I don’t know about you but I’m seeing lots of electric cars on the road around Wenatchee. Tesla’s, Nissan Leafs, Hyundai's, Kia’s, Ford, and even Rivian. And then there are the “plug-in Hybrids”, they all need to be plugged in at some point to keep going. The cheapest place to do that is at home. 

Douglas and Chelan County have the cheapest and second cheapest power in the United States respectively.  I can charge my car at home for about $1.81, in the winter that’s over 250 miles. If you are thinking about a new car in 2023 and you live in Douglas or Chelan County you need to consider an EV. 

Photo by Dave Keefer
Photo by Dave Keefer
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You will need to get a home charging station if you can. If you have a 220-volt outlet near where you park you can get a charging station set up. “Level 2” charging stations run anywhere from $350.00 to $950.00 on Amazon. I had to have an electrician install mine because I had to get 220 run into the garage. Most EVs and plug-in hybrids come with some kind of “level 1” charger that will plug into the wall (110 volts) but it takes forever to charge and the constant 10- or 15-am load on the outlet is not a good way to go. Talk to an electrician you trust to find out more. 

Photo by Dave Keefer
Photo by Dave Keefer
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I have a coworker who can’t charge at home but he has it all worked out. He knows that Chelan Co. PUD has “Level 2” chargers around the valley that are free. Just remember, if you use one of their chargers, move your car when you are done charging. It’s very rude to not move your car when you are done. 

Photo by Dave Keefer
Photo by Dave Keefer
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There are also a few “Level 3” chargers (also known as DC chargers) but they cost money, anywhere from .35 to .45 cents a kilowatt hour. Where I live in Chelan Co. I pay 2.7 cents a kilowatt hour. 

Plugshare.com
Plugshare.com
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 On this map from Plugshare.com, you can see most of the charger locations near Wenatchee. The brown markers are for DC fast chargers and the green markers are for AC (level 2) chargers. Not all chargers are compatible with all EVs so do some research to find out which ones work for you. 

Photo by Dave Keefer
Photo by Dave Keefer
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So, where is the best place to charge your EV? The short answer is at home. For many, it’s the most convenient place and it’s cheaper than a level 3 DC charger. 

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