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To fully charge an electric car takes about four hours IF the charging station can provide 40-amps at 230-volts.
That’s serious power… 9,200-watts x 4-hrs = 36.8-Kilowatt/hours.
After taxes, I’m paying $0.147 per KWH. Times 36.8=$5.41 for a ‘tank’ of power which gets you about 50-miles. That figures to be about 11¢ per mile (which is great).
Here’s the rub:
A 'smart' charging station must be installed by an electrician for around $2,000 (over the cost of the vehicle). Lower-amp stations may be used, but the charging time suffers. Ex: If you use an existing 20-amp, 115-volt circuit, 16-hours are required for a ‘tank’ of power. Leviton recently introduced a portable charging unit (20-amp, 115-volt) that you can throw in the back seat and take with you.
If everyone comes home from work and plugs-in, there is no way the power company could possibly supply everyone at once. I foresee separate, lower-cost service plans from the power companies, to radio-relay control when your charging station will be active (much like existing A/C and hot water heater plans that use a separate watt-meter).
Going green will mandate many changes in our transportation and utility sectors. Right now, a fifty mile range isn't enough to attract serious commuters, and I don't see employers installing charging stations at two-grand a pop. But, I can't wait until we are totally independent from OPEC oil. - Dave Dare
That’s serious power… 9,200-watts x 4-hrs = 36.8-Kilowatt/hours.
After taxes, I’m paying $0.147 per KWH. Times 36.8=$5.41 for a ‘tank’ of power which gets you about 50-miles. That figures to be about 11¢ per mile (which is great).
Here’s the rub:
A 'smart' charging station must be installed by an electrician for around $2,000 (over the cost of the vehicle). Lower-amp stations may be used, but the charging time suffers. Ex: If you use an existing 20-amp, 115-volt circuit, 16-hours are required for a ‘tank’ of power. Leviton recently introduced a portable charging unit (20-amp, 115-volt) that you can throw in the back seat and take with you.
If everyone comes home from work and plugs-in, there is no way the power company could possibly supply everyone at once. I foresee separate, lower-cost service plans from the power companies, to radio-relay control when your charging station will be active (much like existing A/C and hot water heater plans that use a separate watt-meter).
Going green will mandate many changes in our transportation and utility sectors. Right now, a fifty mile range isn't enough to attract serious commuters, and I don't see employers installing charging stations at two-grand a pop. But, I can't wait until we are totally independent from OPEC oil. - Dave Dare