If you’re the kind of person who thinks that a fun weekend consists of redecorating your bathroom, landscaping your garden or perhaps making your own shelving units from scratch, you’re probably familiar with Lowe’s, the Home Improvement Store. 

But what you may not know is that as of August DIY Enthusiasts in selected areas will be able to put an electric car charging station in their Lowe’s cart alongside those pieces of 2x4, paint tubs and tool chests. 

Yesterday, Lowe’s announced that it had entered into a partnership with GE Energy Industrial Solutions to stock its GE WattStation wall-mounted electric vehicle charging stations, giving consumers yet another option when preparing their garage for an electric car. 

Pricing has yet to be finalized, but Lowe’s has told us that the Level 2 WattStation will cost somewhere in the region of $1,000, with installation options costing extra. 

GE WattStation Electric Car Charging Station

GE WattStation Electric Car Charging Station

Unlike other electric vehicle charging station manufacturers, GE Energy are supporting two methods of installation: a permanent, fixed wire solution using a dedicated 204V power supply and installed by an electrician, and a more portable, plug-in installation making use of an appropriate pre-existing 240V NEMA 6-50 socket.

Perhaps most appealing to the budding interior designer however, is the variety of colors the WattStation comes in, turning the humble charging station into more than just a boring box on the wall. 

While it’s always good to see more charging stations come onto the market, we’re a little disappointed that the WattStation is quite so expensive, especially when aimed at the DIY market. But as we've discussed before, the price of electric car charging stations has already started to fall.

As with many other electric vehicle products, Lowe’s will be rolling out the WattStation at a selected five stores in August, before adding the product to a further 55 stores and its online portal by September. 

[Lowes]