Getting Started with Tesla Charging
Getting Started with Tesla Charging ==================================== About the same time as my vehicle got its VIN, and my reservation was locked-in, I got an eMail from Tesla HomeCharging asking me to provide some pictures and a brief description of what would be involved in running a new circuit from the distribution board to the garage. Almost three weeks later, I finally responded to it:
On Mon, Feb 05, 2018 at 10:03:26PM -0600, Tesla wrote:
What's Next? We recommend taking 15 minutes to show us where you would like to charge your car, along with a few other details that will allow us to generate a no‑obligation quote. You can expect to hear back from us within 2‑3 business days.
Please see the attached picture. This is the corner of my non-insulated garage, outside of the firewall. There's currently a 120V/15A outlet running off a 20A circuit with another outlet on the other side of the garage. I'd expect to put the Tesla charger near it, preferably a bit above it, and it'd need to run a new circuit from the main distribution panel which is along the same face of the house, but at the far end of the building.
Let me know if you need additional information.
Charging Options ---------------- Tesla will install their chargers directly in some states, while in other states you'll need to contact a private electrician to do the installation. If you go the route of a private electrician, you can order the charger direct from Tesla, but you also have the option of getting a more generic level-2 charger which would work with other electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
Non-Tesla Options
If you have non-Tesla plug-ins in your household, are thinking about getting one, or simply are looking for cheaper options; there are third-party level-2 chargers which you can buy. Many of these (excluding the 72-amp JuiceBox Pro) will be slower than a Tesla charger with a dedicated circuit, but offer increased flexibility. Feedback in on-line reviews for all of them have been predominantly positive, albeit with comparatively small sample sizes than more mainstream products, so you will likely be happy with whichever solution you choose which fits your needs.
Bosch EL-51254-A
Bosch may be the best known name on the list to most consumers of non-EV appliances (although outside of the US, Simenes would give it a run for the money). Many consumers used to thinking about Bosch for high-end kitchen appliances may not be familiar with its large automotive presence, where they manufacture many components that find their way into the critical bits of mainstream automobiles. It's a natural extension for the company, then, to manufacture EV chargers for home use; and given the company's reputation for up-market products it might not be surprising that their entry comes in on the higher side, with the 30-amp model pricing at $749 with a 25' cable, or only $593 for an 18' cable. A 16-amp model is also availale with a 12' cable for $449, but if you're installing a fully-electric vehicle rather than a plug-in hybrid, you'll want one of the beefier versions. Bosch markets the charger as suitable for both indoor or outdoor installation, able to withstand rain, sleet, and snow.
ChargePoint Home WiFi
ChargePoint manages a network of branded but independently owned and operated level 2 chargers. They also sell a consumer-level home charger which might be promising for users who may regularly use their mobile app or Web interfaces to track how much their car has charged. Many of the features, like scheduled charging, are redundant with the in-built features of a Tesla but may be useful to owners of other vehicles. ChargePoint often runs discounts on their chargers which makes them one of the best values for home charging; at their normal price it's still a reasonable option if you are looking for a generic charging solution. If you happen to use chargers on the ChargePoint network frequently, you might appreciate having all of your charging information visible in their app (and Web site).
ClipperCreek HCS-40P
The original Tesla charger (for the Lotus-based Roadster) was a rebranded ClipperCreek system. The HCS-40P doesn't have the connected capabilities that ChargePoint provides, but alsolike Bosch supports outdoor installation and has been well received by its owners. It is also near the middle of the price range at $589.
eMotorWerks JuiceBox Pro 40 Smart
The California-based eMoterWerks JuiceBox Pro comes in 32-amp ($499), 40-amp ($579), and 75-amp ($899) hardwired variants, and as you might guess from the Smart in its name, as several connectivity options which someone might find exciting. Again, most of these seem unnecessary when you consider what Tesla already supports, but it does boast an impressive list which—like the Chargepoint solution—may address the use cases of some buyers. The 32-amp and 40-amp versions are competitively priced, but the 75-amp solution is significantly more than the Tesla's option. If you want a standard connector to not lock yourself into Tesla's charger, there aren't many options at the 75-amp level, so it sould still be worth consideration if that's important to you.
Leviton EvrGreen e40
Leviton makes a range of chargers, including commercial chargers which connect to the ChargePoint network. The EvrGreen e40 is there highest powered home solution, offering up to 9.6kW and running $699 from a variety of vendors. The 7.2kW 30A version is cheaper, at $599. These prices put them about half-way between the middle-of-the-pack (ClipperCreek, eMoterWerks) and most expensive (Bosch).
Schneider Electric EVLink 30A Gen 2.5
Schneider Electric doesn't have the same cache with the general US public, but along with Bosch and Siemens, has a large industrial presence. Their 30A EVLink is currently running about $599, in-line with the 30A version of the Leviton EvrGreen. They also offer an outdoor version.
Siemens VersiCharge 2 30A
Siemens has a large industrial presence in the US, but unlike the rest of the world, their consumer presence is fairly minimal. This may be a benefit for consumers, as Siemens residential 30A charger is priced at a significant discount to its fellow German corporation, Bosch's, offerings. The VersiCharge 2 30A indoor is available for $442 from Home Depot or the outdoor capable version for $490, both offering a good price if you're looking for a charger with a standard J1772 connector.
Webasto EVSE
Webasto is another company which makes both industrial and residential EV chargers. Their residential variant supports 32A, comes with a 25ft chord, and runs around $600 for the hardwired version, or $60 more if you'd like to leverage an existing outlet; both are designed for either indoor or outdoor use.
Zencar Level 2
I've seen Zencar mentioned as an option, although it's essentially a J1772 version of Tesla's mobile connectivity kit. It has plugs to connect to either a 15A or 30A outlet, as well as a standard J1772 connector for $199. If you want to connect this to your Tesla, you're effectively adapting a NEMA outlet into J1772, and then using your J1772 adapter (similar to the plug-in version of other chargers listed, such as the Webasto EVSE, but more portable).
NEMA 14-30
If you happen to have a standard 30-amp socket in your garage, or if you want to maintain the absolute flexibility for L2 charging, you can use the adapter included with your Tesla's mobile connector kit. If you do this regularly, you might want to buy a second adapter–eBay or second-hand is probably the best value–to avoid wishing you had it while on the road.
NEMA 5-15
Finally, but least likely to involve new circuits or re-wiring, is using the mobile connector kit to plug into a standard 5-15 outlet. This will get you just over 1kW1 which will charge a 100D, assuming 0 battery draw or charge, in just over three days. If you have another location to charge, such as at work, this might be sufficient for a top-off if you don't drive too much on a daily basis. Like with the 14-30, you might want a back-up for the mobile connector however, as if you find yourself in a pinch to charge, despite the slow charge rate (about 6miles/hour) these are going to be the easiest sockets to find; and at the price of a back-up charger it might be worth spending a little more just installing a dedicated charger.
Tesla Options
Tesla offers their home charger through the same online store as you can buy other accessories (like floor mats and infant clothes).
The Tesla charger is priced in the same ball-park as other consumer-level L2 chargers at $500 (without including installation), supports a variety of circuit amperages (there's a helpful guide based on your car model, but I'd recommend just getting a dedicated 90A/100A circuit if you need to rewire anyway), and options for either a short (8.5') or long (24') to help manage excess cable or ensure the charger can reah your car as your installation requires (the mobile connector that comes with the vehicle is 20', for reference).
The obvious drawback of the Tesla option, is that it will only work with a Tesla vehicle. If that's all that you need to charge, there is a lot of reasons to get the Tesla charger. You won't need an adapter (as you will with all of the options above, save using the mobile connector all of the time), and unlike any generic option, you have the conveneint button on the charger to open the chargeport, or tell the vehicle to stop charging when you need to unplug, directly on the plug.
Update January 2019: Tesla now has another option, which lets you use an existing NEMA 14-50 outlet. Functionally this is the same as their hardwired charger, except it's capped at 50-amp (delivering 40-amp at 80%).
15 amps * 115V * .8 load = 1.38kW