Bought a 2020 Momentum last week. Looking into the permanent home charging options.
Do most folks install an actual station with it's own pull-out cable, or just a 240v outlet into which you plug the supplied cable that came with the car?
Also, since I understand it must be a 240v Level 2 supply at best, what is the amp limit? Does it HAVE to be below 16a, as stated on the cable that came with the car?

Thanks in advance!

-Matt Colleran
dreadly@earthlink.net

 

Are you asking if you should buy a Volvo home charging station versus another brand or how to determine the power capacity required? Most charging units simply plug into a 240V outlet so you'd need to have your electrician wire it up for the correct size breaker and plug configuration. A quick google suggests the Volvo charging requirement is 3.7 kW which is ~16A x 240V so that's the size unit you want whether you go with Volvo or another brand. Ask the Volvo dealer for some liturature (or google around) for the wall plug requirements. (looks like a single phase set up similar to a 240V air conditioner would use)

 

Not really asking if I should get a Volvo brand charging station or a different brand. Just asking if people tend to wall-mount one of the aforementioned charging stations with a built-in cable (having run a 240v line), or if folks just run the 240v line and put an outlet on the wall into which they plug the supplied portable cable that came with the car.

 

that's what I'd do - have an electrician run a 240 line to a new outlet in your garage. They'd probably put a 20A breaker on it which should be fine. I happen to have an electrician at the house today (wiring up a 240 plug for a generator) and he said he's done a few but usually the car dealers have an arrangement where they recommend an electrician for the install. I would expect wiring in a new 240 outlet to run somewhere between 250 and 500 bucks

 

Thank you. Good advice. My application will have to be outside in my driveway, however, so I am looking at permanently hardwired charging stations with the cable also hardwired into it, so I can just keep the portable cable under the mat in the car and not deal with it.

Thinking the ClipperCreek LCS-20 (240v 16a Level 2).

It's a NEMA-4 unit, so it's good for outdoors. Does that seem like a good choice?

 

I have had 4 PHEVs and one BEV electric vehicle. We had a L2 EVSE installed on a 40 amp 220 breaker. That way you can charge any electric vehicle included PHEV with the J1772 standard. It will give you the option of going full electric at a different time.

Some states offer rebates for installing EVSE units in your home.