Half of households might need a costly panel upgrade to use a Level 2 EV charger: Here’s a workaround

A 240-volt Level 2 AC home charger is becoming necessary to make EV ownership practical, but not all houses are ready for one. Multinational equipment supplier Siemens claims to have a workaround.

Siemens recently announced a partnership with ConnectDER (pronounced “connector”) to develop a proprietary plug-in adapter for EV charging. This will allow EV owners to connect chargers directly to the meter socket, bypassing the electrical service panel. This could save homeowners 60% to 80% on charger installation, Siemens said in a press release.

Those potential savings are the result of a much simpler installation process. Nearly half of United States home panels would need upgrades for the installation of a typical Level 2 charger, Siemens claims, meaning 7-11-kw charger requiring 40-60 amps.

Anything that makes home charging cheaper and easier could help boost EV adoption. Anecdotally, the costs of necessary electrical upgrades may be preventing some from installing home chargers—and thus getting an EV. And in general, the lack of home-charging awareness is preventing EV adoption.

Those who have dedicated Level 2 charging are far more satisfied with the EV experience than those who resort to mobile charging cords, one study found. This could be a solution that helps bridge that gap.

Under the terms of the partnership, ConnectDER will design and manufacture the plug-in adapter exclusively for Siemens. ConnectDER has also shown other devices that help make the most of existing home layouts—such as a system that will split a 240-volt circuit between two EVs.

While this isn’t the first we’ve seen of the ConnectDER system, Siemens’ investment is promising in that it has the weight of a multinational supplier and accessories maker to help overcome any regulatory issues.

Siemens made an investment in Electrify America in late June—part of the first investment since its original funding round, and the first from a source other than Volkswagen Group.Earlier that same month, it made a $25 million investment in wireless-charging technology leader WiTricity.