RE:RE:RE:RE:EV trendNice to see a good, honest, well laid out analysis of home charging. Thanks.
Most people don't recognize the limits of our standard 100 amp home services when considering having one or two new EV's in the driveway -- or should I say garage. And then there are all those parked out on the street - what do you do with those? Being an electrician in the coming years will be a busy, lucrative occupation when one considers how many home panels are going to have to be changed out. And can BC Hydro keep up? And how much will it all cost an individual? But everybody appears to have lots of money - no object.
Markhamjohn wrote:
One again we have people with no EV experience giving advice and opinion that is misleading or just plain incorrect. First, all EVs come with a level one cord for charging. It requires no equipment at all. Just plug into any 120 volt regular socket. Charging from empty takes 24 to 36 hours but for those travelling 40 to 50 km per day it could be adequate for them. I know people who charge this way. No home level 2 required, but likely the occasional trip to a level 3 chargers when a trip is involved. So level 1 is not going away. You don't need to install level 1 and it is not obsolete. Level 2 costs might appear hidden or confusing to someone with no knowledge who then tries to write about it. For level 2 charging at home one needs to consider at what kW level one wants to charge at and has adequate home power to supply. Most level 2 chargers will charge overnight. Common level 2 chargers operate at 16 or 32 or 40 or 48 AMPS. The higher the number the faster the charge. For example a 32 AMP charge x 240 volts delivers about 7.7 kW. So, a 77kwh battery (common size) would take 10 hours to charge. Once you decide on the level of charge you need wiring rated to handle that and a home electrical panel with sufficient available power supply. A 32 AMP charger requires wiring and a circuit breaker that will each handle 40 AMPs. So your costs are the purchase of the charger, breaker, sufficiently long wiring of the proper guage and the installation costs. Nothing is hidden but it does require calculating it.