Home Depot to sell Schneider residential electric vehicle charger

Schneider Electric has tapped well-known home improvements retailer Home Depot to sell its EVlink Indoor Electric Vehicle charging station, at least through its Web site.

Several California stores began carrying the technology during January 2012, but the rest of you will have to be content with ordering online.

The EVlink charger has a 30-amp Level 2 charging rate, which means that it can charge an electric vehicle four times faster than if it were plugged into a standard 110-volt home outlet. The charger, which lists for $799 on the Home Depot Web site, also comes with a feature that lets the home owner delay charging for up to eight hours. (So, you could schedule it for overnight or during off-peak utility rate periods.)

Don't try to install this thing yourself, though. Schneider Electric recommends using a licensed electrical contractor.