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Two EVs at home: one charger or two?
Updated
Most two-EV homes need only one Level 2 charger. Two cars that each drive 40 miles a day need about 2.8 hours in total on a 40A charger. If you want two chargers, do not put them on one circuit unless both units are made to share power with each other.
The math for one shared charger
| Daily miles, both cars together | Hours on a 32A charger | Hours on a 40A charger | Hours on a 48A charger |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.8 |
| 80 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
| 120 | 5.3 | 4.2 | 3.5 |
Same math as our charge time calculator: 3.3 miles per kWh and 10% loss. Trucks and big SUVs take longer. Even the worst row fits in one night, so many homes just swap the plug after dinner or charge on alternate nights.
Three ways to set it up
- One charger, one long cable. Mount it between the two parking spots. The chargers here have 23 to 25 ft cables. This is the cheapest setup by far.
- Two chargers on two circuits. Simple to use, but your panel must have room for both loads. Two 40A chargers mean two 50A breakers. Only a load calculation tells you if the panel can take it.
- Two chargers sharing one circuit. Some chargers can be linked so the pair never draws more than one circuit allows. When one car finishes, the other speeds up. This only works with models built for it, set up the way the maker's manual says. We did not confirm a power sharing feature on the Amazon listings for the chargers on this site, so check the maker's install manual before you buy a pair for this.
Never feed two ordinary chargers from one breaker, and never use a splitter on a 14-50 outlet to run two chargers at once. Both cars pulling full power would overload the circuit.
What to buy
- Emporia 48A: our pick for a single shared charger. Mounted between the two spots, its 25 ft cable gives you reach to both, and the app's schedule helps you keep both cars on cheap overnight hours. Caveat: the full 48A needs a 60A circuit and hardwiring.
- ChargePoint HomeFlex: owners say its 23 ft cable is long enough to reach across a two-car garage. Caveat: owners also report WiFi dropouts.
- One Tesla and one J1772 car: buy a J1772 charger and use an adapter on the Tesla. See our adapter page.
Compare all the picks on the best chargers page.
Electrical caveat: this page is general information, not electrical advice for your house. Circuits, outlets and breakers for EV charging should be checked or installed by a licensed electrician, to your local code, with a permit where required.