Thanks to President Biden’s infrastructure plan, electric vehicles show no sign of slowing in popularity. In fact, the number of electric vehicles on the road is increasing more rapidly than ever. This means the demand for electric vehicle supply equipment for both home and commercial use is growing as well. As a licensed electrician, it is likely that you have the qualifications to install these charging stations. However, you may need a little more education on the topic and a certification to boost your credibility.
Here is a list of the most valuable EVSE installer training programs available to you:
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program
The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) is a non-profit, volunteer, brand neutral national EV industry collaborative training program. It is concerned with the safety imperatives, technical requirements and performance integrity of industry partners and stakeholders like:
- Automobile manufacturers
- Investor-owned and municipal utilities
- Electric vehicle supply equipment/EVSE (“charging station”) manufacturers
- Electrical energy storage device manufacturers
- State and local electrical inspectors
- Electrical contractors and electrical workers
- First responders
Course Description
The EVITP program offers the most comprehensive EVSE installation training in North America. In addition to being an installation course, it also covers general information about the EV industry. It even touches a bit on customer relations and customer satisfaction.
The following topics are covered in the EVITP curriculum:
- Customer relations and experience
- EV manufacturer’s charging performance integrity specifications
- Battery types and charging characteristics
- Utility policies and requirements
- Electrical storage devices
- Installing, commissioning and maintaining electric storage devices
- Charging station fundamentals including brand/model-specific installation instructions for:
- Level 1: 120 VAC 15 amps
- Level 2: 120-240 VAC 60 amps
- Level 3: 480 VAC 125 amps or 600 VDC 550 amps
- Service assessments and upgrades
- Internet Protocol (IP) networking of charging stations
- National Electrical Code (NEC) standards and requirements
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and OSHA regulations
- National Electrical Installation Standards (NEIS) for electric vehicle equipment
- First responder safety and fire hazard measures
- Next Generation Charging
- EVSE Troubleshooting, Repair and Commissioning
- Facility Based Energy Storage
Price
The cost for the EVITP averages about $275.00 for the course, the exam and certification. Note that price may vary slightly depending on factors such as location, institution and whether you are taking the course in-person or online.
How to Enroll
Before you can enroll in the EVITP anywhere, you must be a licensed general electrician. The EVITP is offered in several electrical industry training centers and community colleges across the United States.
If you are interested in enrolling in a course, contact EVITP via email at info@evitp.org to find information about the EVITP training requirements and options available in your state as it does vary by region.
Another way to learn about your training options is to conduct an online search for EVITP courses near you (ex. EVITP course enrollment Houston). Your search results list will comprise local institutions that offer in-person, online and hybrid EVITP options. Visit the website of your institution of choice to find the next steps toward receiving your EVITP certification.
ChargePoint
ChargePoint is the leading electric vehicle supply equipment vendor on the market right now. Not only are they a top seller of home chargers but you will also see ChargePoint chargers in the parking lots of all your favorite places such as shopping centers, parks and movie theaters. ChargePoint has used their notoriety to give back by providing electricians with charger installation certifications. Electricians who take advantage of this program will broaden their scope of expertise and secure more jobs.
Course Description
ChargePoint actually offers individual certification courses for each of their EVSE products such as Home, CPF25, CT400, Express 200, Express 250 and CPF50. The course for each product consists of two to four modules that cover an overview of the product, the installation procedure and then finally the certification module where the user will take a test assessing their knowledge on the topic.
ChargePoint also offers a 9-module course that covers all of the product resource manuals so that you are well informed on the product you are installing and can also perform repairs.
Price
If you are interested in receiving a ChargePoint installer certification, you are in luck. The certification process is actually offered free of charge. Not to mention, you do not have to be licensed contractor to enroll in a course or receive your certification. This makes it a nice option for EV owners and people looking to make some extra money installing ChargePoint systems.
How to Enroll
- Visit the ChargePoint website
- Scroll down and you will find a list of professions under Partners. Click Installers.
- You will be directed to an information page about the certification process. Click please register for the ChargePoint Installation Training Certification Program.
- You will be directed to a login page for ChargePoint’s user portal. Click Sign Up Now.
- Fill in all the required fields to set up your account. When finished, click Sign Up Now.
- You will land on your ChargePoint user dashboard where you will see nine courses covering each of their specific products. You can choose to begin each self-paced course whenever it is convenient for you.
Tesla Certified Installer
Tesla’s installer certification is considered one of the most difficult to attain as there is not much information about it online. However, Tesla is essentially the face of the electric vehicle industry. Being certified by Tesla is a great way boost your credibility and leads which means more money for you and your business.
Course Description
The Tesla Certified Installer course covers the charging options offered by Tesla along with all of the standard procedures associated with installing and repairing their EVSE. Completion of the program will not only earn you a certification, but you will be put on Tesla’s list of certified installers and be promoted to EV drivers in your area.
Price
As Tesla’s training program is in such high demand, Tesla does not state a specific price for enrollment. Upon completing your application for enrollment into the program, Tesla will review your licensing and business information and provide you with all of the details regarding your journey to becoming Tesla certified, including any fees.
How to Enroll
It is important to know that before you can apply for this certification, you must already be a licensed electrician working either as an independent contractor or as an employee for an electricity company. If you decide you are interested in the Tesla program and its certification, you will first be required to fill out an application. The application can be found on the Tesla website as a online form.
In addition to basic personal and company information, the Tesla certified electrician application form will requires the following information:
- Products you will work with
- Distributor referral code
- Service mile radius
- Value to the company
After submitting the application, you will be required to wait for further directions from Tesla. The follow-up information given to you may vary depending on whether you are an independent contractor and which certifications you already have. Due to high level of interest, the application form and the program will not be available at all times. If you are interested and find that the application is unavailable, be sure to check back regularly for Tesla to reopen the form and the program.
The EV charger certifications listed here are some of the most valuable options available on a national scale. However, there are several local options for obtaining a certification. Consider conducting a Google search for “EV charging station installer certifications” and customize it with your location. You will find a list of certification programs that may better educate you on details related to the EV industry in your area.