BMW man likes Bolt EV

[SparkE]

I am not a Chevy man either, but i3 is one of the ugliest vehicles I've ever seen. Its look and shape makes no sense at all, so its driving characteristics cannot override its overall unattractivess. ..............Since 2011 I've been through Leaf, Spark, and Soul, entailing 59 to 96-mile ranges. At this stage of the EV game, for us, it's all about the usable range. Thus Bolt. Anything less renders the vehicles practically useless, unless one's lifestyle is driving to Costco, Starbucks or Safeway and back.

You drove a Leaf. The Leaf makes the i3 look like Megan Fox by comparison.
The i3 has a very logical layout. The closer to a box you get, the more utility you get. Your Soul you had did that well too.

{{This comment is tasteless, sexist, and offensive.}} ... apparently.

 

[sgt1372]

If you have an available 240V outlet in the garage, like an unused dryer or welder outlet, you can easily convert the portable 120V EVSE to use 240V by use of an adapter:

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?218442-2016-Volt-120v-EVSE-is-L1-L2-Conversion-Capable

This doubles the charging rate to 2.88 kW.

You can make your own adapter if you are handy, or buy a pre-made one here for around $65:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/384390572/chevy-volt-chevy-bolt-ev-level-2-charge

No existing 240v outlet in my garage; the dryer's in a separate laundry room. Not safe or practical to run a cord from there into the garage. Going to have a NEMA 14-50 circuit/outlet wired in from the panel for the Clipper Creek L2 plug-in version charger that I plan to buy.

The only other thing I'll probably get is a 25-30 ft J1772 extension cord for use while on the road to gain access to chargers that are not in use but blocked by unattended cars.

 

[SparkE]

I often hear "put in the largest (highest Amp) EVSE you can when having an electrician do the work" (you are 'future-proofing, and the incremental cost isn't all that much, normally).

At *least* "put in the largest (highest gauge) wiring you can when having an electrician do the work" - since just having the electrician doing it is the expensive portion. The incremental cost of the fuse (60A instead of 50 or 40A) is minimal but easy to swap out later, and the cost to go from 10 AWG to 8 or 6 wiring isn't THAT much extra. (125 ft. Romex 6/3 is $225 at Home depot; 8/3 is $165. 100 ft of 10/3 is about $110.)

 

[iletric]

Well, with Megan Fox, the closer to the box you get, the more fun you get... and that's good for the soul.

Or Markle...

 

[SparkE]

I often hear "put in the largest (highest Amp) EVSE you can when having an electrician do the work" (you are 'future-proofing, and the incremental cost isn't all that much, normally).

At *least* "put in the largest (highest gauge) wiring you can when having an electrician do the work" - since just having the electrician doing it is the expensive portion. The incremental cost of the fuse (60A instead of 50 or 40A) is minimal but easy to swap out later, and the cost to go from 10 AWG to 8 or 6 wiring isn't THAT much extra. (125 ft. Romex 6/3 is $225 at Home depot; 8/3 is $165. 100 ft of 10/3 is about $110.)

When I have finally get my wiring upgraded (I have 30A 240 NEMA 10-30 currently) I will probably have 6 AWG from panel to garage, with a 60A breaker and a row of one each of 14-50, 14-30, L14-30, 6-30, L6-30, and 6-20 plugs (I *think* I can do that, and still be "in code" as one can have a long string of NEMA 5-15 plugs on a single 15A breaker ...). If I can't do that, then I guess I'll make a set of 14-50 'pigtails' for down-conversions.