ChargeBoost

If you're planning to install a Level 2 EV charger, your electrician may determine that your home's electrical panel can't support the additional charging load. This is especially common in homes with panels rated at 150 amps or less, where a Level 2 charger could overload the panel.

Without ChargeBoost, you may be advised to upgrade your main panel to 200 amps or more. Panel upgrades typically cost $3,000–$10,000 and can sometimes trigger additional service wire upgrades, adding thousands more in costs and several weeks to the project.

ChargeBoost offers an alternative. It allows you to install a Level 2 EV charger without upgrading your electrical panel or service wire, helping reduce costs and get you charging at home sooner.

Participants must:

• Be an active residential PG&E electric service customer. This means you have a PG&E account where you receive and pay your electric bill
• Be the owner of a single-family home
• Have a main panel/service of 150 amps or less OR have been told by a licensed electrician you need a panel or service upgrade

Apartments, condominiums and homes where the landlord pays the electric bill are not currently eligible.

No. Your income does not impact your eligibility for this program.

Main panel and service upgrades often cost upwards of $3,000. More complex projects involving underground service and trenching can exceed $10,000.

ChargeBoost provides an alternative. It allows you to install your Level 2 EV charger without upgrading your panel or service.

PG&E covers the cost of the Level 2 Emporia Classic EV charger and the smart meter. You pay the cost of having your electrician install the EV charger.

No. PG&E is responsible for providing the new meter hardware and for the installation of the meter.

The meter installation is a simple process and takes less than 15 minutes. You can expect to receive a call from PG&E when the field metering technician is on their way to your home to complete the install.

You don’t need to be home if they can access your meter on their own. They may need your help, however, if your electric meter is located behind a gate or in an area with an unleashed dog.

During the meter installation, your power will be turned off for 3-5 minutes.

• Compatible Level 2 charger: You need a compatible Level 2 EV charger to participate in ChargeBoost. Currently, the Emporia Classic Level 2 EV Charger is the only charger compatible with the program. You are responsible for the cost of installing the charger at your home.
• New PG&E smart meter: To enable ChargeBoost, PG&E will install a new smart meter at no cost to you. The smart meter communicates with your charger over Wi-Fi.

Once the EV charger and smart meter are connected via Wi-Fi, they work together to automatically adjust charging speeds. This ensures the added charging load from exceeding the limits of your home’s electrical system or the local grid.

ChargeBoost can only adjust the charging speed of the Emporia Classic Level 2 charger connected to ChargeBoost. This helps prevent the added charging load from overloading the electric equipment at home and local grid.

At times, you may notice your charging speed temporarily slow down. This can happen when several large appliances such as a pool heater, AC, a pump and electric dryer are running at the same time. Once those appliances turn off, your charging speed will automatically return to normal. Most customers who charge overnight notice little or no impact.

ChargeBoost does not impact any other devices or appliances in your home.

ChargeBoost does not add fees to your electric bill. Your bill only increases if you use more electricity to charge your vehicle.

This connection allows the smart meter and EV charger to communicate and intelligently manage charging to avoid overloading the electrical equipment at your home and the local grid.

Keep your smart meter and EV charger connected to Wi-Fi to access faster Level 2 charging speeds up to 48 amps (11.5 kW).

If either device loses its Wi-Fi connection, your charger will switch to Level 1 charging speeds (8 Amps/1.92 kW). Once you reconnect to Wi-Fi, your charger will return to faster Level 2 charging speeds. PG&E will email you instructions to help restore the connection.

Permits depend on your local building codes. Your electrician may need to pull permits for the installation. Most electricians will manage that paperwork for you.

PG&E wants to help customers get faster EV charging without costly electrical upgrades while helping maintain a reliable electric grid. As more people charge EVs at home, especially during peak hours, energy demand increases. ChargeBoost helps manage that demand more intelligently, supporting reliable service for your neighborhood and the broader community.

Not sure what the difference is between Level 1 and Level 2 charging? Here's a simple comparison and how PG&E's ChargeBoost can help you access faster charging at home without costly electrical upgrades.

• Level 1 charging uses a standard 120‑volt household outlet and typically adds 3 to 5 miles of range per hour. This charging level makes it suitable for plug‑in hybrids or very short daily commutes.
• Level 2 charging uses a 240‑volt circuit (similar to a dryer outlet). It adds roughly 25 to 40 miles of range per hour. This charging level allows most EVs to fully recharge overnight. Because of its speed and convenience, Level 2 is the most common home‑charging setup for full battery‑electric vehicles. Charging at home is usually the most cost‑effective option. This option lets drivers start each day with a full battery. You will pay residential electricity rates rather than higher public charging prices.

You may want to upgrade your panel if you plan to add more electrical appliances or complete future home electrification projects that require more electrical capacity than ChargeBoost can support. If your primary goal is to install a Level 2 EV charger, ChargeBoost may provide a lower-cost alternative to a panel or service upgrade. It helps eligible customers access Level 2 charging faster without the expensive disruptions of traditional electrical upgrades.

Planning additional home electrification projects? Explore PG&E's PanelBoost program to learn about options that can support broader electrical upgrades at your home.