[LesterSleepsIn]

We live in a modest city house without a garage but a driveway that extends along the side of the house. Without a garage, where would I put a charging station?

Best,
Lester

[JLM]

We live in a modest city house without a garage but a driveway that extends along the side of the house. Without a garage, where would I put a charging station?

Best,
Lester

On the side of the house inside a locked box.

[sts9fan]

Still loving my two Bolts plus I put the deposit down on a Rivian SUV!!
We will see how that goes.

[EkW]

We live in a modest city house without a garage but a driveway that extends along the side of the house. Without a garage, where would I put a charging station?

Best,
Lester

I would think that a simple box over the charger should suffice, even if it doesn't lock. If you don't have lots of vandals in your neighborhood then skip the box. I had a 240V outlet put in my carport and the charge cable run along the carport roof. Just pull the connector of its hook and plug in after work. I do not miss pumping gas.
A hard wired charger seems like an unlikely target for vandalism but you should have a good feel whether your it would be fine in your neighborhood. Just hiding it from view of passers by ought to be enough.

[LesterSleepsIn]

On the side of the house inside a locked box.

Hey, is that the ‘locked box’ Al Gore was talking about? Heh,heh,heh. Locked box.
Anyway, makes sense. Will have to get the electrician to check the lines coming into our 106 y/o house. Plus, it’s in a preservation district and any changes to the exterior have to be approved by the Landmark Society. And there’s always WAF to consider.
Yup EkW, it would have to be a locked box in this neigborhood.

Yup, I do believe there’s a Tesla in my future.

Thanks all.

Cheers,
Lester

[JLM]

Box would be easier, but you could try hiding it in a milkman's delivery door if the preservationists make an issue of it.

Just hope they don't require you to buy a 100 year old electric car.   

[sts9fan]

I’ve never seen a charging station in a box around me but I guess different places may.
Also, the plug and wall unit are not a charger. Semantics but it’s really just a smart plug. The charger is in the vehicle.

[macrojack]

I just want to say I admire and appreciate all you guys who have stepped up and bought an electric vehicle. I wish I could justify buying one. I have never purchased a new car in my life but would do so if the numbers were not utterly unjustifiable. My 2006 Prius has about 121,000 miles on the clock and has never needed a repair. Additionally, we put about 3000 miles/year on it at avg. 45 mpg. That's a whopping 67 gallons/year. Currently, with grocery points deducted from fuel purchases, I pay about $1.50/gal. That's maybe $100 for gas and $50ish for an oil change. At that rate I wouldn't live long enough to earn back the taxes and fees from the new car purchase. Plus, at 71, I think I'm too old for car payments.

[audioengr]

I just want to say I admire and appreciate all you guys who have stepped up and bought an electric vehicle. I wish I could justify buying one. I have never purchased a new car in my life but would do so if the numbers were not utterly unjustifiable. My 2006 Prius has about 121,000 miles on the clock and has never needed a repair. Additionally, we put about 3000 miles/year on it at avg. 45 mpg. That's a whopping 67 gallons/year. Currently, with grocery points deducted from fuel purchases, I pay about $1.50/gal. That's maybe $100 for gas and $50ish for an oil change. At that rate I wouldn't live long enough to earn back the taxes and fees from the new car purchase. Plus, at 71, I think I'm too old for car payments.

Maybe consider a demo or used Tesla Model 3?  Just contact any Tesla dealership and they will tell you what is available across the country.  They don't wear-out like ICE cars, unless they have been abused by racing them.

You don't go to a dealership to buy Tesla.  I bought mine online.  Try this for used/demos:

https://www.tesla.com/inventory/used/ms

Steve N.

[rollo]

   When SUV sized vehicles offer self charging option I'm in hook lie and sinker. Do like the deal with power companies overcharging for Elec. We would also have a smaller footprint with Elec.
   

charles

[ctviggen]

I didn't remember starting this thread, but I did not buy an electric car.  Without tax breaks, they're really too expensive, and even with tax breaks, these are only tax breaks and don't reduce the payments you pay. 

Also, I pay about 20 cents a kilowatt hour for electricity (last month was 21.5 cents/kwHr), and while it's slightly cheaper than gas, it's not that much cheaper for electricity than gas.  Unfortunately, I did not have my Chevy Volt long enough to see what it really took to go to and from work, so maybe my few calculations are off. The last data point I have was about $50/month and the electricity at that time was 18.75 cents/kwHr.  Considering that car cost $10,000 more than the current car I have the only way that car (the Volt) was feasible was if there were incentives.  With no incentives, it's cheaper to own a gas car.

[audioengr]

   When SUV sized vehicles offer self charging option I'm in hook lie and sinker. Do like the deal with power companies overcharging for Elec. We would also have a smaller footprint with Elec.
   

charles

Isn't a Model X an SUV?  What do you mean by "self-charging?

Steve N.

[audioengr]

I didn't remember starting this thread, but I did not buy an electric car.  Without tax breaks, they're really too expensive, and even with tax breaks, these are only tax breaks and don't reduce the payments you pay. 

Also, I pay about 20 cents a kilowatt hour for electricity (last month was 21.5 cents/kwHr), and while it's slightly cheaper than gas, it's not that much cheaper for electricity than gas.  Unfortunately, I did not have my Chevy Volt long enough to see what it really took to go to and from work, so maybe my few calculations are off. The last data point I have was about $50/month and the electricity at that time was 18.75 cents/kwHr.  Considering that car cost $10,000 more than the current car I have the only way that car (the Volt) was feasible was if there were incentives.  With no incentives, it's cheaper to own a gas car.

The incentive is to save the planet for your grandchildren.

Steve N.

[artur9]

A great concept for sure. Would buy one when they put a charger in vehicle. Do not like the idea of charging stations. Why cannot an alternator be used ? Everyone would want one. If and when it would be a Tesla.

Not sure what you mean? I plug my i3 into the wall with its wallwart.  The charging stations are for if you want to charge faster.

Technically, all EVs have the charger in the car.  The charging stations are something else, not chargers.  But that's a nit.

[sts9fan]

If they would just put a ICE in my electric car I would be all over it!!!

[rollo]

Not sure what you mean? I plug my i3 into the wall with its wallwart.  The charging stations are for if you want to charge faster.

Technically, all EVs have the charger in the car.  The charging stations are something else, not chargers.  But that's a nit.

  Basically the same thing. My issue is no charge after initial charge. Why cannot they be designed to recharge themselves. IMO the only reason the Elec companies did not lobby against the Elec Vehicle. Same reason Edison sold out Tesla. MONEY.
  Love the concept hope trucks will be next.

charles

[rollo]

The incentive is to save the planet for your grandchildren.

Steve N.

 Nonsense it is all about money or else they cars would charge themselves. Even less of a footprint.


charles

[sts9fan]

  Basically the same thing. My issue is no charge after initial charge. Why cannot they be designed to recharge themselves. IMO the only reason the Elec companies did not lobby against the Elec Vehicle. Same reason Edison sold out Tesla. MONEY.
  Love the concept hope trucks will be next.

charles

Where does the energy come from to “recharge themselves”?

[avahifi]

EVs are not perpetual motion machines!

They need a recharge of electricity every couple hundred miles or so.  They can be plugged in at home for an overnight charge, or at one of the hundreds of fast charging stations throughout the country (except North Dakota).

Tesla, in particular, has a well developed network of very fast “Superchargers” coast to coast.

Although they do need electricity, they do not need gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, belts, hoses, spark plugs, tune-ups, and mufflers.  In fact they have no exhaust system at all.  With a Tesla it is electricity in, with nothing at all out except an amazingly pleasant driving experience.

Note that given the current limits of solar cell technology, it is not possible to cover a car with enough solar cells to propel it.  Maybe enough to charge its battery at the rate of one mile charge gained per hour.  You would need to let the car sit in the sun for a long time.

Don’t ask about the Tesla new Sentry mode.  You won’t like it if you try to break into one now.

On the happier side, Tesla now includes a “dog mode”. This keeps the air conditioning turned on even when the car is parked and turned off to protect your pets while you make a quick shopping trip.

Tesla keeps sending out upgrades making their cars better and better.

No, I have not ordered one yet, but hopefully this spring.

Frank

[srb]

Teslas, like most all-electric cars, need minimal maintenance.

The Model 3 only requires battery coolant replacement every 50,000 mi / 4 yrs and brake fluid replacement every 25,000 mi / 2 yrs (like any car).

Further advancements in battery, charging and cooling technology may eliminate battery coolant altogether for all electric cars (the Nissan Leaf currently uses air-cooled batteries).