Charging your cars, trucks, and SUVs is a part of EV ownership. Charging at a public charging station is pretty easy once you get the hang of it, but there might be more options out there than you know. For instance, at Costco Wholesale stores. How long does it take to charge an electric car at Costco, you ask? As much time as you are willing to spend.

It won’t take all day to charge an electric car at Costco

First, use the PlugShare map to confirm your local Costco store has public electric car chargers. While there are plenty of Costco locations around the country, most of the options with chargers are in California. Select a Costco Wholesale warehouse store and find out the charging costs. At the 2640 Lomita Boulevard store in Torrance, California, drivers have to pay a $0.30 fee per charge, and the charger requires a $10 deposit. Another location charges $0.21/kWh, but most prices stay in this range.

The length of time it will take to charge an electric car at Costco depends on your vehicle and the charger. Most of the time, drivers will spend 30 minutes to an hour charging at Costco. That time can depend on your shopping and how long you have to stop. 30 minutes should give you enough charge to complete your errands and get home.

You can charge an electric car at Costco while you shop

Modern electric vehicles require modern charging stations. Most brands have been upgrading chargers around the country, but it isn’t clear if Costco will add more chargers or upgrade some of its current ones. The Costco store in Verona, Washing, has a few J-1772 chargers for drivers. Comments on the location note that the charger was only charging at 4kW. In this case, you might need an hour to add decent mileage. It is a good idea to check your charging destination anyway because sometimes these chargers are down or need repair.

The type of charging most people will do at Costco is short. While some Costco shopping trips take a long time, people are generally only inside for an hour or two. That is enough time to charge up, pick up your rotisserie chickens and be on the way home. If you are looking for a lot of miles in a short amount of time, it might benefit you to find a DC Fast charging station in the area. PlugShare allows you to find those chargers, too. If you are already on the website, zoom out from your Costco to find chargers nearby.

Many EV buyers will opt to install some kind of home charger

Many electric vehicle drivers opt for a home charger. Home charging is a convenient way to prepare your electric vehicle for the next day. While there are plenty of public charging stations throughout the U.S., there are some benefits to charging at home.

There are many different brands of home EV chargers, but the JuiceBox 40 Smart Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station is an excellent all-around option. ChargePoint’s Home Flex EV Charger is another popular charger. If you are interested in installing a charger, it might be a good idea to call an electrician. Depending on how old your home is, installation could be a breeze.

If you still want to charge an electric car at Costco, plan to spend 30 minutes to an hour charging up. Don’t forget to check PlugShare first to confirm your local store has chargers available. You can also call the store directly.