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Should I keep my SR+ order, or Re lease another BMW 330?

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R

Ru55o-Bolt

Member
Aug 25, 2021
65
10
Quebec
#1
I am currently waiting on Model 3 SR+ which scheduled for delivery in 2 weeks.

Here's my current situation: I barely drive and I am returning my BMW 330xi drive with 24000 KM accumulated over 48 months. I like Tesla because the technology is so advanced and also it is ecofriendly. However, I am facing some financial questions that I would like some input on:

Point 1. I live in a condominium and my garage spot is far from the electrical panel room (240 feet of wiring). I've had two electricians quote me over $4000 CAD to obtain and install a 240 volt charging station. The government would pay half of it so I am looking to incur over $2000 costs of my own.

Point 2. I don't drive much as you can tell. I gas up like every 1.5 months since I work from home 100% 24/7.

Point 3. BMW quoted me on a 2021 BMW 330x and it's like 100$ more a month in lease payment compared to Model SR +


You see my dilemma guys. As as much as EV is great for the environment, how much am I saving really? Not to mention the BMW is AWD. Is it worth it for me or I am not seing the big picture?

Thank you
 
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#4
My advice:

1) Evaluate how accessible nearby superchargers are to you and consider using it rather than running new electrical at your condo.
2) Evaluate, since you already said you don't drive much, whether you can get by with Level 1 charging at your condo.
 
#5
OK. Regarding Part 1) I was thinking along those same lines. Forgo the charger installation and just leave it in my garage since if I shut off sentry mode and other settings, i'll lose max 1% a day. It's like 16 degrees in the condominium indoor garage. The nearest supercharger is like 5 km away. The thing is, i'd have to go charge it each time I leave my place. I am anxious during winter (we get like -20C here) should I go out for a drive. If I churn my mileage at 50% during winter, I sorta want to avoid coming back to my garage with like 40% battery....

As for Part 1). There's no Level 1 outlets in garage and they are taped off so nobody can use them.
 
#6
Ru55o-Bolt said:
Point 4. I would have to buy new set of winter tires for the Tesla 3 SR+ where my current BMW winter tires would fit on the 2021 BMW 330
Click to expand...
Are you sure about that? BMW changed their bolt pattern recently. You didn't say what year your lease turn-in was, but BMW switched to a smaller hub and smaller bolt pattern in recent years. Traditionally they had a 5-120 pattern but now it is 5-112.
 
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#7
I went from a BMW 335i to a Model 3 and could not be happier. But, if you don't have access to home charging, it is definitely a bit knock against EVs. You could charge at superchargers but they are much more expensive than home charging.

If there's absolutely no way to charge at home, that's going to be a major pain point. Your car is going to lose charge every day too (more when it's cold to keep the battery warm) so you may have a very poor experience if you can't find a way to get a plug near your parking spot.
 
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#9
Exactly. Thats my dilemna. If I lived in a single detached home, I hear its maximum 600$ to install an EV charger. In my case its upwards of $2000+ dollars to install home charger. With the mileage I did in the last 4 years, if I continue at same rate, I would be losing money versus going with a BMW 330xdrive AWD. Darn.
 
#10
Ru55o-Bolt said:
Exactly. Thats my dilemna. If I lived in a single detached home, I hear its maximum 600$ to install an EV charger. In my case its upwards of $2000+ dollars to install home charger. With the mileage I did in the last 4 years, if I continue at same rate, I would be losing money versus going with a BMW 330xdrive AWD. Darn.
Click to expand...

No, its not "maximum $600" to install an EV charger in a single family home. It depends on the homes setup, etc. It can be less than that, it can be more than your 2000 price, too.
 
#11
Ru55o-Bolt said:
OK. Regarding Part 1) I was thinking along those same lines. Forgo the charger installation and just leave it in my garage since if I shut off sentry mode and other settings, i'll lose max 1% a day. It's like 16 degrees in the condominium indoor garage. The nearest supercharger is like 5 km away. The thing is, i'd have to go charge it each time I leave my place. I am anxious during winter (we get like -20C here) should I go out for a drive. If I churn my mileage at 50% during winter, I sorta want to avoid coming back to my garage with like 40% battery....

As for Part 1). There's no Level 1 outlets in garage and they are taped off so nobody can use them.
Click to expand...
Have you considered installing a level 1 charging station even with no outlets? Something like the below:
ACS-15 12A, Level 1 EVSE | ClipperCreek

That will save you a ton on material costs for the conductors due to your extremely long run. If you want a 240V 30-40A charging station it sounds like for a long run like yours you might need 6/3 wiring (over $1200 USD for 250 ft) or even 4/3 wiring (over $2500 for 250 ft). With 110V 15A you can drop one conductor and probably go with 6/2 and it'll be more like $700 USD.

Or if you want to stick with 240V, dropping to a lower power can save to money too: 15 to 20A you might be able to get away with 10/3 or 8/3. This may be a better option as it's around the same cost as level 1 and it'll still be significantly faster than level 1.

Note if you are going to the Tesla wall charger, that can be configured down to support a 15A breaker to support those smaller conductors.
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default...ng/Gen3_WallConnector_Installation_Manual.pdf

If you were planning to just use the Mobile connector included with the car, a NEMA 6-15 or NEMA 6-20 adapter can support the same lower power, although I'm not sure if doing that still qualifies you for any government subsidies for the cost.
Mobile Connector

Just some more options to consider (you can ask electrician to confirm how that changes your costs).
 
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#12
stopcrazypp said:
Have you considered installing a level 1 charging station even with no outlets? Something like the below:
ACS-15 12A, Level 1 EVSE | ClipperCreek

That will save you a ton on material costs for the conductors due to your extremely long run. If you want a 240V 30-40A charging station it sounds like for a long run like yours you might need 6/3 wiring (over $1200 USD for 250 ft) or even 4/3 wiring (over $2500 for 250 ft). With 110V 15A you can drop one conductor and probably go with 6/2 and it'll be more like $700 USD.

Or if you want to stick with 240V, dropping to a lower power can save to money too: 15 to 20A you might be able to get away with 10/3 or 8/3. This may be a better option as it's around the same cost as level 1 and it'll still be significantly faster than level 1.

Note if you are going to the Tesla wall charger, that can be configured down to support a 15A breaker to support those smaller conductors.
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default...ng/Gen3_WallConnector_Installation_Manual.pdf

If you were planning to just use the Mobile connector included with the car, a NEMA 6-15 or NEMA 6-20 adapter can support the same lower power, although I'm not sure if doing that still qualifies you for any government subsidies for the cost.
Mobile Connector

Just some more options to consider (you can ask electrician to confirm how that changes your
Click to expand...
I will discuss this with the electrician on Sunday. Do you know how fast the SR+ will charge on Level 1 15A?

Also, apparently for the 240V I need to install a DCC-9 panel and that's minimum $1120 CAD. Do you need that for Level 1 ?
 
#13
Ru55o-Bolt said:
I will discuss this with the electrician on Sunday. Do you know how fast the SR+ will charge on Level 1 15A?
Click to expand...

About 5 miles an hour. Opinion on this type of thing is all over the map, but there is no way I would pay someone to run cable etc for 5 miles an hour charging. Thats usually a recommendation for "use your existing outlets and see if you have to buy anything".
 
#17
Ru55o-Bolt said:
I will discuss this with the electrician on Sunday. Do you know how fast the SR+ will charge on Level 1 15A?
Click to expand...
On my SR+ I get 5-6 mph charging.
It's good enough if you don't drive a lot and have the car parked for a relatively long time.

Although 240V 15A costs pretty much same, so that's the most ideal. Looks like with 6-20 it gives 15mph, so 6-15 is probably around 11 mph.

Also looking closely the 6-15 and 6-20 actually only needs two conductors + ground and doesn't have a neutral, so the wiring actually can be the same with Level 1. That's a far better option in this case than Level 1. You get basically twice the speed for the same wiring.
Ru55o-Bolt said:
Also, apparently for the 240V I need to install a DCC-9 panel and that's minimum $1120 CAD. Do you need that for Level 1 ?
Click to expand...
Looks like that is used when you don't have space in your panel. If level 1 meant you have space then you would save the cost of that.
DCC-9 The Best Solution for Electric Vehicle Charging in Condos
Others have converted other circuits to a twin to fit in a 6-20, that's another idea:
How I upgraded from NEMA 5-15 to NEMA 6-20 for $66
 
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