I agree that a ~3kW on-board charger is limiting, especially with the Spark EV not really having a L3 charging ability (there aren't any ccs EVSE, and any new ccs will lag behind in count to the many CHAdeMO L3 that is already out there).
I pray that the GM lurkers are hearing us, and will allow authorized after-market OEM 6kW on-board chargers to be installed without voiding GM's warranty. It was posted that Chuck may want to look at an iMiev. I got to to talk to the iMiev sales reps out of a South SF Bay dealership at last year's Silicon Valley Rally http://brucedp12.20m.com/eaasvr2012/ http://brucedp12.20m.com/cgi-bin/i/eaasvr2012/sveaar20120923-brucedp-017l.jpg The iMiev is a well designed, purpose built Production EV. Sadly, Mitsubishi decided that U.S. buyers can only buy an iMiev with a smaller 60 mile pack, whereas in Canada and Europe, their customers are able to buy the larger near 100 mile pack. Despite this, Chuck may find 60 miles is more than enough for him, and most of the time charge off L1 or 3kW L2. But whenever he wants to, he could tap into the L3 network and go far beyond his normal routine (occasionally have a little fun). i.e.: drive from his N. SF Bay residence down to the next Silicon Valley Rally in the S. SF Bay, etc. http://recargo.com/search?search=san+francisco%2C+ca&commit=Search&filters[]=cha http://recargo.com/search?search=sacramento%2C+ca&commit=Search&filters[]=cha There are two of iMiev EVs used at a Kaiser Hospital on the SF Peninsula as security patrol vehicles. And though their Security staff stressed they only get 60 miles range (hence why they have two of them, one always on charge), they say they really like them. I do not think they ever heard of the free level-3 charging nearby. I did not tell them, as to change their routine would be against the grain for their Security team (it would not be SOP - the mind-set of Security procedures are a different beast). So, if a less expensive, shorter range, slower charging Production EV is OK with you, then take a look at iMiev. {brucedp.150m.com} - On Sat, May 4, 2013, at 06:07 AM, tomw wrote: > The charger on the Spark sucks. From Chevy's website: > > "For a faster charge, the available 240V system fully charges the battery > in > just seven hours." > > Whoohoo a 2.5kW charger! The only option for a faster charge is GM's > version of DC fast charging. How many years before that is widely > available? You can count all the level 2 EVSE locations within a 50 mile > radius of my house on one hand, and the nearest level 3 is more than 150 > miles away. Imo it is dumb to not offer at least a 6.6kW charger to take > advantage of the infrastructure that is already there. That dropped it > off > the list for potential ev's for my wife. - -- http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class _______________________________________________ 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)
