I didn't check where I'd actually charge until after I bought the car
I've been tracking every dollar I've spent charging since I got my Model 3 four months ago, mostly because I got annoyed at the number and wanted proof. About $187 a month between public L2 and DC fast charging, more than I ever spent on gas for my old car. I don't have an assigned parking spot at my building. I found out that mattered the week the car showed up, not before.
Before buying, I did the normal research: range, trim, whether the tax credit still applied. I never once walked down to the parking area behind my building and checked whether there was an outlet anywhere near where I'd actually be parking on a given night. There isn't one within reach of any spot that regularly opens up. The one outdoor outlet on the whole property sits on the opposite side of the lot from where the open spots usually are.
If I'd done that walk before signing anything, I would've known exactly what I was getting into instead of finding out through a spreadsheet four months later. Renters can still make this work. Just do the parking-and-outlet math before you sign, not after — after is a far more expensive place to learn it.
Filed under: General EV Talk
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12 answers
12 ANSWERS
@trent_b87August 23, 2026
This comes up constantly, someone assumes the outlet by their spot is fair game, then finds out it's on the same breaker as the exterior lighting for six units. Ask the property office specifically what's on that circuit before you count on it. That's the actual question, not just whether an outlet exists.
@lunarcrateAugust 26, 2026
Didn't check any of this before buying, honestly didn't occur to me. Turned out the previous owner at my house had put in a 240V outlet in the garage for a welder they never used. Only realized how lucky that was after reading a coworker's story about her apartment building's outlet situation.
@granthamjAugust 24, 2026
If you've got any accessible 120V outlet, even a basic one, Level 1 adds roughly 30-40 miles overnight, which covers most daily driving without touching an electrician. Tracked mine for over a year. Having zero outlet access at all is a completely different situation and needs different advice than what I just described.
@saltmarsh99August 25, 2026
Three years managing outdoor charging setups here. Most buildings have at least one exterior outlet that was put in for holiday lighting or maintenance equipment, not charging, and whoever oversees facilities can usually tell you if it's on a timer or a dedicated circuit. Ask the front office instead of testing it: is it reserved to your unit or first-come, and how's it billed, sub-metered, third-party, or flat fee. Get that before you sign anything.
Asking about the timer answers the wrong question first. Continuous EV charging load needs to stay at or under 80 percent of a circuit's rating, NEC 210.20. An outlet wired for holiday lights or a shop vac was never sized for that, timer or no timer. Get the amperage and what else shares that circuit before assuming an existing outlet means anything.
@hazypilotAugust 25, 2026
Before I bought anything I got it in writing from my apartment office that the plug near my usual spot was mine, not shared, not on some rotating schedule. I do 40+ hours a week of driving for work, so losing even one night of charging isn't a minor inconvenience, it's real income. Wasn't willing to gamble on 'probably fine.'
@twigcoralAugust 25, 2026
Wait, so if there's no garage or driveway, home charging might just not be possible at all? That never even crossed my mind before reading this. Is that really common for renters, or is this thread an unusually bad case?
It's common enough to plan for, not rare, but it depends on charger density and how many miles you do. Four years on an outdoor Level 2 myself, so I got the easy version. Friends without home access built it into their weekly routine and it's held up, but I've seen people doing 100+ miles a day give up after a few months. Workable once it matches your situation.
@bramblecrestAugust 23, 2026
Mine worked out, but only because I asked before I assumed anything. Emailed the leasing office directly and asked about putting in a dedicated outlet near my spot. They said yes, but it took about six weeks and a small installation fee to get it done properly instead of running a cord across the lot.
Different problem in my case. Outlet access isn't the issue, getting a spot close enough to reach it is. Night shifts mean I'm parking at random hours, and some nights the close spots are full and I'm nowhere near the outlet.
@palegrove_tAugust 29, 2026
For the outlet that turned out to exist — is it on the building's common meter, sub-metered to your unit, or run through a third-party network? That matters for whether you're allowed to use it long-term, not just whether it physically works.
@dutch_b74August 31, 2026
Had a guy from our church who's an electrician walk the driveway with me before we bought the Lightning, more luck than planning honestly. Turned out fine, an existing 240V outlet from the old dryer hookup was close enough. If it hadn't been, I don't think I would've budgeted for what a new circuit run actually costs.
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