Planning For A Plug-In Electric Vehicle

Solar carports like the one pictured above could play a big role in the plug-in electric vehicle market in the near future.

From Sawnee EMC: Plug-In Electric Vehicles (PEVs) are powered by rechargeable battery packs, which use stored electricity to operate the vehicle. The battery packs can generally be charged from two (2) types of outlets: Level 1 (120 volts) and Level 2 (240 volts). The difference in voltage affects the period of time which the battery is charged. Below is a brief description of the two (2) charging levels for residential use.

Level 1 Charging

Level 1 charging is accomplished by using a standard 120 volt, A/C outlet which is commonly found in a residential setting. PEVs may be plugged into a 120 volt outlet, providing a convenient, "anytime and anywhere" power source.

Depending on the battery size and how far the vehicle was driven (e.g., how low the battery's charge has been reduced), Level 1 charging takes between 8 to 15 hours to fully recharge the vehicle's battery.

Level 1 charging requires a dedicated 15 or 20 Amp outlet in the area where the PEV will be charged.

Level 2 Charging

Level 2 charging is done using a 240 volt, A/C circuit, much like that used for large electric load in your home such as an electric clothes dryer, electric stove or a central HVAC system. Level 2 charging will generally requires a dedicated 240 volt outlet in the location where the vehicle will be charged.

Depending on the battery size and how far the vehicle was driven, Level 2 charging generally takes between 3 to 8 hours to fully recharge a battery, or approximately half the time of a Level 1 charger.

Other Factors to Keep in Mind When Deciding Where to Charge Your PEV

When selecting where to charge your PEV, remember that most residential garages generally do not have a dedicated 240 volt circuit to facilitate the faster (Level 2) charging.

Also, the vehicle manufacturer may specify what Electrical Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) should be used with their vehicle which will determine the exact equipment you should install.

Finally, if the PEV is kept outdoors, special, weather-proof equipment may be needed.

The key here is that charging is an essential component of the safe, reliable and cost effective aspect of operating your PEV and will require a great deal of thought and planning.

NISSAN LEAF:

Priced at $32,000 with a $7,500 dollar federal tax incentive. Buyers of the Nissan Leaf will need to pay an additional $2,200 for the necessary 220/240V charging station and installation. Uncle Sam will throw a $2,000 tax credit your way for that equipment, though.

Starting from a depleted battery, it takes 7 hours to charge using 220/240V (depending on amperage), and about 20 hours using 110/120V. It will take about 30 minutes to charge a battery up to 80% using a 480 volt quick-charge station (these will be introduced in the future and there has been no word on how much one of these super charging stations will cost yet).

Based on a US average of $0.11/kWh, a full charge will cost about $2.75. It could be even less, if your area has time-of-use rates and you charge at off-peak hours.

CHEVY VOLT:

Priced at $40,000 with a $7,500 federal tax incentive.

The Volt's 16 kW·h (10.4 kW·h usable) lithium-ion battery pack can be charged by plugging the car into a 120-240VAC residential electrical outlet.

The 240V Voltec charging station can be purchased for $490 not including installation. Other charging stations are in development but pricing has not been determined.

At 240 V, the Volt will recharge in 3 hours as opposed to 6 hours at 120 V.

At the U.S. average cost of electricity (approximately 11 cents per kWh), a typical Volt driver would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents per mile.

The coming popularity of plug-in electric vehicles is no doubt a good thing for the environment when considering how much greenhouse gas emissions can be decreased as a result of driving a clean, electric vehicle, but are we really gaining anything if the electricity to charge these vehicles comes from dirty energy sources like coal plants?

Powering your garage and your home with a solar array seems like a reasonable solution.