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Is it that expensive to get an electric car charger installed? I just got two installed for $800, and the charger itself is $420 each. Even if a circuit panel

Is it that expensive to get an electric car charger installed? I just got two installed for $800, and the charger itself is $420 each. Even if a circuit panel had to be upgraded and some wire needed to be run, surely it is only a couple thousand extra at most.

orev 2y ago
Seems like you might have a case of SV myopia. The idea that $1640 plus “a few thousand extra” to be able to drive a very expensive vehicle would be not “that expensive” is pretty out of touch.
- lotsofpulp 2y ago
  Electric vehicles are not “very” expensive, even in Europe, and it’s a capital expense. That charger is going to be useful for decades to come. And if electric vehicles pencil out in the US to equal cost of gas cars including oil changes and all that, then surely they do in Europe with their higher gas costs.
  - bosie 2y ago
    Can you put numbers to not very expensive? Looking at vw for their ev equivalents, for me personally, it qualifies as very expensive (without subsidies)
    - lotsofpulp 2y ago
      I tried to find new gas vs electric car sale prices in a couple European countries, but I couldn’t easily find a reputable source. With how active European governments are on legislation to curb carbon emissions, I assumed the proposition of a new electric vehicle to a new gas vehicle would be at least as good as the US (over the lifetime of the car, higher initial cost for EV, but lower maintenance costs). https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/europes-carmakers-discount-evs-hike-petrol-car-prices-new-emissions-rules-loom-2024-12-17/ https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/europe... Of course, this only applies to people with a home with a space to park and charge their car, and whose everyday destinations are mostly within an hour. Edit: looks like small diesel cars are still available in Europe, so taking those as the base option, I can see how an EV would be expensive. This option doesn’t exist in the US, though. https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/1bfhpnl/does_it_make_economic_sense_to_buy_an_electric/ https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/1bfhpnl/does_it_ma...
- gWPVhyxPHqvk 2y ago
  Not OP but my power company gave me $1500, I only had to pay like $300 in total. There's currently (or, was, as may be the case in a few days) a ton of credits/assistance.
- ericd 2y ago
  That was for two chargers, not one. And normal outlets give plenty of range overnight, it’s just a luxury to be able to charge faster when you want.
ctchocula 2y ago
A new 200A electrical panel costs $5000-6000 to be installed with a permit in SV. If you want to run 50A wire for an L2 charger that might be $1000-2000 more. Getting close to $10000, so I'd say it is fairly expensive.
- ericd 2y ago
  That’s just SV, though, you would’ve paid <1/3 that elsewhere.
- steveoscaro 2y ago
  Or just run an extension cord from your dryer outlet with a splitter. $100 and done.

orev 2y ago

Seems like you might have a case of SV myopia. The idea that $1640 plus “a few thousand extra” to be able to drive a very expensive vehicle would be not “that expensive” is pretty out of touch.

lotsofpulp 2y ago
Electric vehicles are not “very” expensive, even in Europe, and it’s a capital expense. That charger is going to be useful for decades to come. And if electric vehicles pencil out in the US to equal cost of gas cars including oil changes and all that, then surely they do in Europe with their higher gas costs.
- bosie 2y ago
  Can you put numbers to not very expensive? Looking at vw for their ev equivalents, for me personally, it qualifies as very expensive (without subsidies)
  - lotsofpulp 2y ago
    I tried to find new gas vs electric car sale prices in a couple European countries, but I couldn’t easily find a reputable source. With how active European governments are on legislation to curb carbon emissions, I assumed the proposition of a new electric vehicle to a new gas vehicle would be at least as good as the US (over the lifetime of the car, higher initial cost for EV, but lower maintenance costs). https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/europes-carmakers-discount-evs-hike-petrol-car-prices-new-emissions-rules-loom-2024-12-17/ https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/europe... Of course, this only applies to people with a home with a space to park and charge their car, and whose everyday destinations are mostly within an hour. Edit: looks like small diesel cars are still available in Europe, so taking those as the base option, I can see how an EV would be expensive. This option doesn’t exist in the US, though. https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/1bfhpnl/does_it_make_economic_sense_to_buy_an_electric/ https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/1bfhpnl/does_it_ma...
gWPVhyxPHqvk 2y ago
Not OP but my power company gave me $1500, I only had to pay like $300 in total. There's currently (or, was, as may be the case in a few days) a ton of credits/assistance.
ericd 2y ago
That was for two chargers, not one. And normal outlets give plenty of range overnight, it’s just a luxury to be able to charge faster when you want.

ctchocula 2y ago

A new 200A electrical panel costs $5000-6000 to be installed with a permit in SV. If you want to run 50A wire for an L2 charger that might be $1000-2000 more. Getting close to $10000, so I'd say it is fairly expensive.

ericd 2y ago
That’s just SV, though, you would’ve paid <1/3 that elsewhere.
steveoscaro 2y ago
Or just run an extension cord from your dryer outlet with a splitter. $100 and done.