Is it worth installing a home EV charger or just using public chargers?

[Phil]

Planning my first EV and trying to decide whether to install a home EV charger or just rely on public charging.

Installation isn't cheap, so I'm wondering if it's actually worth it.

For those who have one, does it make a big difference day to day?

[JustMartin]

Home charger makes life much easier

[Midnight Georgia]

As long as you have off-street parking, otherwise you have faffing with cables issue

[Totally]

You just plug in overnight and don't think about it

[Steady Dylan]

Public charging is fine occasionally but relying on it all the time would get annoying quickly.  I get range anxiety

[Sinead_47]

Planning my first EV and trying to decide whether to install a home EV charger or just rely on public charging. Installation isn't cheap, so

That is my view too if I am being straight. We will see how it plays out.

[QuantumToken98]

Couldn't agree more. Ha, yeah that is about right.

Good stuff

[DotEXE]

A home charger is one of those things that feels expensive until you have used one for a few months. Waking up with a full battery every morning is a different experience compared with planning your week around charging stops.

For anyone doing mostly local driving, even a basic charger can remove a lot of hassle. The public network is improving, but standing around waiting when you could be charging while asleep is hard to beat

[BigDog]

The answer probably depends on the type of EV and the daily routine. A person commuting 20 miles a day has a very different situation from someone doing long motorway trips every week.

Public chargers are useful as a backup, but relying on them completely can become annoying when they are busy or out of order. A home charger turns charging into something you barely think about.