No Garage - Is the 4xe still a good option?

[West1]

I live in a house with no garage or carport. I am on the fence about buying a 4xe. Without a garage, I believe that it would be difficult to install an exterior level II charger. I have a nearby outlet for 110v charging. However I would like to know if owners without a garage found charging a hassle?

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[jjbardis74]

I live in a house with no garage or carport. I am on the fence about buying a 4xe. Without a garage, I believe that it would be difficult to install an exterior level II charger. I have a nearby outlet for 110v charging. However I would like to know if owners without a garage found charging a hassle?

I don’t use my garage for my 4xe and I haven’t since I got it in may. No problems to speak of!

 

[LarryB]

Do you have a driveway, or at least a parking spot that comes close to the outside wall of your house? My neighbour just has parking spaces at the back of their house. They mounted it outside with no issues.

As for whether you even need a 240V … I would think that the battery would charge overnight using 110V, so if your pattern is to park it in the late afternoon each day and use it again in the morning, you may not benefit. It also depends if you have access at the office …

 

[GoldenKnight]

There's 240v charging stations outdoors all over the place, so I wouldn't say that's an issue(if you can park next to your house). I believe Grizzl-e even sells some heavier duty ones that I believe are rated for full outdoor exposure. There's even locks available for them so no one can bootleg from you

Level 1 charging sucks though, it was taking 15+ hours from 0% to get a full charge. So many times we'd never even get a full charge overnight.

Level 2 was finally installed yesterday and it's soooo much nicer. After wifeys daily commute it was only an hour and 40 minutes to get to 100% instead of the normal 12+ hours

 

[West1]

There's 240v charging stations outdoors all over the place, so I wouldn't say that's an issue(if you can park next to your house). I believe Grizzl-e even sells some heavier duty ones that I believe are rated for full outdoor exposure. There's even locks available for them so no one can bootleg from you

Level 1 charging sucks though, it was taking 15+ hours from 0% to get a full charge. So many times we'd never even get a full charge overnight.

Level 2 was finally installed yesterday and it's soooo much nicer. After wifeys daily commute it was only an hour and 40 minutes to get to 100% instead of the normal 12+ hours

Thanks, for the input.

 

[SnB4xe]

I live in a house with no garage or carport. I am on the fence about buying a 4xe. Without a garage, I believe that it would be difficult to install an exterior level II charger. I have a nearby outlet for 110v charging. However I would like to know if owners without a garage found charging a hassle?

I have a garage and both my EVs are parked in the driveway while charging. Still slightly uncomfortable charging my EVs in the garage while I am sleeping. Never any issues with any of my cars but other makes haven't been as lucky so I am on the leery side still.

 

[fogby]

You just have to decide what your usage is going to be and the reason for your purchase. Based on your post, I'm assuming it's important to you to minimize your gasoline consumption - not buying the 4xe for the electric boost.

So what's your usage. If it's something where you only leave the house once a day I don't see any reason for a level II. If you need a mid-day charge at home go level II. For us, we only leave the house once a day and it easily gets a full charge overnight on 110. So I have -0- need for a level II. We've never experienced 15+ hours to get full charge from zero battery. Based on our experience the comment from another poster is very odd - may some other issue, I don't know.

To me, I wouldn't get a 4xe if I were to have to mount a level II for exterior use. Juice not worth the squeeze thing.

 

[cmdonnell]

I have a friend with a 1 car garage and two cars, 1 gas Audi and 1 Tesla. They installed a level 2 charger in the driveway and not the garage and haven't had any issues.

There are federal tax credits for equipment purchase and install and there could be local incentives on top of that, so even if you don't actually 'need' it now it might be a good time to get a Level 2 charger installed as it's something you'd likely end up with eventually but the incentives might not be there. (Of course the price for the charging station might come down in that time, but the cost of the electrician for install likely won't.)

 

[TheYagermeister]

Depends on your use case of course, but I am in the same boat as you. No garage, only a nearby 110 outlet for slow charging. I plug in the Jeep every time I come home and I'm still able to do about 60% of my driving fully electric over the last 5 months. Initially I planned to mount a Level 2 charger on the outside of the house but honestly it's no longer a priority for me.

 

[Asterix2112]

I have a garage and both my EVs are parked in the driveway while charging. Still slightly uncomfortable charging my EVs in the garage while I am sleeping. Never any issues with any of my cars but other makes haven't been as lucky so I am on the leery side still.

I'm uncomfortable charging my Chevy Bolt! (and it is not parked in my garage). I have no issues with the 4xe charging in the garage.

 

[GoldenKnight]

You just have to decide what your usage is going to be and the reason for your purchase. Based on your post, I'm assuming it's important to you to minimize your gasoline consumption - not buying the 4xe for the electric boost.

So what's your usage. If it's something where you only leave the house once a day I don't see any reason for a level II. If you need a mid-day charge at home go level II. For us, we only leave the house once a day and it easily gets a full charge overnight on 110. So I have -0- need for a level II. We've never experienced 15+ hours to get full charge from zero battery. Based on our experience the comment from another poster is very odd - may some other issue, I don't know.

To me, I wouldn't get a 4xe if I were to have to mount a level II for exterior use. Juice not worth the squeeze thing.

No issue besides the shitty Jeep 110v charger. Not a 0% charge comparison because it was only at 53% tonight when she got home. You can see the huge time difference. She just drove to and from work, if she'd have run any errands before or after and then gotten home after 7 pm, which is normal, charge would be way lower and at times it won't even be to 100% by work time at 6 amn the following morning.

 

[Jocko]

No issue besides the shitty Jeep 110v charger. Not a 0% charge comparison because it was only at 53% tonight when she got home. You can see the huge time difference. She just drove to and from work, if she'd have run any errands before or after and then gotten home after 7 pm, which is normal, charge would be way lower and at times it won't even be to 100% by work time at 6 amn the following morning.

Are you knocking the level 1 charger or the Jeep's estimation calculation logic? I don't think you can knock the charger itself unless you actually left if plugged in and checked to see how long it took to reach 100%. I've never seen more than 12-13 hours from 0-100. If it is legit taking 16+ hours for someone, I think that person should be having their wiring/outlet looked at.

That said, this is all a bit of a moot point, since clearly level 2 is the right choice for you given the usage pattern described. I wish I needed a level 2, but sadly, a level 1 has served me perfectly as I don't get out much.

 

[GoldenKnight]

Are you knocking the level 1 charger or the Jeep's estimation calculation logic? I don't think you can knock the charger itself unless you actually left if plugged in and checked to see how long it took to reach 100%. I've never seen more than 12-13 hours from 0-100. If it is legit taking 16+ hours for someone, I think that person should be having their wiring/outlet looked at.

That said, this is all a bit of a moot point, since clearly level 2 is the right choice for you given the usage pattern described. I wish I needed a level 2, but sadly, a level 1 has served me perfectly as I don't get out much.

I'm knocking the charger. The time estimates are accurate. I've used it other places besides my home as well with the same results, so it's not a home electrical issue. I guess there could be some fault in the actual charger that is reducing its effectiveness? Charging seems to be steady with it, if it takes 7.5 hours from 0-50% it's going to take another 7.5 hours from 50-100%. Maybe not a full 16 hours to charge with 0, but certainly in the 14.5-15.5 hour range from 0.

Like you said though, moot now since we don't use it anymore.

 

[Dkretden]

There are no issues charging your vehicle outside per se. But plugging into a standard outlet will be slow.

I have the opposite problem from you….. I HAVE a garage…… but it happens to be in a highrise apartment that doesn’t have reserved parking…. Zero ability to plug a vehicle in……

 

[RNLROCK]

I charge mine in the driveway with a 60 amp Level 2 charger and couldn't be happier!

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