[brian]

I got things rolling with EVConnect today. They're coming to do their site inspection next week.

The price of the charger was $799 + $59.70 shipping. A little more than previously indicated.

They estimate $2300 for the whole thing with install, but I guess I'll find out when the guy shows up.

-Brian

 

[Fabulist]

@Brian: Please confirm the programmable on/off switching option (or lack of it) and Internet connectivity with them since I don't entirely trust the information I got at the road show. Thanks.

-- Fab.

 

[brian]

will do... I suspect it'll be a few weeks before it's completed. I'm about 99% sure the Fisker unit does *not* have internet connectivity, however. Nor do I think it is programmable in any way whatsoever. From what I recall it seems to be a pretty bare-bones charger - but then it's also a bare-bones price. Most of the "good" chargers are $1200+.

The only reason I'm even bothering with the Fisker charger is the cord: it's coiled and it's 20' long. Most other chargers have cords that you have to wind to store, and are only 18' long.

-Brian

 

[Fabulist]

From what I recall it seems to be a pretty bare-bones charger - but then it's also a bare-bones price. Most of the "good" chargers are $1200+.

@Brian: Thanks for looking into it. As I have posted before, even though the Fisker charger is cheaper, the one-size-fits-all installation price actually makes the whole package competitive with other, more expensive chargers. Good point on cord storage, though. I don't really mind winding the cord, but the EV-Connect approach is definitely a lot neater.

-- Fab.

 

[ct-fiskerbuzz]

@Brian: Thanks for looking into it. As I have posted before, even though the Fisker charger is cheaper, the one-size-fits-all installation price actually makes the whole package competitive with other, more expensive chargers. Good point on cord storage, though. I don't really mind winding the cord, but the EV-Connect approach is definitely a lot neater.

I'm starting a house remodel project (still have to pick a builder for the design-build process; the architecture firm has some preliminary design done, and I've interviewed contractors...) that includes expanding the garage (to have room for the Fisker). So, I'm going to have the 240 volt circuit added during the garage remodeling. This makes peoples' charging-unit experiences particularly relevant...

Utah does not have much in the way of price differentials for day vs night charging (yet) but I really would like a time-based charging system.

 

[Fabulist]

@ct-fiskerbuzz: If you have the contractor put in a 40-AMP 240V circuit and connect it to a dryer-style outlet near where you want the charger, the charger installers can do the rest. For example, see this Blink charger:

I have solar panels on my house so there is a 240V subpanel in the garage for connection to the inverter so it should be pretty easy to connect a charger, in theory anyway. Nothing connected with the Fisker purchase has gone to plan yet.

-- Fab.

 

[brian]

Well, the contractor for EVConnect just left after doing his assessment. No word on what it's going to cost me yet because he had to go back to the office to "do some research on the charging station". Apparently EVConnect didn't give them any info about the charger's specs, so he couldn't finalize a plan yet.

My experience so far with EVConnect is that they don't seem to serve any useful purpose other than to cost me more money. They're oblivious to the rebates available here in Austin, and don't seem to communicate too well with their contractors. I think all they do is answer the phone, take your money, and then send someone else to deal with it.

-Brian

 

[ct-fiskerbuzz]

@ct-fiskerbuzz: If you have the contractor put in a 40-AMP 240V circuit and connect it to a dryer-style outlet near where you want the charger ...

Only 40 amp? The Tesla roadster fast charge is 70 amp. Of course their battery pack holds a lot more energy, I suppose...

Chris

 

[Fabulist]

Only 40 amp? The Tesla roadster fast charge is 70 amp. Of course their battery pack holds a lot more energy, I suppose...

The SAE J1772 standard has two options for Level II charging: 30A and 80A. The chargers that I have been looking at are all 30A chargers and require a 40A fuse. I am not sure if the Karma supports the higher Amperage charge option or if it even makes sense for a home charger installation.

The Tesla does not use a J1772 standard so they can use their own specifications, and as you said, Tesla's 56KWH battery has almost three times the capacity of Fisker's 20 KWH battery and needs a lot more time or current to fully charge up.

-- Fab.

 

[Dave_Car_Guy]

Brian and Fab,
I am curious whether either of you would just go with the standard 110 plug-in capability to start with (to see how you use and charge the car) before you bother with upgraded charging capability via EV Connect or anyone else?
Cheers...

 

[brian]

I thought about it, but realized that since it might take a month for EVConnect to get around to business I figured I should get a head start. It's been a week and I haven't heard a peep from the contractor since he was here for the assessment.

I don't even have a 110 outlet in a convenient spot for the car, so one way or the other I had to run a line.

-Brian

 

[Fabulist]

Brian and Fab,
I am curious whether either of you would just go with the standard 110 plug-in capability to start with (to see how you use and charge the car) before you bother with upgraded charging capability via EV Connect or anyone else?

@Dave_Car_Guy: I have seriously considered it, particularly since I could control the on/off time for a 110V connection with a $10 timer. The only drawback for me is that because a full charge @110V requires 11 hours, I would have to start charging the car much earlier each night and would not be able to take full advantage of the super cheap rates for charging the car later at night. On the other hands, the $1500 (after Fed. Tax rebate) I would save by not putting in a Level II charger can pay for a lot of $.05/KWH extra charge for the more expensive electricity I would use earlier in the evening. So I am not in a real hurry to put in a Level II charger at the moment.

-- Fab.

 

[Dave_Car_Guy]

My thoughts exactly, Fabulist, as far as the cost-benefit goes....Especially since I have a 7.3 kw Solar system on my house (and I am "overbuilt" at that level), and my true-up charges with PG&E tend to be for very low cost kwh's.

Also, an 11 hour charge time doesn't bother me much...it's not like I will be looking to charge up quickly in the middle of the day to get somewhere (that's the whole point and advantage to the on-board charger). I'll likely have it in the garage by 8pm most nights anyway, so faster charging doesn't gain me much. As you say, it might gain me something if I change to time-of-use billing, but as I mentioned, I'm already in low cost units as it is. My view was that I will see how things work with the standard 110, mixed with how I end up using the car, before I put in a faster charger.

 

[Dave_Car_Guy]

We need access to charge stations to fuel all those EVs and reliable support to keep them charging.Lets EV Connects announced an exclusive service partnership that helps bridge the gap between the automaker’s luxury electric cars and the charging equipment necessary to keep them fueled.

Actually, we DON'T need charging stations! That's the whole point behind Fisker's focus on the EV with extended-range, aka the on-board charger. The Nissan Leaf may need charging stations, as may the Tesla and the new Chevy Spark. But not the folks here on this forum. Fisker's business is built upon the concept that drivers do not need to change their habits, and they do not need to worry about range...nor does the car require an entirely new fueling infrastructure to be the most fuel efficient luxury car on the planet.

 

[Fabulist]

My view was that I will see how things work with the standard 110, mixed with how I end up using the car, before I put in a faster charger.

That's sensible. I am getting a quote from an electrician next week to see what the total cost of getting a level II charger would be. The only remaining reason for getting one would be to take advantage of the tax rebate (1/3 of the cost up to $1000) while it is still available since there is no way to predict what would happen to these sorts of tax breaks for early adopters next year and beyond.

Bottom line is that I can be perfectly happy with 110V charging for the foreseeable future but if it is otherwise advantageous the get the Level II equipment now, I am not opposed to it.

-- Fab.[hr]

My thoughts exactly, Fabulist, as far as the cost-benefit goes....Especially since I have a 7.3 kw Solar system on my house (and I am "overbuilt" at that level), and my true-up charges with PG&E tend to be for very low cost kwh's.

7.3 KW is very impressive. The vendor could only squeeze 3.6KW worth of panels on my roof. Since PG&E does not like paying you for excess capacity, charging your car with it is the perfect use for the extra Watts.

-- Fab.[hr]

We need access to charge stations to fuel all those EVs and reliable support to keep them charging.Lets EV Connects announced an exclusive service partnership that helps bridge the gap between the automaker’s luxury electric cars and the charging equipment necessary to keep them fueled.

Actually, we DON'T need charging stations! That's the whole point behind Fisker's focus on the EV with extended-range, aka the on-board charger.

That's a fair point but running on electric is much cheaper than running on Gas, so we would definitely benefit from public charging stations, even though we don't really have to have them to use the car effectively.

-- Fab.

 

[kabalah70]

I got my EQuote from EVConnect and it was way too general. $1495 for installation charges, $799 or therabouts for the charger, and $50ish for taxes and shipping another $50ish. I don't know if I am asking for too much, but I want details on that $1495, i.e. what exactly am I getting in regards to parts, labor, warranty, etc. If they cannot detail it better than that, I am buying the unit from Home Depot and putting it in myself or having a local contractor do it. I guess I was foolish to expect a professional partner from Fisker Automotive.

 

[Deep Ocean]

I'm just gonna plug mine into the wall. off peak charging will save a few cents, but I'm guessing many of the Karma owners also have solar or other power generation units. It won't be a daily driver for us anyway, so just plugging it into the wall will probably be good enough. The margins on these wall units are typically very large. Unless you are a daily driver of an electric vehicle, does it really make sense to spend that kind of money? Wait, we're paying over $100k for a car, what am I thinking?

 

[n2222]

I got things rolling with EVConnect today. They're coming to do their site inspection next week.

The price of the charger was $799 + $59.70 shipping. A little more than previously indicated.

They estimate $2300 for the whole thing with install, but I guess I'll find out when the guy shows up.

-Brian

[hr]
Brian,

What was the total cost you ended up with for the charger and installation?

Many Thanks,

Nick

 

[siliconkiwi]

My installation quote (to an existing panel, just running about 40 feet of Romex up one wall, across the garage roof, and down to the box, + putting a new breaker in an existing box) is $1150. But CA has a rebate right now that is covering every penny (that might be part of the ChargePointAmerica program, which is where I am getting my (free) charger from). Total cost for me for a charger: $51 (for permitting), a 98.5% discount on the charger+installation.

 

[ffcars]

Brian and Fab,
I am curious whether either of you would just go with the standard 110 plug-in capability to start with (to see how you use and charge the car) before you bother with upgraded charging capability via EV Connect or anyone else?
Cheers...

That's what we did. I'm not investing in a charger until I'm sure the car is going to be reliable enough to keep.

I have seen only a handful of times I wasn't able to drive where I wanted and be able to recharge over night. But, the last two days we've not had a full charge starting out the day. So I will get a 220 charger if we keep the car.

It does take a long time. My car takes 16 hours to fully recharge. But I'm not usually empty. If I empty the batteries, then I rarely have a ful charge when I start out the next day.