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JeffRay

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
1,134
Perhaps I am in a down biorhythm state or just grumpy but am starting to question if driving an EV without a plug in home garage is more trouble than the ride is worth.

Background: I have leased a B since 2014. Love the car, perfect urban getabout. No home charger, my local monthly indoor garage has promised chargers for last few years but has not gotten around to installing them. Tried a monthly outdoor garage w charger but too often, a Tesla was there charging. The workplace has an outdoor 120v where my car has been charging at a pokey 0.8 KwH for the last 27 hours (went in at 6%). Plus they decided to charge me $15 per month (cheap) to plug in. MB dealer is free and there is a place to work while it charges at 6 KwH. The local Whole Foods took their chargers off line as it was free and always in use. Thanks Amazon. I last paid $50+ to charge at a commercial lot which was $20 plug in fee and parking fee on top of that.

Quandary: Am I having fun doing this, i.e. weekly charging and when winter comes, twice weekly charging? Been doing this so I guess I could continue. It only works because I do have two legacy ICE cars that I can use while my B is charging for 24 hours overnight at workplace. Just wish I lived in a place with a garage with charger. We did look at a new condo which the owner was willing to sell me his indoor parking spot for a cool $200K more. There is a new age garage that was selling spots for $700K. Really, NOT.

New EQC: So this only confuses me more. Longer range should mean I have to charge less often and can go further and back and have charge left over. But it only increases charging anxiety. Left with only the same crummy options, I either have to keep to the same schedule of topping up and charging, find a monthly indoor lot that has a free charger, or just be prepared to pay up each time I needed to charge from low to full. BTW, last time I looked, there was only one L3 charger in a 5 mile radius that was compatible with the MB charging outlet.

Conclusion: Stop whining JeffRay and get over it. More L3 chargers will come online in the future. Install a L2 charger at workplace. If I buy/lease an EQC, negotiate free Fast Charging at dealer and lock that in. Right now, L2 is free but no guarantee for the future. This is the future!
 
ya know they say not to extension cord these... but ... here's a simple dishwasher plug charger that can pump out 32 amps! just hang it out your window or whatever it takes with some extension cords. maybe there's a plug like this by a utility door or something.
https://www.amazon.com/Morec-Upgraded-Portable-220V-240V-Compatible/dp/B07W5XSN1S/

doesn't your landlord see the value in upgrading to the future? you won't threaten to move? maybe she'll put one in. offer to do the work because it's super easy and the charger itself is very cheap.

good luck.
i hope you find a way to plug in.
 
Hey there,

Less grumpy this morning. Drove my ICE convertible to work and confirmed that my B250e had fully charged. Yeah.

You are right, best option is to talk to the head of the biotech incubator. Offer to pay for new outdoor charger if she upgrades the 120v line to 220v. Then she has an new amenity to offer her other tenants. They do have an online reservation system for conference rooms which can include reserving time on the charger.

Will look into the other thing but won't be able to use at home condo and likely not at incubator.
 
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