I finally cleaned out the junk from the garage, and now I can finally park my Volt inside. Although I had no problem with the 120V/12Amp charge outside, it would be nice to have a proper L2 charger in the garage, as the main panel is right beside the Volts charge port. I live in BC where there is no incentives for single home EV chargers, so I have been searching hard for a charger that isn't so expensive. $700CAN seems to be as cheap as I can find for a complete unit. I have found some for $450-500CAN after US conversion, but they don't have a cord. If I look for the price of a cord, they run from $150-200CAN. Why they heck are charge cords so expensive? The cord itself shouldn't be worth more than around $2/ft, that would be about $50 for a 25 foot cord. I looked for the price of a J1772 connector to connect to a EV, with no cord, and I only found 1 at alibaba for $96. Add the two together and that is the $150. But why the heck is the connector so expensive?
Why is a charge cord so expensive?
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
Is there some reason you don't want to use your current EVSE on 240v? http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?218442-2016-Volt-120v-EVSE-is-L1-L2-Conversion-Capable
I thought about the adapter setup, but I would like to use the original as a spare in the car. I could buy a level 1 as a spare, but on ebay.ca they are around $300-350CAN. Half the cost(almost) of a level 2 charger. Plus it would be nice if my spare charger was level 2 capable, as there is a 240V outlet available at work, if I feel like going out of my way to use it. But I am a cheapskate, so I will probably take an adapter(I actually already have one. Used to make a standard 120v extension cord into a 240v extension cord), and take the whole thing with me to work, if I anticipate that I need the extra charge. And wait for and incentive in BC, or a smokin' deal on a level 2 charger.
Thanks for the input, but still, why are charge cords so expensive?
Thanks for the input, but still, why are charge cords so expensive?
Joined
·
1,238 Posts
Many of these units are built in North America so no cheap labour. These units are pretty much hand assembled and cannot be quickly mass produced either. It is a new market so the product life cycle is still at the expensive end.
Also, the cost for getting electrical devices approved by the various electric safety authorities is quite high (UL/CSA) which adds cost. These units are also shipped one at a time to people as many do not keep them in stock so shipping is high.
I do suspect that there is a good markup from cost happening too.
When Chinese manufacturers get geared up, the prices will come down a lot.
Also, the cost for getting electrical devices approved by the various electric safety authorities is quite high (UL/CSA) which adds cost. These units are also shipped one at a time to people as many do not keep them in stock so shipping is high.
I do suspect that there is a good markup from cost happening too.
When Chinese manufacturers get geared up, the prices will come down a lot.
You should be able to get a clipper creek 16 amp L2 charger (includes cord and J1772 connector) for about $510 Canadian plus shipping. Not sure what you are looking at that cost that much and doesn't come with the cord.
Keith
I saw that Clipper Creek one(I must admit I forgot about that one when I started this thread), but how much is shipping? If there is cross border shipping it can be quite high. Especially with UPS, and their extremely high brokerage fees (around +30%)
Anyways the charger I saw that didn't include a cord was a ChargePoint Home Electric Vehicle Charger: 32 Amp on amazon.com for $499US. I should read things better. In the box next to that it included the cable for $551US. I didn't see that, and then was looking for a cord separately. Also it was $500US not $500CAN, like I originally posted.
Anyways the charger I saw that didn't include a cord was a ChargePoint Home Electric Vehicle Charger: 32 Amp on amazon.com for $499US. I should read things better. In the box next to that it included the cable for $551US. I didn't see that, and then was looking for a cord separately. Also it was $500US not $500CAN, like I originally posted.
dharper,
Most L2 EVSEs are designed to be hard wired to your electric panel. Hard wiring is a tad safer and less expensive, since there is no 240 V plug and socket connection. However using a 240 V outlet, plug, and cord is handy for 240 V charging on the road, or at grandma's house, or campgrounds with "50 A service."
You can just buy a replacement cord for a stove or dryer with the appropriate plug factory crimped to a 6' cord. They are very reasonably priced at Amazon.com. Connect the cord to the EVSE of choice and you are good to go. The clipper creek unit recommended above is cost effective and has a great reputation for reliability. Also, I think clipper creek offers a version with 240 V plug and cord for $25-50 extra IIRC.
The reason the EVSE itself is so expensive is because of the electronics required, and the low volume production. They must have a GFI detection circuit, pilot signal circuit, and special high voltage, high current relays (contactors) to open and close the circuit. The J1772 plugs are also low volume and expensive for the EVSE manufacturer to buy, espically the higher current ones (80 A). As more PEVs hit the road and the market gets bigger, I expect to see prices drop to maybe half what they are today, but that will take many years, maybe 10-20 years (faster I hope).
Good luck with your EVSE shopping,
GSP
Most L2 EVSEs are designed to be hard wired to your electric panel. Hard wiring is a tad safer and less expensive, since there is no 240 V plug and socket connection. However using a 240 V outlet, plug, and cord is handy for 240 V charging on the road, or at grandma's house, or campgrounds with "50 A service."
You can just buy a replacement cord for a stove or dryer with the appropriate plug factory crimped to a 6' cord. They are very reasonably priced at Amazon.com. Connect the cord to the EVSE of choice and you are good to go. The clipper creek unit recommended above is cost effective and has a great reputation for reliability. Also, I think clipper creek offers a version with 240 V plug and cord for $25-50 extra IIRC.
The reason the EVSE itself is so expensive is because of the electronics required, and the low volume production. They must have a GFI detection circuit, pilot signal circuit, and special high voltage, high current relays (contactors) to open and close the circuit. The J1772 plugs are also low volume and expensive for the EVSE manufacturer to buy, espically the higher current ones (80 A). As more PEVs hit the road and the market gets bigger, I expect to see prices drop to maybe half what they are today, but that will take many years, maybe 10-20 years (faster I hope).
Good luck with your EVSE shopping,
GSP
Joined
·
9,953 Posts
Build a JuiceBox kit EVSE from EMW (https://emotorwerks.com/), as I did (see my signature). My total cost was $250 in 2014. I posted the EVSE kit with photos in this forum.
Or visit OpenEVSE (https://store.openevse.com/) and build on of their kits.
Or visit OpenEVSE (https://store.openevse.com/) and build on of their kits.
Joined
·
2,138 Posts
It's difficult to find a nice OEM L1 for under $200 USD.
Have a look at the Canadian made EVduty. No cross border or U.S. Dollar exchange issues. I know a few people that have them and are quite happy with them.
http://www.elmec.ca/evduty-2/
http://www.elmec.ca/evduty-2/
The cord is probably more expensive due to it's design, several more standard wire sizes and probably a couple smaller ones. Not the same as a cable available at the local building supply store. As for a possibly lower cost unit, Sun Country is said to be a rebadged Clipper Creek, in Canada. I don't know their pricing.
It's not a volume item. Even cords for kitchen ranges cost $20-40 and they sell a million or so of those per year in North America alone. EVSE cords have multiple sizes of conductors in them, precision-molded plugs with moving parts (the latch) that have to also be electrically connected, and volumes are down in "whole world market is maybe 100,000 per year" range. Combine the wholesale expense of the item with that you're buying them through retailers that don't have other products or volume of sales to make profit in and it's easy to understand why mark-ups of 30-50% are common at the jump from buying three dozen at a time to buying one.
I bought the $300 ebusbar unit. Not sure why no one ever seems to mention this one.
https://www.amazon.com/Ebusbar-BEV-H02A10-Charger-Level-Volt/dp/B00TPSP760
https://www.amazon.com/Ebusbar-BEV-H02A10-Charger-Level-Volt/dp/B00TPSP760
Joined
·
1,128 Posts
Pity they never brought back the $500 EVSE rebate. I paid about $700 for an LCS-25 from Sun Country Highway, so it was about $200 net cost. Looks like the list price is now $830 for the same unit.
The main point in favor of SCH/Clipper Creek is the reliability. I've had mine for 4 years now and it's still working fine. Had to repair it this past spring, though that only required one zip tie to stop the current sensing coil from rattling around (the hot-melt glue let go)
The main point in favor of SCH/Clipper Creek is the reliability. I've had mine for 4 years now and it's still working fine. Had to repair it this past spring, though that only required one zip tie to stop the current sensing coil from rattling around (the hot-melt glue let go)
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
