High Power Home Charging Package worth it?

[smorgasbord]

I've also had instances where I went to work, using about 80 miles of range. Upon getting home I needed to replace the miles for a trip with the family that evening. Being able to leave that much quicker was helpful.

Yes, if this is the kind of situation you might encounter, then it could make sense to get the charging package. But, think about what it takes:

• Commute consumption plus evening drive exceeds the range of your battery plus hours between drives times 30 miles/hours.
• No charging at work, or charging at work cuts commute range consumption in half.
• No Supercharging along the evening route.

But, if you're looking at the 60kWh battery and thinking about adding this package, and assuming it's still $2K to get Supercharging with the 60kWh battery, then you're half-way towards upgrading to the 85 kWh battery, money-wise. Might be something to think about.

And I acknowledge the side benefits to having the HPWC - it's convenient, looks good, and friends can charge more quickly while they're over. It may also be more reliable than the UMC long term.

Finally, a couple people have mentioned charging during short low TOU periods. I'd like to see the analysis for payback on this. It strikes me that it'll take like a lot of long distance miles on a daily basis to have a nickel or a dime per kWh add up to $2700.

 

[Denarius]

I agree smorgasbord, there are few people that actually need them. By the end of this year I will probably no longer need them, as I will have superchargers along my common routes.

 

[Jgdixon]

No way I'm buying another HPWC when I sell or trade in my S for a new one in a few years.
So they will have to change the policy for those that already have one.

 

[andrewket]

Yes, if this is the kind of situation you might encounter, then it could make sense to get the charging package. But, think about what it takes:

• Commute consumption plus evening drive exceeds the range of your battery plus hours between drives times 30 miles/hours.
• No charging at work, or charging at work cuts commute range consumption in half.
• No Supercharging along the evening route.

But, if you're looking at the 60kWh battery and thinking about adding this package, and assuming it's still $2K to get Supercharging with the 60kWh battery, then you're half-way towards upgrading to the 85 kWh battery, money-wise. Might be something to think about.

And I acknowledge the side benefits to having the HPWC - it's convenient, looks good, and friends can charge more quickly while they're over. It may also be more reliable than the UMC long term.

Finally, a couple people have mentioned charging during short low TOU periods. I'd like to see the analysis for payback on this. It strikes me that it'll take like a lot of long distance miles on a daily basis to have a nickel or a dime per kWh add up to $2700.

It doesn't have to add up to 2700.

Assume you're going to get the twin charger anyway. Second, assume you want a second connector so you can keep the UMC in the car. Deduct the cost of a second UMC.

The savings from the TOU plan has to pay only for the marginal cost. I don't have the figures in front of me but from memory it works out to be about $700. The pay back period is still long, but add in the convenience of fast charging and for me it became an easier decision.

 

[Lloyd]

I normally charge at 20 amps, but I find the HPWC useful: 1. when I need to add more range quickly and 2. for guests that stop by. I find that my friends use the HPWC 5 to 1 over my own usage.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Whatever you end up installing, please consider offering to share that connection with other Model S owners. You can publish your location on PlugShare.com while keeping your address private. I published my residential location as having an HPWC and already received one request to use it in a couple of weeks by one gentleman who is driving to my area. I think this is a great way to meet other Model S owners.

 

[TeslaSinHR]

I charge my 85 at home using a 14-50 outlet. But I had the electrician use wiring that could handle 100 A (it is on a 50 A circuit breaker) so that if I ever decided to upgrade we just need to put on the HPWC and bigger circuit breaker. (I would probably do this more if I wanted to make it available to other Tesla owners coming through Hood River, OR who would like a faster charging option)

For my daily driving needs (< 50 mi/day) it is plenty. I always leave in the morning with a full "standard" charge if I plug in. Even if I come back from a long trip with a low charge, it will fully charge overnight. I've got the point where I don't even bother plugging it in every night.

In fact, I almost never use the twin chargers and wouldn't get them again. The supercharger network is building out fast and I've never come across a charger in the wild (where you really want fast charging) that would deliver more than 40 A other than at a Tesla showroom or service center.

 

[smorgasbord]

The savings from the TOU plan has to pay only for the marginal cost. I don't have the figures in front of me but from memory it works out to be about $700. The pay back period is still long, but add in the convenience of fast charging and for me it became an easier decision.

Your "marginal cost" is artificially small - paying $1500 for twin chargers "anyway," etc.

If you look at the TOU pay back, remember you only start saving when you've driven more than 120 miles since the single charger will completely recharge your car in 4 hours or less unless you drive more than that. So, you'd have to regularly drive more than 120 miles/day, which most people don't do.

 

[Scott Ales]

Whoever bought the HPWC on Ebay sure got a good deal at $750!

It's not that much of a discount. Fed. tax credit of 30% on $1200 is effectively $840 for a new out of the box unit from Tesla.

 

[liuping]

It's not that much of a discount. Fed. tax credit of 30% on $1200 is effectively $840 for a new out of the box unit from Tesla.

The tax credit for the Charger is subject to AMT, so I assume many people buying Tesla's are not getting that discount...

 

[AmpedRealtor]

It's not that much of a discount. Fed. tax credit of 30% on $1200 is effectively $840 for a new out of the box unit from Tesla.

Hope they didn't get the one with the bad fuses...

 

[EricWayneAlbert]

Another thought for the TC are for when you get a second car. So those with a Model S now and have the Model X on reserve it sure will speed up when you 2 or some 3 EV's to charge. In 4-5 years when they Tesla has it's Gen 3 car out; I'm sure a lot of people will have 2 EV's and no ICE's. That will be a nice future. The TC is future proofing. Also if you share your power on plugshare or recargo those with TC will benefit for a quicker charge with a shorter time. Then quicker time with the high level 2 chargers @ 70+ amps.

No I do not have a Tesla myself, hopefully someday. When I do get one I'll get the TC option. Yes, you won't need it all the time but when you do need it, you'll be glad you did. IMHO

 

[Gjacobs]

Since we own two Model S' the HPWC with the new fuses is great. I do the car shuffle in the driveway to charge both every night.

 

[neroden]

Like others, I don't drive enough day-to-day to make the HPWC worth it, but I was leaning towards springing for the twin chargers for future potential use on long trips. Now that it appears you the TC only come in the HPWC bundle, I guess it makes my decision easier.

Bleah. I think they did that because not enough people were buying the HPWC. Effectively they just raised the price of the twin chargers by $1200, which is kind of nasty.

 

[Mayhemm]

Bleah. I think they did that because not enough people were buying the HPWC.

And rightly so, IMO. The HPWCs weren't exactly reliable early on (expensive fuses blowing, excessive heat buildup). I need to order two of them but I'm probably going to wait until spring (I don't actually need them until then) just to give Tesla a few months to work out any remaining issues.

 

[gregincal]

Bleah. I think they did that because not enough people were buying the HPWC. Effectively they just raised the price of the twin chargers by $1200, which is kind of nasty.

Or they have a shortage of chargers and wanted to decrease dual charger orders. They certainly do on the european chargers, since people who ordered dual chargers are only getting single chargers with a promise to install the second charger sometime later.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Or they have a shortage of chargers and wanted to decrease dual charger orders. They certainly do on the european chargers, since people who ordered dual chargers are only getting single chargers with a promise to install the second charger sometime later.

Wait a minute... EU cars are shipping with a single charger even though customers ordered dual chargers? It doesn't sound to me like these customers should be accepting delivery of an incomplete vehicle, but that's just my opinion. I can understand the accidental omission of a spoiler or something like that, but a second charger? No way. I would never take delivery of a vehicle that did not contain all of the systems that I ordered. I would reject the car and let them make me one when they have all of the parts in stock. This type of behavior is only acceptable so long as customers continue accepting it.

 

[sublimaze1]

Wait a minute... EU cars are shipping with a single charger even though customers ordered dual chargers? It doesn't sound to me like these customers should be accepting delivery of an incomplete vehicle, but that's just my opinion. I can understand the accidental omission of a spoiler or something like that, but a second charger? No way. I would never take delivery of a vehicle that did not contain all of the systems that I ordered. I would reject the car and let them make me one when they have all of the parts in stock. This type of behavior is only acceptable so long as customers continue accepting it.

You are correct. This is your opinion.

Many of us accepted a car in 2012 that did not have the third row seats - myself included. Now, I will not engage in a debate as to which is more important - a seat structure, or an integrated electrical component. The word you used is incomplete.

I (as did several dozen other) accepted a car without the third row which defined the car as incomplete. We chose that arrangement and workflow to obtain the car in December, rather than in April. Again, our choice. I would bet that if the EU folks were given the same choice as I did about a year ago ...

But again, we all have our opinions.

 

[markb1]

Wait a minute... EU cars are shipping with a single charger even though customers ordered dual chargers? It doesn't sound to me like these customers should be accepting delivery of an incomplete vehicle, but that's just my opinion. I can understand the accidental omission of a spoiler or something like that, but a second charger? No way. I would never take delivery of a vehicle that did not contain all of the systems that I ordered. I would reject the car and let them make me one when they have all of the parts in stock. This type of behavior is only acceptable so long as customers continue accepting it.

I think most people, including me, would have preferred not to have our cars delayed for something like this. The car is functional for most people with just a single charger, and Tesla will certainly retrofit it later, without additional cost to the buyer.

Many of us had due bill items when we took delivery of our cars, and some were kind of major, like rear facing seats.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

You are correct. This is your opinion.

Many of us accepted a car in 2012 that did not have the third row seats - myself included. Now, I will not engage in a debate as to which is more important - a seat structure, or an integrated electrical component. The word you used is incomplete.

I (as did several dozen other) accepted a car without the third row which defined the car as incomplete. We chose that arrangement and workflow to obtain the car in December, rather than in April. Again, our choice. I would bet that if the EU folks were given the same choice as I did about a year ago ...

But again, we all have our opinions.

Of course it is my opinion, I can only state my opinion and nobody else's. And of course it is a choice. I am simply saying that my choice would have been different. I am not that desperate to drive this car that I will let Tesla off the hook for not planning their supply chain properly. Tesla feels it is okay to deliver a car without all of the features it was ordered with, and then inconveniencing the customer by requiring a service call to install the missing components. If more customers rejected their vehicles, Tesla would get their act together. They continue to do these things because customers let them. As you said, it is a customer choice. However, my opinion is that the choices customers are making are also enabling Tesla to continue mismanaging its supply chain and at the ultimate inconvenience of the customer.

Again, this is my opinion because that's all I can offer. So no need to point out whose opinion this is. I think it's a given that whenever any of us writes something, it is the opinion of the person who wrote the post. Yes?