Chevrolet Volt’s 240V Home Charging Unit Priced at $490
07 October 2010
Chevrolet has an agreement with a supplier to offer Chevrolet Volt owners one of the most affordable 240V home charging units on the market. Priced by SPX Service Solutions at $490 before installation, Chevrolet’s “Voltec” 240V home charging unit is one of several 240V home charging units that will be offered for sale by SPX Service Solutions, a national provider of home charging installation services and equipment.
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| The Voltec 240V charging unit. Click to enlarge. |
The Voltec 240V home charging unit can charge the Volt’s battery from depleted to charged in about four hours, compared with 10 hours with the standard 120V charge cord that plugs into a household outlet. Installation of the Voltec 240V charging unit is estimated at $1,475 but can vary based upon electrical requirements.
In addition to Chevrolet’s Voltec unit, SPX will sell a variety of home charging stations and manage all aspects of installation for Volt owners, including the home survey, installation, permitting, Department of Energy and utility coordination, and identification of available programs and incentives for reduced charging rates.
It's quite amusing that every house in the UK has one of these already built in.
Btw. does anyone know of a country that can provide more power through their domestic wiring than the UK at 240V 13A
Posted by: Patrick | 07 October 2010 at 09:47 AM
What the hell does it do? If it does the AC->DC conversion, then it's reasonably priced, but it looks like it's nothing more that a passive plug.
you can get this 50 Amp 240V plug for $40
http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Controls-LL550P-Generator-Generators/dp/B000HRWGHQ
Posted by: dursun | 07 October 2010 at 10:30 AM
Many qualified Master electricians will install a duly protected 40 amps, 220 VAC outlet in your garage for under $400 and even less if your electrical distribution panel is already in the garage or nearby.
Posted by: HarveyD | 07 October 2010 at 10:32 AM
For the $41K they're charging for the car, you would think they could just throw in one of these.
Posted by: Peter9909 | 07 October 2010 at 11:01 AM
They really, really need to work on the automatic wireless charging system for hybrids and ev's mentioned here: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/09/delphi-20100930.html The $500 system mentioned above looks like something that will immediately be broken the first time someone is late for work, in a hurry, puts the car in reverse, and drives out of their garage without disconnecting it.
Posted by: ejj | 07 October 2010 at 12:08 PM
That coil cord would sure twang when you put it in reverse. I have to wonder how many people would like to plug and unplug their car every day 365 days per year. If you forget to plug it in, you are out of luck getting to work the next morning.
Posted by: SJC | 07 October 2010 at 12:54 PM
ejj: You cannot drive the VOLT while the charge port is connected. Other comments are correct. Buy the charger and have the local electrician run a dryer 240V 30A circuit to the garage. Should be well under $500.
I believe Australian homes have 240V 50A circuits standard for electric ranges.
What is encouraging is to see the flurry of activity centered around Leaf and VOLT. Both will be spending significant dollars to raise public awareness - which is good for all EV makers and enthusiasts.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 07 October 2010 at 12:57 PM
The volt is hybrid just burn gasoline if you do not plug it in. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 08 October 2010 at 12:36 AM
they will have an ethanol version too
can use e85 ,and nothing of gasoline-
great.
going with e85 is good.
in brasil is even better e100.
Posted by: Joaquin D | 08 October 2010 at 06:48 AM
I was referring more to EVs and forgetting to plug them in. It is my guess that more than a few people will not plug in their Volts every night. It could get tedious to have to unplug in the morning and plug in every night, lots of people can forget to plug it in every night. With a Volt no problem, with a Leaf a problem.
Posted by: SJC | 08 October 2010 at 12:15 PM
@SJC,
I wouldn't worry too much. You can always do a quick charge at the gas pump around the corner. After some time, plugging in you car is like locking the doors. It becomes routine.
Posted by: Arne | 08 October 2010 at 02:11 PM
I don't see many chargers at gas pumps around here and all it takes is someone forgetting to plug it in at home and not be able to get to work in the morning, trust me it WILL happen.
Posted by: SJC | 08 October 2010 at 03:54 PM
Sorta like forgetting to fill the tank. The brain is not an HDD - is it?
Posted by: Reel$$ | 09 October 2010 at 04:00 PM
If you have 10,000 EVs out there you have 3.65 million chances every year of forgetting at least once each year. The gas tank tells you and if you forget that is one thing, but this is not a once a week thing, it is plug it in every night or else.
Posted by: SJC | 09 October 2010 at 10:09 PM
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 12 October 2010 at 01:03 PM