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Retractable Charging Cord?

13K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  ran 
#1 ·
After seeing video footage of the Plug-in Saturn Vue Hybrid, it has occured to me that a prorietary receptacle on electric cars requires everyone to carry around an extension cord. Then we have to get it out of (the trunk?) which discourages "plugging-in".

I think the inevitable evolution is a retractable charging cable like those found on many vacuum cleaners. This cable should be rated for 220 volts and include a small bag of several "adaptors" to allow use with many different 110v and 220v charging scenarios.

It will make charging easier.:cool:

Comments?
 
#2 ·
I completely agree. I would rather have a retractable cord than a plug. Or maybe have a cord on one side and a plug on the other. Many RVs have retractable power cords on them. Our camper trailer does.

+1 vote for retractable cord
 
#3 · (Edited)
Ditto, I too was disgusted after watching the video at the thought of getting the extension cord out of the trunk. Of course it won't be in a nice loop pattern, but in a tangled mess. What about rain or winter snow... eesch... a wet dirty cord to drop in the back seat or in the trunk... Don't want to stand at the trunk to put the cord away in a down pour or in a freezing 15 degree F. wind.

Wind me up a retractable and make it easily owner serviceable. We all know it will likely jam at some point in it's life.

But of course the best way to go forward is to standardize all charging stations and cars. The only time an extension cord would be used is at some out of the way place. The EV1 induction paddle is an excellent idea in that it was a standard, also no open connections for water to enter. Time for GM, Toyota, et al to get together NOW before causing mass confusion at the charging stations.
 
#5 ·
I think it makes more sense to put the retractable real at the charging station rather than the car. At home, work or a public charging station just pull it out and plug the car in. For unexpected charging needs you just have to carry around an extension cord in the trunk. I don't really see the need to take up space, add weight and cost to the car. Leave the cord at home.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I considered your argument carefully and came to this conclusion:

You are assuming that all possible charging locations will be outfitted with a cord and if not, then pull out your cord. So you still have a cord to carry around, and any necessary adaptors. Now, every plug-in car has a cord AND every charging station has a cord. Even if we assume that ONLY the charging outlet at your home has it's own cord, the total number of cords required is double.

I'm suggesting that the cord must always remain with the vehicle and be as easy to use as possible. Only a receptical is required at the charging point. Rolling up a heavy cord that's been laying in the mud is not going to go over well. In many situations a retractable cord could be pulled out just far enough to prevent it from sagging to the ground and thus keeping it clean.

There is also the issue of safety. We cannot control where people stop their car to charge. (Like in the muddle of a puddle of water) But we can control the charging point location with building codes. Therefore, the charging point must be the location where the car is connected to power.

IMHO, I am convinced that retractable cords on electric cars are inevitable...

Unless you have a better argument than additional weight and cost to the car?
 
#6 ·
I have to agree with DaV8or on this.
A retractor could fail right when you are in a hurry to go, so dragging it or cutting it off could be tempting if it is an emergency. Maybe a pocket somewhere (under the hood?)made just for the cord is a better idea- so on a rainy day no mud hits the interior or storage area. Rolling up a 25' cord is not too much to ask if there is a spot for it.
 
#9 ·
Re: Retractable Cord.

I think the reason GM didn't go with a retractable cord housed within the car itself is for packaging reasons. You'd have to put a spindle, a ratcheting mechanism and associated hardware within the car itself.

I think the charging stations themselves, whether at home or in public, will probably have retractable cords. I know reading the Tesla Founder's Blog, Martin Eberhard resorted to installing a garden hose rack in the garage to hold the charging cable for the roadster. I suspect a lot of other people will adopt similar straightforward solutions. However, it's probably not a bad idea to have a portable charging cable on-board in the trunk or somewhere for recharges on the road in remote areas.

I don't see the lack of a retractable cord on the car as a major negative.
 
#10 ·
A retractable cord built into the car seems destined to be a problem. Either it would be some custom bullet-proof system that costs a lot, or it'll break and need to be replaced.

I have in my garage an inexpensive extension cord reel that's mounted to a rafter near a ceiling-mounted plug. The cord hangs from the reel where I can grab it to pull it to any point in the garage, and tug it slightly to release the catch on the reel and it reels itself back in. If that fails, I need a big screwdriver to back out 2 woodscrews holding it to the rafter and another $20 cord reel from Harbor Freight, and no visit to the car dealership. If Martin Eberhard uses a garden hose rack instead of a cheap reel, he's not very creative.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Ugh... definitely right. The problem is that those jerk-offs who'd vandalize a charging station that's not in use would be just as happy to cut off the cord of one that's charging your car after you put in your quarter, or slid your room keycard at a motel to open a box and get the cord, etc. Worse still, they'd cut one that's permanently attached to your car and pulled out for charging at a motel or whatever.

In Texas you could shoot them if you caught them doing it at night...
 
#14 ·
Charging Stations

I expect that eventually, public charging stations would allow payment by cell phone, coins or credit/debit card. Or...you could bulk purchase kWh, and it would just deduct the balance from your account.

What would be really sweet is if the stations were "smart" and could auto-detect your battery level, and on a display, give you a cost and time estimate for a full recharge, and say, "Accept/Decline" giving the user the option of a full recharge, or a recharge based on a timeframe (i.e. 10, 15, 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3 hours or dollar amount.)

If the cost to re-charge were equivalent or cheaper to a normal parking meter, I don't think many people would have a problem paying a nominal amount at a public charging station. I wouldn't expect them to be "free," would you?
 
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