Would you buy an EV if you weren't able to charge at home?

[bimmer456]

I know some folks have bought an EV even though they can't charge at home because they are renting or for some other reason. I would think it is super inconvenient. If you don't already own your own home it would be better to save the money to put toward a down payment instead. The gas savings doesn't really justify the expense.

Wondered what you thought about this.

[Red Bread]

Depends on your work situation. Its not really about cost savings vs gas, but the convenience of not having to go to a gas station.

I rent a townhome, but have never been in a situation that 220v isn't already in the garage. So it's less than a grand, and frequently less to have an electrician add an outlet.

But if I had an apartment or situation without a garage (although those frequently have charging available) I'd just need to ensure that I could charge at work. Even if I pay for it, that's not a big deal. I don't buy an ICE expecting free fill ups, I don't really expect free electricity for an EV either.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Its not really about cost savings vs gas, but the convenience of not having to go to a gas station.

Yes, or any of the other reasons why someone might choose an EV. Here are some other opinions:

https://www.energy.gov/eere/electric...hicle-benefits

I started driving an EV (a Focus Electric) a few months ago as a challenge to myself to see what the hype is about.

For me, not being able to charge at home would have been a deal killer. But for some folks, even without that ability, depending on beliefs, circumstance, and goals, they may be willing to make whatever compromises are necessary.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Depends on your work situation. Its not really about cost savings vs gas, but the convenience of not having to go to a gas station.

I rent a townhome, but have never been in a situation that 220v isn't already in the garage. So it's less than a grand, and frequently less to have an electrician add an outlet.

But if I had an apartment or situation without a garage (although those frequently have charging available) I'd just need to ensure that I could charge at work. Even if I pay for it, that's not a big deal. I don't buy an ICE expecting free fill ups, I don't really expect free electricity for an EV either.

To me it just seems too inconvenient unless you are just commuting to work. I would get a plug in hybrid instead. You have to plan your day around charging the car and trying to find a charger at work. If you plan on not driving for awhile it could be a problem if the car is not plugged in. Just too impractical at this point without home charging so you always have a full charge when you leave home.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

To me it just seems too inconvenient unless you are just commuting to work. I would get a plug in hybrid instead. You have to plan your day around charging the car and trying to find a charger at work. If you plan on not driving for awhile it could be a problem if the car is not plugged in. Just too impractical at this point without home charging so you always have a full charge when you leave home.

Again, depends on the car and usage. 300 miles gets my wife almost two weeks of range and would charge in less than one day at work (or overnight) so if she charges one say at work out of 14, she's fine.

[c1pher]

People I know actually charge at work since they don’t really have the ability to park at home (apartment, lot or street parking etc). One guy I know charges at a shopping center once a week and just makes it part of his routine to shop and go to dinner that night.

[BMWM4MW]

I heard if you are using the regular socket at home it will take hours for recharge so not sure if you need to install special fast charging plug to be compatible with the cable offered by the manufacturer.

[obert]

If I could change it at work And could afford one I would buy one with out a home charger. Pretty sure all electric cars come with a emergency charger that uses 120v sockets but takes a long time to change.

Still not an option for most apartment or condo living.

[bimmer456]

120v charging would take forever. You would not get a full charge charging it over night. If you live in an apartment even that might not be possible if you don't have an outlet in or near your carport and the landlord would have to be cool with it or you might have to pay for it somehow. Just not workable for most apartment dwellers. If you can find a parking spot at work that you can charge at it may not be free and there are a limited number of spaces and more people with EVs that want to charge every day. Going to a fast charger hopefully there's no one there as you'd have to wait a couple hours if there is a line.

Seems not worth the investment as EVs aren't cheap you might be better off with a plug in hybrid. Some people want the prestige of driving an EV even if it doesn't make any sense.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

Seems not worth the investment as EVs aren't cheap you might be better off with a plug in hybrid. Some people want the prestige of driving an EV even if it doesn't make any sense.

Some people want the prestige of driving any premium priced vehicle - EV, ICE, whatever - even if, objectively, it doesn't make financial sense based on their income and budget.

The existence of EVs did not start this phenomenon, nor should we expect their presence to put an end to it. People do as they will, and while it may not be how you or I would prioritize our lives, as long as someone is making it work (not unnecessarily burdening others) and happy with their situation, to each his/her own.

[newuser310]

No...the fact that you can easily fuel up at home is one of the main draws.

[Efthreeoh]

So my problem is if/when I buy an EV I'd have to charge it over at my work shop where I have electricity out in the compound away from the house, which is a good minute and a half walk. Add in the 30 secs to a minute it takes to plug in (I'd keep the charger inside the shop and open the sliding barn door to fish the cable out) and that's about the same time I take to recharge my ICE at the gas station. I need a range of at least 175 miles a day, so I'd have to charge every day, so that's 4 minutes a day vs. 5 minutes every other day for my ICE BMW. Then there is the 1 and a half minute walk in the rain I'd occasionally need to do (it get's kinda muddy around here), where as the gas station is covered over the recharging station.

Hummmm....

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

So my problem is if/when I buy an EV I'd have to charge it over at my work shop where I have electricity out in the compound away from the house, which is a good minute and a half walk. Add in the 30 secs to a minute it takes to plug in (I'd keep the charger inside the shop and open the sliding barn door to fish the cable out) and that's about the same time I take to recharge my ICE at the gas station. I need a range of at least 175 miles a day, so I'd have to charge every day, so that's 4 minutes a day vs. 5 minutes every other day for my ICE BMW. Then there is the 1 and a half minute walk in the rain I'd occasionally need to do (it get's kinda muddy around here), where as the gas station is covered over the recharging station.

Hummmm....

If you're charging at home by plugging in the night before you need to drive somewhere you're better off than an ICE as you leave home every day topped up and it's probably cheaper than gas especially if you use solar not counting initial costs. I think you would save a little more time than an ICE with no lines to deal with. You can also charge the car while it's parked outside your home if you mount a charger outside. You apparently can do this though I would prefer to charge it in a garage. Not sure if there is a way to prevent other people from using your charger but it is unlikely they would pull into your driveway and do so for a couple hours.

[GoneIn4Secs]

I would never buy electric or self drive car

[Soterios]

In my exact situation (30 miles each way for work), no.

If I lived closer, I would. My work provides free charging, so I could charge at work.

I keep three or four cars around the house though, so I wouldn't have to rely soley on the EV.

[aboutsize14]

Im confused as to why they can't change at home.... My 2016 Chevy Volt took 13 hours to charge on a 120V 12 amp. Run a long thick extension cord and charge it up! I can see where people might not have access to 220/240V level 2 charger at home, but 120V? Find a way! Get creative.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by BMWM4MW

I heard if you are using the regular socket at home it will take hours for recharge so not sure if you need to install special fast charging plug to be compatible with the cable offered by the manufacturer.

In my case, I use the 120V charger as my only home charging solution. Unfortunately, I do not have access to a charger (free or otherwise) at work.

The 120V charger is indeed pretty slow - it can only provide about 4 or 5 miles of range per hour. So, if you figure about 12 hours/day on the charger typically, I get about 50 to 60 miles per night. That has proven to be plenty for me.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

If you're charging at home by plugging in the night before you need to drive somewhere you're better off than an ICE as you leave home every day topped up and it's probably cheaper than gas especially if you use solar not counting initial costs. I think you would save a little more time than an ICE with no lines to deal with. You can also charge the car while it's parked outside your home if you mount a charger outside. You apparently can do this though I would prefer to charge it in a garage. Not sure if there is a way to prevent other people from using your charger but it is unlikely they would pull into your driveway and do so for a couple hours.

Not everyone lives in a city or suburbs; I don't. Hell, I drive 20 miles just to get somewhere and 15 minutes just to get cell service. And the population density doesn't make lines at the gas station. So while my first post was a bit sarcastic, it is true. For me, I'd spend more time recharging an EV than refueling an ICE, AND get less range per recharge. And get wet sometimes...

[jmg]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

To me it just seems too inconvenient unless you are just commuting to work. I would get a plug in hybrid instead. You have to plan your day around charging the car and trying to find a charger at work. If you plan on not driving for awhile it could be a problem if the car is not plugged in. Just too impractical at this point without home charging so you always have a full charge when you leave home.

My i3 is my main commuter to work, so unless there is a plug at work, I wouldn't get an EV if I didn't have a charger at home.

Originally Posted by BMWM4MW

I heard if you are using the regular socket at home it will take hours for recharge so not sure if you need to install special fast charging plug to be compatible with the cable offered by the manufacturer.

My i3 comes with one cable that fits a standard socket. It would take a day to recharge my car. However, a level 2 charger from Amazon (~$250) can do a complete charge overnight. It's perfect for commuting.

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

So my problem is if/when I buy an EV I'd have to charge it over at my work shop where I have electricity out in the compound away from the house, which is a good minute and a half walk. Add in the 30 secs to a minute it takes to plug in (I'd keep the charger inside the shop and open the sliding barn door to fish the cable out) and that's about the same time I take to recharge my ICE at the gas station. I need a range of at least 175 miles a day, so I'd have to charge every day, so that's 4 minutes a day vs. 5 minutes every other day for my ICE BMW. Then there is the 1 and a half minute walk in the rain I'd occasionally need to do (it get's kinda muddy around here), where as the gas station is covered over the recharging station.

Hummmm....

I don't think an EV is for you. It's not for everyone. In my case, it makes perfect sense since I have a 3 car garage that will fit both my daily and my commuter i3. My level 2 charger is 2 feet from where I park my i3. With off-peak charging, I'm saving hundreds in gas and since California does not have a huge reliance on coal power, it's also much cleaner to use electricity than gasoline.

Originally Posted by GoneIn4Secs

I would never buy electric or self drive car

That's up to you, but I definitely benefit from the advantages of a EV with some sort of autonomous driving technology.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by jmg

My i3 is my main commuter to work, so unless there is a plug at work, I wouldn't get an EV if I didn't have a charger at home.

There's also the i3 with gas engine REX. It's nice to have multiple rides so you have multiple options!

[jmg]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

There's also the i3 with gas engine REX. It's nice to have multiple rides so you have multiple options!

Yup! Both of my i3's are/were REx's. Since the range on my old one was only 80 miles, I used the Range Extender often. It was good for 40mpg when in use, so it's still very economical. With my new 2018 i3, the range is sufficient enough that I have only used the Range Extender once in the past 3 months. Nonetheless, it's nice piece of mind.

[overlook637]

Two years of owning the i3 and never once used 220v charging at home. Only ever used the 110v.

We would use public charging when possible.

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I wouldn't buy EV if I couldn't charge at home, unless my work had a charging space.