lucycan said:
Dumb question - how do I know what kind of charger the i3 takes and where it could be charged?
Every i3 has an on-board charger and a J1772 charging port that is compatible with all Level 1 (120 volts AC) and Level 2 (208-240 volts AC) EVSE's (electric vehicle supply equipment). Every i3 includes a Level 1 EVSE that will charge an i3 from empty to full in ~20 hours. Every Level 2 EVSE capable of delivering 30 amps or more will charge an i3 at the maximum rate, just less than 4 hours from empty to full. Most EV owners have a Level 2 EVSE installed where they park and charge their EV's overnight.
Unfortunately, 3 high-voltage DC fast charging standards exist: Tesla, proprietary to Tesla EV's, CHAdeMO, a Japanese standard supported by all Asian EV's, and Combined Charging System (CCS), an American and European standard supported by American and European EV's including the i3. DC fast charging stations are not installed by EV owners but are available as public charging stations. Unfortunately for i3 owners, CCS charging stations are far less common than stations supporting the other two standards. However, a CCS charging station can charge an i3 from empty to 80% in ~30 minutes.
lucycan said:
Is there a site someplace?
Many EV owners find that
PlugShare is the most comprehensive site for locating charging stations. However, an i3 owner would need to filter out Tesla and CHAdeMO charging stations since they are incompatible with an i3.
lucycan said:
Also, what kind of fast charge are people buying for home? Whats the cost to buy and install?
A Level 2 EVSE is basically just a heavy-duty switch implementing the J1772 protocol that allows the EV to tell the EVSE how much power it can accept which the EVSE will provide as long as it is capable of doing so, and which prevents the user from being electrocuted. Some EVSE's are basic devices that just implement the J1772 standard while others include optional features such as a WiFi transceiver to allow it to communicate with the Internet, status lights, a delayed start timer, etc. They all seem to be reliable. The choice comes down to cost and desired optional features.
Level 2 EVSE purchase prices range from in the $3xx's to ~$1000 depending on the power capability and features. Installation costs vary from nothing if a suitable electrical outlet exists where it is needed to a substantial amount if extensive electrical work must be done to provide the necessary power to the location where charging will occur.
