Key takeaways:
- As the demand for electric vehicles, solar battery backups, and electric tools increase, so too will the need for charging options at home.
- Retrofitting existing homes might mean upgrading electrical panels or coming up with creative solutions in the garage.
- Electric is here to stay, and builders will want to plan for sufficient charging capacity in new homes.
According to Sense, an energy monitoring company, household energy consumption rose at the onset of the pandemic and will likely continue to increase. Several factors contributed to the increase, such as more people staying home because of COVID-19 protocols, extreme weather, and warmer summers. Another is the ongoing trend toward increased household electrification, which consumers are turning to in an effort to lower carbon emissions and fuel-related costs.
Increased production and demand for electric vehicles will push the need for home-based energy consumption even further. Currently, there are 20 completely electric vehicles available in the U.S., comprising about 4% of the market; that share is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. Automobile makers currently project that an average of about 50 percent of vehicle sales will be of electric vehicles by 2030.
General Motors is committed to offering 30 electric vehicles by 2025, and Ford expects 40% to 50% of its vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.
Read more from NAR's Realtor Magazine.
|