izael said:
Same here, just waiting for that ‘apocalyptic wave’ everyone warns me about… ‘what if there’s no electricity??’
As the planet heats up with worse storms ‘bUt WhAt AbOuT nO eLeCtRiCiTy?’
@Gabriel
Right? Do they not realize pumps need power too? I’ve seen people go crazy over gas during disasters. With EVs, you can charge at home and avoid that chaos.
Going EV with solar saves so much. Our electric company raised rates recently, but we’re unaffected with fixed costs for electric and transport.
Have a diesel truck but barely drive it. I dread needing gas—avoiding gas stations is such a relief! Wife’s fully on board for that reason alone.
> Our solar has kept us from paying electric bills since we got the EV6
That’s the way to go! Let’s keep moving away from fossil fuels!
Been an all EV home for 2 years. It’s been great. Just tire maintenance and that’s it! Adding solar this year too with a Model 3 and Bolt EUV.
unknown said:
Wish I could do solar, but the installers here are pricey and unreliable.
So frustrating how hard it is to go fully electric/solar.
We went with a reputable electric company that also does solar. Figured they’d be around to honor the warranty.
unknown said:
How do you handle long trips? Thinking about EV but the partner has concerns.
We avoid using the Niro for long drives, but the EV6 has been solid on trips from San Diego to Berkeley and more. Charging can add about an hour for every five hours, so it’s manageable. I’d recommend faster charging, but don’t aim for a full charge as that takes longer. Just stop every few hours, charge up a bit, and get back on the road.
unknown said:
Do you use the regen paddles much? They save range if used right!
I use them all the time, but my wife’s more of a ‘drive the speed limit everywhere’ type, so I doubt she uses them, lol.
unknown said:
Had two EVs, switched back for towing, but now we’re back to all-electric since June. Solar too! Glad to be on NEM 2.0 for the next eight years.
Yep, NEM 2.0 is huge. When it expires, we’ll see if batteries make more sense financially.
unknown said:
> Ditching gas stations finally
“It’s just a couple minutes to stop for gas!”
Yeah, like how it’s just a few steps to change the TV channel, but remotes are way better.
Totally. Stopping weekly for gas adds up over the year! With an EV, it’s just plug in at home and forget about it.
unknown said:
Looking to go EV but want to get an idea of overall costs, including a home charger. What L2 chargers are folks using? Curious about installation costs too.
The Grizzl-E is solid and around $300 on Amazon. Just had an electrician add a NEMA 14-50 plug for $500.
@sorphia
If you’re on the latest code, you’ll need a GFCI breaker for that 14-50. Also, get an EV-rated receptacle; big-box ones can melt.
diallo said:
@sorphia
If you’re on the latest code, you’ll need a GFCI breaker for that 14-50. Also, get an EV-rated receptacle; big-box ones can melt.
Good point! Some new chargers have built-in GFCI, so you don’t need a GFCI breaker.
unknown said:
Looking to go EV but want to get an idea of overall costs, including a home charger. What L2 chargers are folks using? Curious about installation costs too.
L2 at 16A is enough for most, and can save on install costs. There’s a sub-forum here all about EV charging setups too if you want specific advice!
unknown said:
Looking to go EV but want to get an idea of overall costs, including a home charger. What L2 chargers are folks using? Curious about installation costs too.
We got the Pulsar Plus Wallbox, had it hardwired. The electrician had to run a new line from the back of the house. Whole thing was around $2.2K.
Congrats!
unknown said:
Hybrid owner here, but I don’t think I could handle the range anxiety and charging times. Curious how you handle long trips or vacations?
Totally understand! I’ve posted more details here, but we’ve done San Diego to places like Tahoe, SF, and Vegas. Just requires a bit of planning and choosing fast chargers instead of full charging every time. Honestly, the hardest part is dealing with any station that’s packed.
unknown said:
My partner is against EVs because of the longer charge times when we travel. It’s a tough sell.
Understandable! If it helps, we do about 2-3 long trips a year, so I just factor it in as occasional road trip time. On average, though, I’m saving time by not needing gas every week, so I feel like it balances out for us.
unknown said:
How long to break even on solar? Here it’s 20-25 years.
We refinanced at 2%, redid the roof, and added extra panels. We saved around $300-$500 a month in electricity, and with no gas costs, we only extended our payoff by six months.