I have a few 'different approach' scenarios that play with the cost figures which I will throw out (below), but it really all boils down to having some fun for the (hopefully 5 to 10 year) life of the vehicle. Even wild animals make time for some play/have some fun in their lives. And I say his after being raised by parents that went through the Great Depression where they constantly lived their lives holding on to that penny for dear life. While my parent's thrifty/frugal life-lessons were well taught and later useful when the recent Great Recession hit me, I still made a little money available to be able to go out once in a while and live a little, albeit once a year (no one wants to be a wet-blanket all their life).
Back in the 1990's when there was no public EV charging, I 'was' for the most part, driving off my home (level-1) outlet. After I was quite comfortable knowing my range, and recharge times, I noted where I had permissions to pay for level-1 charging while I did other things away from my EV. That allowed me to push my range bubble, incorporate my EV into what I like to do, thus letting me enjoy my EV more. i.e.: Once every few months, I would venture out in my level-1 charging ability EV and make a day of it (going to some place that was beyond my 50% range, plugging in while doing something else for hours, and then being able to come back home). It was fun. Later, I had my EV conversion upgraded http://brucedp.150m.com/blazer/index2.html to also be able to charge at what is called today a level-2 rate where permission-ed access to power was available. This meant I could venture out farther, and also come back sooner (a twofer for the cost of the upgrade). It did not mean I abandoned level-1 charging. On the contrary, level-1 charging was still what I did most of the time for my daily commute. It just was quite nice to be able to once in a while go out and enjoy some level-2 fun. If a person had a daily routine which included 50 daily commute miles for 5 days a week (~13000 miles/year), now that they are not paying for their former ice's oil changes, smogging, and ice repairs, the money for that could be used to have a little fun once in a while. I will assume you go out at least once a week with your significant other and spend at least $50 (dinner, movie, pub, etc. - i.e. happy wife = happy life). That is $2600 a year, or $13000 to $26000 over a 5 to 10 year period. After looking at those numbers an $800 purchase is does not seem that big a deal. For those that just spent around $30000 for their new Production EV, adding in another $800 item to be used for the life of the EV (that 5 to 10 year period) also is not 'that' big a deal. Or perhaps you posted it was the money when really you do not have a use for level-2 thus everyone should live off level-1? Different people, different places/regions, different charging needs. While SF, CA has an airport just south of it a few miles away, it gets crammed/backed-up/too-busy, or the fog sets in to where flights have to be backed up, circling around, thus some carriers do not use SFO. They fly in&out of either Oakland across the SF Bay, or San Jose in Silicon Valley http://goo.gl/maps/eUdup Also, because of local/crazy traffic, a 30 mile one-way trip takes the same time as a normal 60 mile trip without traffic. Now, you enjoy your EV happily driving on your daily commute, and only charging off level-1 at home while you snooze. But now, the Grandparents are flying-out and want to be picked up at San Jose Airport, plus your Sisters want you to bring them over to one of their homes while you are in the south bay to have a meal/visit before you take your parents back home with you. Only having a level-1 charging ability, this scenario just does not work. But here lies the justification for the $800 expenditure. With a level-2 full-powered 6kW charger on-board your EV, you can plugin while at the airport and regain 30+ miles for the hour+ you are at the airport gathering your parents and their luggage. Though your Sister lives in a Condo/Townhouse that does not have a level-2 outlet to plug into, you use a long extension cord off her level-1 outlet and charge during the hours you are there. The slight smile your parents have on their faces as you pull into your place, that you able to do everything an ice can do but with your EV, ... priceless. Having the flexibly to charge at either at level-1 or at level-2 can be quite useful, thus the purchase price of the said level-2 EVSE becomes attractively affordable. {brucedp.150m.com} - On Mon, Jan 7, 2013, at 08:01 AM, Martin WINLOW wrote: > On 6 Jan 2013, at 13:13, Cruisin wrote: > > This is a good choice for a J1772 charger that is only $749 with free > > delivery and 10% off if prior military. > > > > http://www.homedepot.com/buy/schneider-electric-evlink-30-amp-level-2-indoor-electric-vehicle-charging-station-1st-generation---traditional-model-ev2430ws.html > > > > It may be 'good value' but it still costs the equivalent of about 30k > miles worth of driving on electricity (assuing 250Wh/mi and 10c/kWh). > > Whilst you do get your 30A charge (assuming your EV can take it)... > > a/ why do you need one at home when you have all night to replace the > average 30 miles (7.5kWh worth) of driving done a day and... > b/ it'll probably cost another 30k miles worth to install the 30A supply > to the EVSE unit. > > Just make do with a 'free' 110V socket in your garage. - -- http://www.fastmail.fm - Access your email from home and the web _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
