Probably not. Most Toronto homes with a 100 amp panel can run a Level 2 charger, and a load management system (EVEMS) usually does it for $1,300 to $2,900 less than upgrading to 200 amps first. What decides it is how much spare capacity your panel has, and an electrician can work that out in a few minutes.
Why a 100 amp panel feels tight with an EV
A lot of Toronto bungalows and older semis built before 1990 have 100 amp service. That has to cover the stove, the dryer, the air conditioner and every light in the house.
A Level 2 charger draws roughly 32 to 48 amps for hours at a time, depending on the charger and its breaker. Say the A/C and cooking are using about 60 amps and the car adds 40. That is the whole 100 amps, and one more appliance trips the main breaker.
Before any charger goes in, your electrician runs a load calculation under the Ontario Electrical Safety Code and pulls an ESA permit. If the calculation shows no room, a plain charger circuit is not allowed and you need one of the two fixes below. Our ESA permit page covers what the inspection involves.
Option 1: upgrade to a 200 amp service
A service upgrade is a bigger job than it sounds. The mast, meter base and panel are replaced, and the utility (Toronto Hydro in the city) has to disconnect and reconnect your power, so you are without electricity while that happens. It also needs an ESA permit and inspection.
The upgrade typically adds $2,500 to $4,500 on top of the charger installation. It makes sense when you already plan to add a hot tub, a heat pump or a second kitchen, because you will need the capacity anyway. We break down the numbers in our service upgrade cost guide and the Toronto Hydro service upgrade guide.
Option 2: load management (EVEMS)
An EVEMS is a device that watches your home's electrical demand in real time. Overnight, when the house is quiet, the charger runs at full speed. If the A/C and oven kick on together, the system turns the charger down, then brings it back up once demand drops. The electrical code recognizes energy management systems for this purpose, and the ESA inspects the installation like any other.
Most people plug in when they get home and drive off in the morning, so the car is full either way. The slowdowns happen at the moments your panel is close to its limit.
Our EVEMS installation page has more on how we install it, and the EVEMS vs panel upgrade comparison goes deeper on the trade-offs.
What each route costs in Toronto and the GTA
| Situation | What gets installed | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Panel has room to spare | Charger installation | $800 to $1,400 |
| 100 amp panel with little spare capacity | Charger plus EVEMS | $2,000 to $3,000 |
| Panel needs replacing or the load adds up too high | Charger plus 200 amp service upgrade | $3,300 to $5,900 |
| Detached garage or a long run | Charger with trenching and conduit | $3,000 to $6,000+ |
These are typical ranges for the GTA. Your price depends on the distance from the panel to the charger, the condition of the panel and what the load calculation shows. You can plug in your own details in the cost calculator.
When you do need 200 amps
Load management handles a car. It does not make room for everything else. A 200 amp service is the better choice if:
- you are adding a hot tub or sauna, since a car plus a hot tub is more than 100 amps;
- you have or plan a secondary suite with its own stove and dryer;
- you are switching from gas heat to an electric heat pump;
- your panel is full or an older design, such as a split-bus panel (see our split-bus panel guide).
How to find out which one you need
Check the label on your main breaker. If it says 100, you are in the group this article is about. Send us a photo of your panel with the door open, by WhatsApp or through the quote form, and we run the load calculation and tell you which route fits. We confirm everything on site before any work starts, and we handle the ESA permit. EV Install Pro is ESA-licensed (Licence #7012737).
Request a free quote or call 1-289-819-1343.
Common questions
Can I put an EV charger on a 100 amp service?
Yes. If the load calculation shows enough spare capacity, the charger goes in as a normal circuit. If it does not, load management lets the charger share the panel with the rest of the house.
Do I need a 200 amp panel for a Tesla?
No. A Tesla Wall Connector can be installed on a 100 amp panel with load management. See our Tesla charger installation page for details.
Will load management make my car charge slower?
Only at the moments your home is close to its limit. Overnight, when demand is low, the charger runs at full speed.
Can I upgrade the panel myself?
A service upgrade needs an ESA permit and inspection, and the utility has to disconnect your power, so it is a job for a licensed electrical contractor.
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