I’m debating whether to go ahead and get a company EV, but I don’t have a home charger yet since I’m in the middle of buying my first house. My current car is due for renewal, and I do want to switch to electric, but ordering now would mean living without home charging for about 6 months. There are plenty of charging points nearby, though they are more expensive than what I’d pay charging at home.
Is this something that’s manageable for a few months? Has anyone else gone through this? The EV I’m considering is a Ford Explorer with a 380-mile range.
I did exactly this for about 6 months while waiting to install a charger. It’s manageable but definitely more convenient once you have home charging. Here are a few tips:
Use L1 charging at home if you can. Even if it doesn’t fully cover your commute, it’ll help reduce the number of times you need to charge elsewhere.
Check PlugShare for charging points at places you visit often (grocery stores, gyms, etc.). You might find some hidden Level 2 chargers you can use while you’re doing other things.
Make your fast-charging sessions enjoyable—bring a book, watch a show, grab a coffee. I actually started looking forward to them as my downtime.
Find the least busy times for your local fast chargers, like early mornings or late evenings, so you don’t waste time waiting.
emma said: @chozen
I’m in the UK, by the way—so is a standard 3-pin plug considered L1?
In general, L1 refers to any regular home plug. In the UK, it’s faster than the US, but still not super quick. It’ll help for smaller daily commutes, though. If your EV is parked for the weekend, you might be able to start Monday with a full charge.
I’m in a similar situation, and yes, it’s manageable! I usually combine charging with grocery shopping since there’s a charger near the store. Six months of minor inconvenience sounds better than holding onto an ICE vehicle for years longer. Maybe you can charge at work as well?
emma said: @Howard
I can charge at work, but it’s getting competitive to grab a spot. I forgot to mention, I drive at least 60 miles a day for work.
Maybe suggest to your workplace to improve the way the charging spots are managed? You could calculate your daily mileage and work out your best and worst-case charging scenarios to see how it would go.
emma said: @Howard
I can charge at work, but it’s getting competitive to grab a spot. I forgot to mention, I drive at least 60 miles a day for work.
We have two chargers at work with 6 EVs and a hybrid all competing for them. We ended up with a simple email system—each person asks for a day, and we rotate. I’ve had my EV for nearly 2 years and don’t have a home charger yet. I’ve done 20,000 miles and paid for only 2,000 of those!
Here’s a guide for choosing a Tesla home charger, but it might be helpful for your Ford too. Just swap out ‘Tesla’ for any other charging provider. There are Type 2 (240-volt) options for overnight charging, or Type 3 (DC fast charging) that can fully charge your car in an hour. It’s still cheaper to charge at home, though, so once you move, consider installing a dedicated 240V car charger.
It’s doable, but definitely a hassle. I usually scroll through Reddit or use Duolingo while I wait at chargers. I’ve been doing this since COVID started in 2019, and I live in a condo, so no home charging for me.
You said your commute is 60 miles a day. If that’s 5 days a week, think about how much time you’re willing to spend charging.
The general advice is to charge to 80% to prolong battery life. In cold weather, your range will drop, too, so that 380 miles might be more like 260-300. Make sure you check real-world tests on that car to see what kind of range and charging times you can expect.
Let me ask you this: is your company providing the EV? And you’re just concerned about the cost of using public DC fast chargers? If the company is paying for the car, even if you’re covering some operating costs, you’re still coming out ahead, right?
@martin
Totally get it, and yes, I do pay a small monthly fee for the car, but it’s a good deal. My concern is really about the inconvenience rather than the cost. I just wanted to see what others think before I take the plunge.
@emma
If the car comes with a charger, even a standard outlet at home will give you some charge, reducing your need to use fast chargers. My commute is about 26 miles round trip, and with a standard plug, my EV is ready to go every morning. You won’t get the same with your mileage, but it could definitely help reduce your fast-charging trips.