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240V Home Charging System for Chevrolet Volt is $490, Installation to Cost $1,475

Old Oct 7, 2010 | 03:10 PM
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Exclamation 240V Home Charging System for Chevrolet Volt is $490, Installation to Cost $1,475

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=19825


Chevrolet Volt (Source: truthaboutdomestics.com)

(Source: globalmotors.net)Installation costs an estimated $1,475


The Chevrolet Volt has been a hot topic since its concept debut in January 2007, and it has certainly come a long way since then. General Motors has been providing bits of news about the electric vehicle over time to help EV buyers consider the Volt.

Now, Chevrolet has released information regarding the cost of their Voltec 240V home charging station, which is set at $490. Nissan released figures awhile ago regarding their home charging stations, which are set at $2,200 for the 220V including installation.

The $490 for the Voltec 240V home charging unit was set by SPX Service Solutions, whom Chevrolet has an agreement with. SPX Service Solutions is a national provider of home charging installation equipment and services, and will be selling the Voltec 240V along with several other home charging stations.

Chevrolet notes that this is the most affordable 240V home charging system, and will be beneficial to Volt drivers because it only takes four hours to charge the electric battery from depleted to fully charged with a 240V station as opposed to the standard 120V charge cord, which takes 10 hours to complete the same task.

While Chevrolet's Voltec 240V home charging system is priced at $490, the installation of this system costs approximately $1,475. Though, Chevrolet adds that this price varies upon electrical requirements.

Electric vehicles have been a popular subject, and with the upcoming release of EV pioneers like the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, the interest and curiosity surrounding these vehicles has heightened. Over time, we've watched and waited as both of these EV heavyweights exposed their core features, such as the Volt's 40 miles of electric-only propulsion (which was recently revised to 25-50 miles) with a gasoline engine providing an additional 300 miles, and the Leaf's ability to travel 100 miles on a single charge.




I wonder if the government will help subsidize the 240V home charging system. Otherwise, that is another $2000 needed along with the purchase of the car if you want better charge times.
Old Oct 7, 2010 | 03:19 PM
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I'm gonna laugh my *** off when the first batch of owners start getting their power bills, I bet it probably costs as much to charge it as it would have been to just buy gas for a small 4 cylinder engine.
Old Oct 7, 2010 | 03:41 PM
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What a rip off by the electrician. 240v is what everyone's dryer is using. Can you imagine paying $1,475 just for a dryer outlet put in your garage. Most people will just use the standard 120v wall plug for free, or find a cheaper electrician.

Originally Posted by STOCK1SC
I'm gonna laugh my *** off when the first batch of owners start getting their power bills, I bet it probably costs as much to charge it as it would have been to just buy gas for a small 4 cylinder engine.
It won't be too bad, this isn't a Tesla battery pack. At 10kWh a night that is only 300kWh a month. That is like what, $45?

Last edited by Z28x; Oct 7, 2010 at 03:45 PM.
Old Oct 7, 2010 | 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Z28x
What a rip off by the electrician. 240v is what everyone's dryer is using. Can you imagine paying $1,475 just for a dryer outlet put in your garage.
That's what I was thinking.
What if you just wanted to buy the part? Can you?
Old Oct 7, 2010 | 05:21 PM
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I already have a 240V in my garage. I imagine it would not be that diffcult to install, at worst you may have to change out the cord or socket.

Last edited by 92RS shearn; Oct 8, 2010 at 09:52 AM.
Old Oct 7, 2010 | 05:46 PM
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I think that's the advantage to selling it this way. If you have a simple installation and/or live where labor costs are low, it will cost very little. If you have to start from scratch and/or live in a place where labor costs are high, it will cost a bunch. The Leaf prices their charger with installation, so you are stuck with a fixed high price, regardless of the "real" installation cost.
Old Oct 7, 2010 | 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by 92RS shearn
I already have a 240V in my garage. I imagine it would not be that diffcult to install. At worst you make have to change or cord or socket.
I was going to say the same thing. Most people put 240V in a garage if they have a separate box out there, just so they can have the option of running something like a large air compressor or welder. Even if you don't, it sure doesn't cost $1500 to install it. At least not where I live.
Old Oct 8, 2010 | 02:42 AM
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I am an electrician and that price is way up there. I could do it half that and still make good money. Unless its a long run that price is way to high. Must be union rates.
Old Oct 8, 2010 | 12:44 PM
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I can do it for free. (minus the $495 for the "station")

But i'm not buying a Volt.
Old Oct 8, 2010 | 03:22 PM
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I installed my hot tub, cost me around $50 for wire and $50 for the ciruit breaker. Took all of 20 minutes. Not exactly code, though...lol

FWIW, my electrical bill didn't go through the roof with that even in the winter when it was 10 degrees outside.
Old Oct 8, 2010 | 04:45 PM
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Sigh, this is what the Nissan guys were up in arms about with the Leaf... crazy prices to install the charging station, but they were getting ripped off quite a bit more. Originally Nissan estimated the cost to be $2200 installed, but people were getting whacky quotes from the guys at AeroVironment (who Nissan had the deal with).

Anyway, their charger for 220V is a bit over $700, and so "standard installation" is around $1300, then there are random other fees. At any rate the interesting thing is that the guys that either have 220V in their garage already, or have provisions for it were getting practically the same quote as people who had nothing...

I just got my quote from AV for a garage-installed wall-mounted charger. I was informed that AV charges a fixed price for easy installs. I already had a 50-amp 220-volt plug installed when the house was built. So, AV is charging me $1,199.90 to install two bolts and to plug in the unit.
I can't remember if there was a thread here about this a few months back when it was a somewhat of a big deal.
Old Oct 8, 2010 | 06:07 PM
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Originally Posted by HAZ-Matt
I can't remember if there was a thread here about this a few months back when it was a somewhat of a big deal.
I'd say so, 2 grand for a coupla minutes worth of work.

I wonder who is really making the money here?

It reminds me of when my brother used to do onsite repair work for X-ray equipment. The labor rate was frigg'n huge and he got all of 14 bucks an hour for it. I never asked if alot of it was liability for working with X-ray equipment, but the difference in his pay rate and what his old company charged was shocking.

Last edited by bossco; Oct 8, 2010 at 06:11 PM.
Old Oct 9, 2010 | 09:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Z28x
What a rip off by the electrician. 240v is what everyone's dryer is using. Can you imagine paying $1,475 just for a dryer outlet put in your garage. Most people will just use the standard 120v wall plug for free, or find a cheaper electrician.



It won't be too bad, this isn't a Tesla battery pack. At 10kWh a night that is only 300kWh a month. That is like what, $45?
i think you are failing to consider that with the increased consumption of electricity caused by these cars, rates will likely go up (for all of us). IMO $45 is conservative by far.
Old Oct 9, 2010 | 01:02 PM
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Originally Posted by matLT1
i think you are failing to consider that with the increased consumption of electricity caused by these cars, rates will likely go up (for all of us). IMO $45 is conservative by far.
These cars would have to become significant to have that effect. It will be a long while before that happens.
Old Oct 9, 2010 | 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by slt
I installed my hot tub, cost me around $50 for wire and $50 for the ciruit breaker. Took all of 20 minutes. Not exactly code, though...lol

FWIW, my electrical bill didn't go through the roof with that even in the winter when it was 10 degrees outside.
I can guarantee without even seeing it that it wont pass inspection. Lol

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