Charger option

I'm looking at the Leaf and the MIEV.
Is the charge option factory built in or dealer installable?
On the Leaf it's factory and I'd expect the same on the MIEV.

Olsonist said:

I'm looking at the Leaf and the MIEV.
Is the charge option factory built in or dealer installable?
On the Leaf it's factory and I'd expect the same on the MIEV.

Click to expand...

It is factory installed oonly

Olsonist said:

Is the charge option factory built in or dealer installable?

Click to expand...

Not sure what you're asking?

The 'charger' itself is built into the car, so it's carried with you all the time. It's capable of recharging at a 3.3Kwh rate, which is the same as the early Leafs - Later model Leafs now come with a 6.6Kwh charger, which means you can recharge twice as fast, assuming you have the power available for it

Recharging requires an EVSE, which is an interface between the AC power outlet and the onboard charger. The EVSE enables you to recharge only as fast as the outlet can supply power and that enables you to be able to plug the car into anything from a standard household outlet to a heavy duty 240 volt outlet like you might find for a range, dryer or big air compressor. There are fixed, wall mounted EVSE's (like you would have bolted to the wall of your garage) and those are usually professionally installed, and then there are portable ones you can take with you for use on the road, at a friend or relative's house, etc. The car comes only with the small, portable 8 amp EVSE . . . . anything else is an extra cost option, but you can buy them anywhere, not just from the dealer

Hope this answers your question - Buy the iMiEV only because it's a better car . . . . it and the Leaf recharge in similar ways

Don

I think they're referring to the Quick Charge/CHAdeMO option. And yes, it's factory-only (although there was a thread here in which some users were contemplating a DIY upgrade). I don't have any CHAdeMO stations in my area, so I've never used mine (or had a need for one, for that matter).

Thanks. So I'm on slightly firmer ground now.

The DC quick charge port is an option for $700 and it's not dealer installable.
In LeafSpeak, that option would be the QC port plus the 6.6kw charger (and a backup camera) for $1300.

Since there are so few L3 CHAdeMo locations out there, I can easily see skipping that $700 charge port option altogether on the 2012 i-MIEV.

If you are looking at shaving cost then skipping the QC port is no problem. Only the largest markets and with the highest concentrations of EVs like Southern California will be blessed with Level 3 chargers. In Canada, the QC port is standard equipment on both trim levels - which makes no sense since we don't have any in the entire country. Unless the forward thinking Montreal finally has installed one. My QC port goes unused and unloved - unlike its cousin on the other side of the car that gets all the glory.

I am thinking of Open CHAdeMO. I have heard about a plug for some 1000 Euros today. Will it get cheaper?

Using the CHAdeMO port as a battery for the solar array on the roof and to power the house at night may be very interesting. If it really comes open and I think open it comes very soon. The plug is already documented. All that is missing is the CANBUS part.

peterdambier said:

I am thinking of Open CHAdeMO. The plug is already documented. All that is missing is the CANBUS part.

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I believe our non-CHAdeMO equipped cars also lack the battery pack cooling fan that those cars equipped with CHAdeMO came with as well Peter

Don

Don said:

I believe our non-CHAdeMO equipped cars also lack the battery pack cooling fan that those cars equipped with CHAdeMO came with as well Peter

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All i-MiEVs have the Traction Battery Fan for cooling (something not found in the Nissan Leaf). With the Quick Charge Option, the i-MiEV battery pack also draws cold air from the air conditioning unit.
From Mitsubishi Motors website:
"The custom-made battery pack on the ES trim of the i-MiEV features a fan-driven, forced-air induction system that automatically engages to protect the battery from overheating during charging. Drivers can upgrade to the Premium Package, which also gives drivers the ability to charge the i-MiEV using public quick chargers. Because quick-chargers can tend to heat batteries and reduce their efficiency in the long term, we've added an air-cooling system that draws cold air from the air conditioning unit to keep the battery nice and cool, even in hot climates."