Anyone Using Evgo?

[oilman]

I have been looking into options for home charging. One option under consideration is offered by Evgo. They provide home chargers on a subscription basis. They provide the EVSE, the electrical modifications and hook-up, and any required maintenance for a monthly fee, pretty much like a cell phone contract. I had them do a free feasibility study at my house and they confirmed that the system can be installed at no additional cost. The current contract price is $39/mo. for 36 months for a Clipper Creek 4.8 kW level 2 system. At the end of the contract, they take the EVSE, but leave all of the modifications in place. As I intend to lease for 3 years, the cost is known and is close to breakeven over that time.

Is anyone else using an Evgo charger at home? What has been your experience? Would you consider the availability of only a 4.8kW EVSE (instead of 6.6) a significant drawback?

I was also told that they have a special offer of unlimited access to their charging systems around town for $5 per month. Apparently, they only offer access to their systems on a subscription basis. Anyone else use the Evgo public charging systems? If so, what is your experience?
Thanks for your help.
Oilman

 

[WattsUp]

I can't speak to the Evgo service, but it sounds like they might be using the ClipperCreek LCS-25, which is a very nice, though no-frills, compact 4.8 kW unit that 'll charge your FFE from empty to full in 5 hours. If the Evgo deal does use the LCS-25, I can report that I've had no issues using it with my FFE.

You may also be interested to see how I have adapted an LCS-25 for portable use with my FFE:
http://www.myfocuselectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1004&p=3852

When it comes to charging, faster is always better I suppose, but I don't consider the 5-hour charge time a significant drawback. At least for my portable use, the fact that the LCS-25 only draws 20 amps is an advantage... as it is not likely to blow most household circuits I might plug into. That said, if I were to get a permanent EVSE, personally I would probably go for one with at least 6.6 kW capability, so I could charge my FFE at its maximum rate. An EVSE that can supply at least 6.6 kW will fully charge your FFE in 3.6 hours.

But, consider your use case... if you will always be charging overnight, 6.6 kW or 4.8 kW won't make a difference. The car will still be fully charged just the same by morning.

 

[kmaluo]

You may want to consider that the 4.8 KW charger may be an issue if you ever get an EV with a higher capacity battery in the near future. I'm sure we'll be seeing 40+ kwh batteries at this price range within the next couple years.

 

[oilman]

Actually, that is what draws me to this option. I intend to lease a Focus for three years, which is the same duration of the Evgo contract. If I get another EV with a larger battery, I can then replace the EVSE with one of my own or renew with an upgraded EVSE.

Thanks for the comment.

Oilman

 

[kmaluo]

At a total of $1400, that's not too outrageous for the install. Hopefully they give you a 40 amp breaker with adequate wiring, then you can just upgrade to a 30A charger with little effort.