Installing a home EV charger in NYC or Long Island

Level 1 or Level 2

Level 1 uses a regular 120-volt outlet and adds only a few miles of range per hour (opens an external site). Level 2 uses 240 volts and can fully charge most cars overnight (opens an external site).

Level 2 chargers are usually wired to a dedicated 40 to 60 amp circuit, either hardwired or through a heavy-duty outlet. Under the 2020 NEC used in NYC (opens an external site), a 14-50 receptacle in a garage or outdoors needs GFCI protection; a hardwired charger avoids the GFCI breaker and the nuisance trips it can cause with the charger's own ground-fault protection.

What we evaluate

• Panel and service capacity (a load calculation)
• Distance from the panel to the parking spot
• Indoor or outdoor location, and weather protection
• The circuit size your car and charger require
• For buildings: who owns the parking and the electrical service

Apartments, condos and multifamily

In shared buildings, the board or owner has to approve the work, and the building's electrical service may need an upgrade for several chargers. Load management equipment can let more chargers share the same capacity.

Tesla Powershare home backup

Some Tesla vehicles can also power your home during an outage through Powershare. This requires backup equipment at your service entrance in addition to a charger. See our Powershare guide for details.

Rebates and utility programs

The federal tax credit for home chargers (opens an external site) ended for equipment placed in service after June 30, 2026. Con Edison and PSEG Long Island have offered rebates and off-peak rewards for home charging (opens an external site), and NYSERDA funds chargers at workplaces and apartment buildings, but terms change often, so check current rules before you buy. Your estimate notes any current programs that may apply.