Whether you’re picking up a deal on a previous-year Chrysler Pacifica PHEV, or considering picking up the new model, you might be wondering about plugging in at home. The car comes with a Level 1 trickle charger, but it’ll also take a Level 2 charger. Should you go through the hassle and expense of getting a charger installed at home?
Pricing on Level 2 chargers can vary, but they tend to cost around $500 to purchase. The slightly more expensive ones have features like Wi-Fi and app support, but those features aren’t strictly necessary. We have this one at our office and it works well for our needs. If you want more Level 2 charger recommendations, check out our list of the best home EV chargers.
Depending on where you live, and which company provides your electricity, there might be incentives by installing a charger at home.
Regardless, installation can range from $1,000 to $1,500 over the cost of the unit itself. So putting an additional $2,000 worth of investment into your new car might not seem like something you want to do.
Remember, the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV can run on gasoline exclusively. It’s a hybrid that just can happen to be plugged in. But to reap the benefits of the plug you’ll want to run on electricity as much as possible.
It’ll depend on your driving habits. The Pacifica is rated to run on electricity for 32 miles. If you drive less than that in one day, you probably can just use the Level 1 charger that comes with the van. This is especially true if the van sits for awhile overnight.
According to the onboard computer, it’ll take a hair over 14 hours to fully charge the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV from 0% to 100% charge.
If you drive less than that 32 miles a day and the car sits overnight (plus some), you probably don’t need the charge.
If you drive more than that, but do it in trips throughout the day, you might consider the Level 2 charger. If you take the kids to school in the morning, then run errands at lunch, pick the kids up from school and take them to practice, then pick them up from practice later and so on, you might go over that 32 miles. But since you’re frequently stopping at home, a Level 2 charger will add a significant amount of range in a short period of time.
In fact, it’ll completely recharge the van for another 32 miles of travel in just 2 hours.
Some employers have EV charger at the office, so you might be able to plug your van in there and top it off. If you drive back and forth to work but can get a full charge there, you might not need the Level 2 at home, unless you do a lot of extra driving.
The Pacifica PHEV is our favorite minivan, and we like the versatility of driving on electricity day-to-day, but still being able to go virtually. unlimited miles on the weekend and family trips.
A Level 2 charger adds to the convenience of owning a plug-in vehicle, and you might end up purchasing a full-EV, like a Chevrolet Bolt or Tesla Model 3, in the future and you’ll already have the plug at home to charge it up.
Otherwise, you probably don’t need it. But as always, your mileage may vary, and you should pick what’s best for you. Hopefully this helps explain it a little better before making your decision.
