Well in their defense, the…
Well in their defense, the article does clearly state that $3000 of that was to upgrade their electric panel. But it's overkill, you don't need 200 amps! A 50 or even 30 watt plug (as mentioned, the style used for a dryer) is much cheaper. Less than $10 for the plug itself then you just need someone to install it relatively close. All in you should be around $500-$1500 for the plug and installation depending on how far you install from the circuit breaker.