Your analysis is spot on. I would add another consideration: if you have gone all-in on EVs as I have, the investment in level II charging is for my current and all future cars. Also, it is a good selling feature for your home as well. To own an EV without level II charging will definitely negatively impact the convenience of owning an EV.
That's true. Once you get an EV statistics show you're unlikely to go back (and the market is going that way anyway) so it's a worthy investment, and a relatively cheap one as house improvements go...
yes - i'm hoping to eventually change all our cars to EVs and i dont have a garage so I will need to install SOMETHING on the outer edge of my front porch. If we end up with more than 1 EV we would want to be able to cycle through cars in a shorter period of time - but not if we still mostly work from home! Interesting.
@@caraziegel7652 You will find charging 2 cars from one charger is not a problem unless you are putting a lot of daily miles on both cars. We rarely charge either vehicle more than once or twice a week
It is worth noting that many "level 1" EVSEs are 240v compatible. The one that came with my Kia is. Since the outlet I was plugging into was alone on that circuit, the cost to turn it into a 240v outlet and adapt the EVSE plug was about $100 total. Less than 1/3 the charge time and considerable energy savings. That's still the same 12a charge rate limit, but as you explained the power convertor runs more efficiently anyway. Saving power and saving time for a very minimal cost.
I appreciate your logical approach to each of the topics you present. They've been quite helpful for me. I just placed an order for a 2023 Mini SE, and the salesman told me that it will come with a Level 1 charger and not a Level 2.
Thats’s great! I bought a third party level 1/2 combo unit for ours but would much prefer to have an OEM one… Hope you enjoy the car as much as we enjoy ours!
There are some affordable portable EVSE units that draw less than 20 amps. A few years ago I bought a "Duosida Level 2 EVSE Portable Electric Vehicle Charger (240V, 16A)" that plugs into our wall AC socket (US: 220v). I fitted an inline breaker, just to be sure. This operates at 3.6 or 3.7 kW, adding 12 mph instead of 20 - 40 mph: still THREE TIMES quicker than on 110v and no professional hard wiring required. In the US, you need a 220v dryer or AC socket, but in the UK every is 240v (though only 13A, IIRC; maybe this could work by setting the EV to charge at a lower rate?).
GM is paying for a level 2 charger to be installed in my garage, so that is FREE to me. I could care less about saving $5.80/1000 miles, so I'll probably use the 110v outlet in my garage most of the time since I don't drive so far each day. Good video though, so thanks for that. It's good to know that info. I'm already saving too much on gas savings alone, so I'm happy just doing that. Plus, EVs are the future, so I'm already ahead of the game IMO.
With a $500 rebate from my power company the EVSE / charger was a wash . As far as cost, I already had a 240 v 14-50 receptacle for a generator in case of power outages. Level one is too slow even for my PHEV. Super low rate off peak is between 11pm-6am. That's the window I'm shooting for.
The answer to the question depends on who is saving what. It cost $3 a watt to build electrical generating capacity for the utility. If you're okay with the considerable extra CO2 emissions from Level One charging by all means proceed, but you shouldn't be.
Even if there is a small cost advantage to the 240, on the backend the cheapest is 110 charging. All charging degrades the battery. 110 degrades the battery the least. A decade down the line your battery will retain the ability to hold a higher percentage of the charge it does now if you charge with a 110 outlet. This will be a major factor in resale value with EV vehicles in the future.
also charging on 240 volt I have seen is about 16 dollars a month cheaper then 120 volt seriously I have the power bills to show it on different months but also what he does not state is the damage that charging the car on 120 volt over time does to the main line to your house in the long run vs 240 volt which is a balanced wear level to that line in the long run which can cause failure of the of the phases to your houses main line power supply from the grid
Thank you for the clear explanation
Your analysis is spot on. I would add another consideration: if you have gone all-in on EVs as I have, the investment in level II charging is for my current and all future cars. Also, it is a good selling feature for your home as well. To own an EV without level II charging will definitely negatively impact the convenience of owning an EV.
That's true. Once you get an EV statistics show you're unlikely to go back (and the market is going that way anyway) so it's a worthy investment, and a relatively cheap one as house improvements go...
yes - i'm hoping to eventually change all our cars to EVs and i dont have a garage so I will need to install SOMETHING on the outer edge of my front porch. If we end up with more than 1 EV we would want to be able to cycle through cars in a shorter period of time - but not if we still mostly work from home! Interesting.
@@caraziegel7652 You will find charging 2 cars from one charger is not a problem unless you are putting a lot of daily miles on both cars. We rarely charge either vehicle more than once or twice a week
It is worth noting that many "level 1" EVSEs are 240v compatible. The one that came with my Kia is. Since the outlet I was plugging into was alone on that circuit, the cost to turn it into a 240v outlet and adapt the EVSE plug was about $100 total. Less than 1/3 the charge time and considerable energy savings. That's still the same 12a charge rate limit, but as you explained the power convertor runs more efficiently anyway. Saving power and saving time for a very minimal cost.
I appreciate your logical approach to each of the topics you present. They've been quite helpful for me. I just placed an order for a 2023 Mini SE, and the salesman told me that it will come with a Level 1 charger and not a Level 2.
Thanks for the feedback! I'll be curious if you actually get the L2 capable Flexcharger or the same one I have, the basic L1 version.
@@AndysComputer My 2023 Mini SE came in this week, and as a surprise to everyone it did come with the L2 charger. I thought you'd like to know!
Thats’s great! I bought a third party level 1/2 combo unit for ours but would much prefer to have an OEM one…
Hope you enjoy the car as much as we enjoy ours!
There are some affordable portable EVSE units that draw less than 20 amps. A few years ago I bought a "Duosida Level 2 EVSE Portable Electric Vehicle Charger (240V, 16A)" that plugs into our wall AC socket (US: 220v). I fitted an inline breaker, just to be sure. This operates at 3.6 or 3.7 kW, adding 12 mph instead of 20 - 40 mph: still THREE TIMES quicker than on 110v and no professional hard wiring required. In the US, you need a 220v dryer or AC socket, but in the UK every is 240v (though only 13A, IIRC; maybe this could work by setting the EV to charge at a lower rate?).
GM is paying for a level 2 charger to be installed in my garage, so that is FREE to me. I could care less about saving $5.80/1000 miles, so I'll probably use the 110v outlet in my garage most of the time since I don't drive so far each day. Good video though, so thanks for that. It's good to know that info. I'm already saving too much on gas savings alone, so I'm happy just doing that. Plus, EVs are the future, so I'm already ahead of the game IMO.
With a $500 rebate from my power company the EVSE / charger was a wash . As far as cost, I already had a 240 v 14-50 receptacle for a generator in case of power outages. Level one is too slow even for my PHEV. Super low rate off peak is between 11pm-6am. That's the window I'm shooting for.
The answer to the question depends on who is saving what. It cost $3 a watt to build electrical generating capacity for the utility. If you're okay with the considerable extra CO2 emissions from Level One charging by all means proceed, but you shouldn't be.
Even if there is a small cost advantage to the 240, on the backend the cheapest is 110 charging. All charging degrades the battery. 110 degrades the battery the least. A decade down the line your battery will retain the ability to hold a higher percentage of the charge it does now if you charge with a 110 outlet. This will be a major factor in resale value with EV vehicles in the future.
also charging on 240 volt I have seen is about 16 dollars a month cheaper then 120 volt seriously I have the power bills to show it on different months
but also what he does not state is the damage that charging the car on 120 volt over time does to the main line to your house in the long run vs 240 volt which is a balanced wear level to that line in the long run which can cause failure of the of the phases to your houses main line power supply from the grid
Its all about convenience. No way would I wait over 20 hours to use my EV. Level 2 all day.