PriusChat Gets a First Drive in the Prius PHV Tomorrow - Questions?

I don't think there needs to be a standard for 120V charging, as each vehicle will likely come with the adapter/charger for that. All you will need is a standard 120V outlet..

As for the 240V faster charging, yes, that could use a standard... Will Toyota use the design tha Nissan has for the Leaf? who knows, but it would be nice if they could come to agreement and set a standard for the 240V charging. To me, it looks like the Leafs's system is likely to become the "defacto" standard, since they are first to mass market a real EV.

 

If the electrical service panel is already in the garage, it shouldn't cost nearly $2000 to have a charger hardwired to it. I would expect maybe $200-$250 for a licensed contractor to do it for me. A lot less if I do it myself.

 

There is also the cost of the charger itself, and, no EV manufacturer is going to let you install the charger yourself, even if you are an electrician. They simply want it done by the company they have selected to know it was done with the proper permits, and meets all of the electrical code for the area. They can't at this early stage risk an electrical fire or some other mishap by perhaps an install that might not be %100 up to code/safty margins.

 

True enough. I interpreted the poster I quoted as thinking that he would have to pay $2000 every time he moved to have the charger he already owned hardwired into his new house. I don't think it would be that costly.

 

To just uninstall/reinstall the charger, I'm pretty sure most electricians would do it for under $500, depending upon the conditions (how difficult it is to run the new wire, time it takes, etc)
I think the EV manufacturer's are mostly concerned with the initial install, once you have it, they really can't control what you do with it..

 

lets examine some basic precepts. (had to consult a residential electrician for this) there is no real valid reason for these chargers to be worth $2000.

so, this is obviously a price that will drop due to volume, popularity and the end of "growing pains". estimated true value is actually only around "$700- $800" and that is based on a 50% install charge.

now, he does not know a lot of details about this charger, but does own his on business and does installs similar to this all the time. (a lot of things require a similar dedicated 220 volt install) and he added "a bit" to consider electronic monitoring and control circuits that might increase the value of the charger but he suspects that most of that circuitry has to be in the car.

so, just general info here but once again, this cost should drop considerably if the concept takes off which it will should no doubt.

i am already sending emails to my local "big mouths" to introduce legislation to require special wiring to allow easy adaptation of EV charging for all new construction

 

Clip of Prius PHV demo runs on public street in Japan
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id7Aw0q1t-o"]YouTube - TOYOTA PRIUS Plug in hybrid(???? ????? ??????)[/ame]

2 vols on near-real world usage of Prius PHV by Gazoo online mag.
http://www.gazoo.com/Movie/MovieDetail.aspx?MovieID=307

 

Oops! You are right.

The 2nd link to Gazoo site is the one shown driven on busy public roads and getting plug-in to a 110V domestic power socket behind some courtyard....

 

I'm not an expert in EVSE, so I had to do a little research. Other manufacturers are trying out portable 220V outlets, but I am told that's not something Toyota would do (at least not the way NEC is written now). If the wire is not hard connected to the outlet, it is very unlikely to be UL-listed. That's an important issue.

As for expenses, everything a manufacturer includes in a product "costs" something to the manufacturer, who must either eat the cost or pass it along to the customer. There's no free lunch. And if we want PEVs to be a widespread option, they have to be priced affordably for many customers AND be profitable for the manufacturer.

Doug Coleman
Prius Product Manager
Toyota Motor Sales, USA

 

PHV colors?