[Dorkchopqueen]

Full disclosure: I am totally out of my comfort zone in regards to how charging an EV works and all the nitty-gritty details. However, I like to be prepared and would appreciate all info.

My driving situation is as follows: I work from home, but that may or may not change come 1/2/21. (I might change positions which will be a 100% remote one, or my company may make my current position 100% remote). If I do return to the office, it's a 60-mile roundtrip, 98% highway driving, 2-5 days/week.

I do not have a garage, which I know is helpful with having an at-home charger.

I do live very close to several PlugandShare locations.

Opinions on what my best route for charging the id4 would be? Thanks!

 

[TT97]

What is you parking situation? While you may not have a garage, do you have a dedicated outdoor parking space? Are you in a single family or multi-family building? Do you own or lease?

If you do own and have a dedicated parking space (or can consistently park on the street with easy access to your house), there are Level 2 charging stations that work fine outdoors (it would likely need to be hardwired unit). 60-miles roundtrip 2-3x per week even with just 120v charging would be doable (depends on how much other driving you do other than the commute and also how cold it gets where you live). Daily 60-miles commutes would require Level 2 charging or easy access to a Level 3 charger.

 

[Huey52]

First off Dorkchopqueen there're many/most that feel out of their element having waited for this right full electric to come along and we're all anticipation-learning as much as we can. Rest assured that there will be viable home-exterior charging solutions, as after all commercial recharging stations must also bear the rigors of inclement weather.

Of course 220V would be preferable but I agree with TT97 that 120V in your case appears very doable. Be reminded that the vehicle will come with a 120V dongle. For voltage drop-resistance/safety reasons you'd want a heavy duty extension cord with as short a cable run as possible. Since most will charge at night, with otherwise lesser home power use, it shouldn't overly tax your existing electrical infrastructure. You'll want to check for a GFI/GFCI outlet or breaker from your intended interior->exterior source. Most garage and exterior outlets are now GFCI protected (many newer construction in conjunction with AFCI breaker).

Here's a good thread here at vwidtalk to monitor as well as your own thread: Home Charger for ID 4

 

[eldecarlo]

Will I need a home charger with wifi to control charging up to 80%? I saw on Euro brochure the it looks like there is an app from VW to turn off charger whenever you want. Please advise if you have knowledge on this subject. Thanks!

 

[Mark Magiera]

Will I need a home charger with wifi to control charging up to 80%? I saw on Euro brochure the it looks like there is an app from VW to turn off charger whenever you want. Please advise if you have knowledge on this subject. Thanks!

No. The ID4 (like the e-Golf) can be set (in car, on the infotainment display) to only charge to 80% (if you want). All Wifi Control adds to a Wall Box is for you to limit/schedule time that the wall box is active &/or set the level of its output. i.e. it adds a layer of convenience to customize the charging profile beyond what the car is set to do. Hope this explains it in a nutshell.

 

[eldecarlo]

No. The ID4 (like the e-Golf) can be set (in car, on the infotainment display) to only charge to 80% (if you want). All Wifi Control adds to a Wall Box is for you to limit/schedule time that the wall box is active &/or set the level of its output. i.e. it adds a layer of convenience to customize the charging profile beyond what the car is set to do. Hope this explains it in a nutshell.

Yes! Thank you very much. I don’t need to spend the extra money then.

 

[ErickF]

One thing to consider with wifi-enabled EVSE's is that some utility companies offer generous rebates for connected chargers. These rebates, combined with the Federal tax credit, could make them cost less than one without wifi.

In my case, I could make about $75 on a ClipperCreek HCS-50:

Purchase price: $655
Utility rebate: $500
Fed tax credit (30%): $209.55

Net: $74.55 in my pocket

 

[eldecarlo]

Just looked it up and there is no Delaware rebate. However they do allow for an installation of a 2nd meter for the home charger to give you special rates for off peak hours. But I’m not doing that. My wife has a Couple of level 2 chargers at her office. So I’ll only be charging a few times a month probably.