I’m considering getting an egolf and I don’t understand the charging options. I read that it can be charged at 120volts with the cord provided (I know that’s slow) and also at 240 volts. Does the cord plug directly into a 240 volt outlet like a dryer outlet? Then I read about 240 volt “wall mount units”. I assume the 120v is at 12 amps (1.4kw or so) and I wonder if you can charge at 240 directly from an outlet at maybe around 3kw. Please enlighten me. Thanks!
Home charging newbie
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You’ll probably get somewhere between 1.2 and 1.4kW on a regular power outlet. And then double that with a dryer outlet. Yes you can get charging cables that plug in to these sockets directly I believe, but for anyone who is getting an EV it is strongly recommended to get a dedicated charging unit on the wall. With a 240v connection to one of these charging units you’ll be able to get just over 7kW, the maximum that the car’s onboard charger can handle over AC power. So not only is it safer to use one of these dedicated charging units, but it’s also way faster for recharging your car too.
OP has a United States flag beside their name. In the US it’s typically only single phase=120v or two phase (well, technically split-phase)=240v.
3 Phase is not common especially in residential environments.
Last time I checked, the Golf wasn’t capable of 3-Phase AC either. 7kW AC Single phase was the only option I remember from working with these cars a while back.
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If you are considering a 2017 or later e-Golf, the included EVSE is a 10 amp 120 V trickle charging station. The earlier e-Golfs included EVSEs that charged at 12 amps at 120 V. If you want to charge at 240 V, you will have to purchase an EVSE rated for 240 V, and you will have to figure out the receptacle and circuit amperage to determine what 240 V charging station to purchase. The e-Golf will not pull more than 30 amps at 240 V regardless of the rating of the 240 V charging station (typically they can be 32 amps or 40 amps, though some are 16, 20, or 24 amps). Best of luck!
Thanks for this description. I’m probably going to get a cpo 2016 because they are so cheap these days - I’m seeing them for around $11k with < 20k miles and an extra two year warranty. So as I understand your post, the car comes with a cord that plugs into a 120 v outlet only? Some dealer descriptions imply that the basic cord can plug into either a 120 or a 240 outlet. I assumed the cord had either a splitter with the two different plugs or an adapter for the 240. But your description sounds like the only 240v option is to get a dedicated charger and wire it to 240 with at least a 30 amp breaker, 40 A. being a safer bet.
The question I have is about the onboard charger - the specs I read say the ‘16 SE comes with a 3.6kw charger, or with a 7.2 kw upgrade if the DC fast charge option is included (most of the cpo’s I’m seeing have that option). With that level 2 charger on board, can’t it just be plugged into a standard 240v outlet that has the proper amp capacity? I don’t get why people talk about the “wall mount charger”. Please help me understand. Thanks!
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I should have said "the factory provided portable trickle charging station". I suppose a car dealer could give you something else. There is no splitter. Even if a charging station can take either 120V or 240 V, it is only one type of voltage at a time, and no other voltages can be accepted other than the one you are using.
Electric code says you can't put a device on a circuit that will pull more than 80% of circuit rated amps. Therefore, a 30 amp circuit can only be used with a 24 amp or less EVSE. A 40 amp circuit can be used with up to a 32 amp EVSE, etc.
Yes, either a portable or wall mounted 240 V EVSE is probably best. You can mount it on the wall if you like or let it dangle from the receptacle, but some are so large and heavy that they can not dangle and must be wall mounted. You need to look at the models you are considering. Also for safety, I recommend you stay away from an EVSE that is not Intertek or UL approved.
You are right, the car either has a 3.6 kW (15 amp at 240V AC) or 7.2 kW (30 amp at 240 V AC) on board charger, so if you like, get an EVSE that can charge at the max amps the car can take. Or you can buy one that can deliver more amps (for a future EV in your future that can take more amps). Hope this helps.
Electric code says you can't put a device on a circuit that will pull more than 80% of circuit rated amps. Therefore, a 30 amp circuit can only be used with a 24 amp or less EVSE. A 40 amp circuit can be used with up to a 32 amp EVSE, etc.
Yes, either a portable or wall mounted 240 V EVSE is probably best. You can mount it on the wall if you like or let it dangle from the receptacle, but some are so large and heavy that they can not dangle and must be wall mounted. You need to look at the models you are considering. Also for safety, I recommend you stay away from an EVSE that is not Intertek or UL approved.
You are right, the car either has a 3.6 kW (15 amp at 240V AC) or 7.2 kW (30 amp at 240 V AC) on board charger, so if you like, get an EVSE that can charge at the max amps the car can take. Or you can buy one that can deliver more amps (for a future EV in your future that can take more amps). Hope this helps.
Thanks all, for your posts. I’m still stuck on one basic point:
If the car has a 7.2kw on board charger, can’t you just use a cord to plug it into a 240v, 40A outlet? Why does everyone seem to say you need a dedicated charger? Isn’t that using a charger to power up a charger? Sorry, but I still don’t get it.
If the car has a 7.2kw on board charger, can’t you just use a cord to plug it into a 240v, 40A outlet? Why does everyone seem to say you need a dedicated charger? Isn’t that using a charger to power up a charger? Sorry, but I still don’t get it.
Thanks, f1, your answer prompted me to look up EVSE and I found this simple description
www.greencarreports.com
What Is EVSE And Why Does Your Electric Car Charger Need It?
There was a time when an electric car could be plugged into just about any electrical outlet its owner could find. With a little bit of ingenuity and forward planning, any electric car could plug-in just about anywhere. We’ve heard stories of National Electric Drag Racing Association (NEDRA)...
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If you are trying to save money, I know Clipper Creek sells used EVSEs. I don't get any commission from ClipperCreek, FYI, but I have been using an HCS-40P for 5 years and it has been 100% reliable. Of course, there are lots of brands of EVSEs like JuiceBox, Siemens, Chargepoint, Webasto, Bosch, etc.
now that I understand the evse hardware needed for 240vac home charging, please fill me in on the free level 2 chargers found on the road at places like Home Depot, target, etc. do those all have a connector that plugs directly into the egolf or do people carry their own special cord or evse with them?
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