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by Kirby64 1344 days ago
Averages don't really work when most folks driving tends to be pretty lumpy. An example I've experienced personally:

* Take a trip ~150mi round trip to a nearby town.

* Return home with car at relatively low state of charge (since, I started with ~80% SOC).

* Immediately next morning, I need to take a trip ~200mi

Couldn't do it if I was charging using 120V. I could do it even with relatively wimpy 240V (20A), though.
1 comments
Karrot_Kream 1343 days ago
It would be interesting to do look at broader survey data (maybe I'll do that this weekend) and see how driving mileage is distributed. Nobody in my circles ever drives longer than 20 mi. one way regularly, and even then most never more than 10 mi. one way regularly. Of course I live in a somewhat-walkable metro area adjacent to suburbia.

Sure if you have the need for bursty travel (emergency helping a relative in another part of the state maybe, picking up friends from a regional airport, etc) a 240V/20A charger would work much better. But as long as you can find a fast charger along your route this shouldn't be a huge factor. The argument is that most average travel needs can be taken care of by L1 chargers and L2s and L3s can help usecases further out of the average. But I admit, my assumption of normality on driving mileage is just an assumption and it may just be more pareto distributed.

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