSE (charger) brands, including Bosch, Webasto, ChargePoint, JuiceBox (QMerit), and Leviton, to name a few.
Having the corporate stamp of approval from Ford, Amazon, or whomever else isn’t necessarily a requirement for success in home EV charger installation, but it couldn’t hurt. If you’re an electrician reading this, I would suggest being proactive in marketing your services, and possibly visiting local dealerships to either get on their list of recommended installers, or contact information for applying to be an OEM-recognized recommended/certified installer.
(Main image courtesy Ford)
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