Chargers vs Charging Credits

Which would affect your purchase

  • Level 2 charger

    Votes: 1 100.0%

  • Paid 240V circuit install

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    1
C

CapeCodI5

Member
It’s become pretty standard that new EVs are sold with (usually) a 110v EVSE. My new Hyundai Ioniq 5 also included 2 years of free 30 minute charging sessions at Electrify America on a DC charger.

Last night I noticed a Chevy Bolt ad offering free charging installation. I checked out the Chevy website this morning and gleaned the following:

The offer is for
  • the installation of a 240v circuit, including a 40A breaker in your existing electric panel
  • the offer does not include a charger (EVSE)
  • the installation includes permit costs
  • installation will be arranged and managed by Qmerrit
  • all Bolts come standard with “a dual voltage charging cord but not a charger
  • the buyer may optionally chose up to a $1000 credit to do the installation on their own
  • or a $500 EVGo charging credit
When I first started researching EVs it occurred to me that a manufacturer could get a marketing advantage by including a Level 2 EVSE in their purchase price. When I found out that the I5 included 2 years of free fast charging, that became a factor in my purchase decision. One would think that the install costs would be everyone’s 1st choice, but maybe not.
 
I got solar panels last year and negotiated a free Nema14-50 outlet into the price/installation since our electrical panel needed an upgrade to 200amps for the solar. So any installation benefit wouldn't be interesting for me. 2 years of free charging are a way better deal for me.
 
Yes take the 2 years of free 30 minute charging every 60 minutes. That would be extremely worthwhile for V2H or selling more energy back to the grid with solar (less home charging kWh = more $$$ for solar).
 
This boils down to which is more expensive: the L2 EVSE, or the installation of the L2 (either NEMA 14-50 outlet or EVSE) -- and I suspect that will vary depending on the local costs and your home environment. Until last week, I was living in a condo building, so neither would have been helpful to me. Now I'm in a house, and the installation is more expensive than the unit itself, so I'd rather buy my own EVSE (which I've done) and get them to pay for installation (which will be costing me 3x the price of my EVSE). I've got a Tesla, and the EVSE units are less expensive than those for other electric cars I think, so that will affect the calculation. Particularly since Tesla is no longer including the cable with the L1 charger.

If Tesla offered me $1000 in Supercharging, I would have chosen that because I take 300 mile (one way) trips once or twice a month. Others, who don't take road trips or have super-long commutes will choose differently.
 
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