Case Study #2: How & Why Condo Resident Debra Selected An Electric Car and Installed a Charging System

When my old internal combustion engine (ICE) van died in July 2023, I decided to replace it with either a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or an electric vehicle (EV). Initially, I had thought a PHEV made more sense since it can be driven anywhere an ICE vehicle can without having to worry about whether there will be charging stations along the way. But the more I thought about it, the less convinced I was.

Why I Chose an Electric Vehicle Over a Plug-In Hybrid

I didn't like the idea that if I did manage to keep the battery charged so that I was driving electric nearly all the time, as I wanted to, then I basically would be hauling around an ICE for no reason other than backup. Also, the batteries on PHEVs only get something like 35-42 miles per charge and that drops off rapidly if the driver is using climate control in any significant way, so there was a strong likelihood that the battery would be used up quickly and then I would essentially be driving an ICE vehicle. This wasn't working for me. I decided to get an EV.

Debra with her car charger, a solution for condo residents

Electric Vehicles I Considered

The EVs that I considered were Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia Sportage, and Tesla Model Y. The Tesla was more expensive, but at the time there were rebates from the federal government that only applied to American-made vehicles, so that brought the Tesla price more in line with the others. I really liked the no-dealership business model of Tesla and that played a major role in my decision to get a Model Y.

Charging Considerations in a Condo Complex

Then there was the issue of charging. My family lives in a condominium complex (Battle Road Farm) with outdoor parking. As a Board member of that association, I had recently helped establish a policy by which owners could install private charging stations outdoors in front of their units.

However, all the condos in our complex were built with 100-amp electrical panels and most people have enough electric appliances in their condos to make it difficult to "fit" a charging station into that 100-amp panel. In fact, most electricians seem to tell residents here that they can't have a Level 2 (240 volt) charger because they don't have the electrical capacity available in their panel. (Increasing the capacity of your service line and panel is possible but expensive.)

Overcoming Limitations of 100-Amp Electrical Service

Peter at Argento Electric, on the other hand, told me that a relay could be installed that would limit the amps going to the charging station so that our electrical draw would always stay below the 100 amp limit. So, for example, if our heat pump were running, less (or maybe no) power would go to the charging station. When the heat pump turned off, the relay would allow the charging station to charge again.

In addition, through the Tesla app, we have set our charging so that it only happens during the night, when electrical usage is lower. (We can also limit the amps drawn by the charging station through that app.) By switching between appliances using relays, the capacity of our electrical panel was effectively increased.

Installing the Charger

Finally, the charging station had to be mounted on a pole in the ground. Whereas some electricians wanted us to hire a landscaper to come pour the concrete and install the pole, Argento was willing to do the installation themselves, which saved me from having to hire another vendor for that task. I had them install a Tesla mount and charger and I am happy with both.

Benefits

CFREE’s team calculated that switching from my old van to the Model Y saves me about $1,175 per year (a 40% reduction), assuming all my charging is done at home. And this is with 100% renewable electricity from Lincoln Green Energy Choice. Some of the savings are certainly due to the poor gas mileage of my old van. From the emissions perspective, my vehicle is now responsible for 99% fewer greenhouse gases.

Debra Daugherty

This case study is being shared by CFREE (Carbon Free Residential - Everything Electric), a subcommittee of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee. CFREE provides guidance on how households can reduce use of fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions to help Massachusetts meet statewide emissions limits set for 2030, 2040, and 2050. It also provides information about state and federal incentives that help reduce the cost of such changes. For guidance on such projects at your home, contact: Lincolngreencoach@gmail.com. For more information visit: lincolngreenenergy.org.