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The circuit, not the charger on the wall

A Level 2 charger is a continuous load. The breaker is 125% of the current you set. Distance past about 100 ft is a voltage-drop design input — this page will not invent an AWG shopping list. Cost is not modelled; we do not have a sourced $/foot we can defend.

125% continuous-load multiplier A charger that draws 32 A is a 40 A circuit class. 48 A is a 60 A class. The hard part is usually the panel, the run, and whether the garage is detached — not the SKU.

Enter the charger current, one-way length of the run, and attached vs detached. The output is the breaker class and a sentence about the run. Put the current into the load calculator as well. Live work is not DIY.

Current, run, attached or not

Not a SKU and not a price. Nothing is emailed.

The circuit rating the instructions call for, not the marketing “Level 2.”

— Breaker class
— Circuit
— The run

What this assumed —

Continuous-load 125%, next common breaker step. Not a cost. Live work is not DIY. HyreElectrical does not install chargers.

Questions this calculator answers

What size breaker does a Level 2 charger need?
125% of the charger’s current, then the next common breaker size. A 32 A charger is a 40 A class; a 48 A charger is a 60 A class. Confirm the charger’s installation instructions and the adopted NEC edition.
How much does EV charger installation cost?
We do not print a national average. Distance, attached vs detached, and panel capacity move it more than the charger. This tool sizes the circuit conversation, not the invoice.
Can I install it myself?
A 240 V branch circuit is licensed work in most jurisdictions. This page will not walk you through live work.

Sources and methodology

Figures dated 23 August 2026. Last reviewed .

  • NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NFPA, retrieved 2026-08-23. Continuous loads and feeder/branch-circuit sizing live in the adopted edition. This page uses 125% as the continuous-load shape, not as a quoted table.)

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