Will you be installing a Level 2 charger?

[MIDgrid]

I see that the federal (30%) tax credit for EV charging equipment and installation is set to expire on June 30th 2026. I already have a dedicated 50A NEMA 14-50R for EV charging in the garage that should work fine with the Slate included charging cord. However, the Slate website says: "Many EV owners choose to purchase an optional wall-mounted charging station, which can add convenient features like cable storage and Wi-Fi connectivity."

I'm hoping that Slate will provide more details on the specs for purchase of a wall-mounted charging station well in advance of June 30th 2026, to allow lead time for supply chain and installation. I may choose to have it hardwired for additional reliability.

Or maybe the wall charger specs are already implied (e.g. NACS, AC, ??kW)? This will be my first EV, so no wall charger experience yet.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I see that the federal (30%) tax credit for EV charging equipment and installation is set to expire on June 30th 2026. I already have a dedicated 50A NEMA 14-50R for EV charging in the garage that should work fine with the Slate included charging cord. However, the Slate website says: "Many EV owners choose to purchase an optional wall-mounted charging station, which can add convenient features like cable storage and Wi-Fi connectivity."

I'm hoping that Slate will provide more details on the specs for purchase of a wall-mounted charging station well in advance of June 30th 2026, to allow lead time for supply chain and installation. I may choose to have it hardwired for additional reliability.

Or maybe the wall charger specs are already implied (e.g. NACS, AC, ??kW)? This will be my first EV, so no wall charger experience yet.

I love that you are thinking ahead. You can get into analysis paralysis when it comes to home chargers, but to be honest, what I've found on 2 houses is that the cheap $240 chargers perform just about as well as the $750+ chargers. I even bought an outdoor locking cabinet etc on my rental house.

All of my EV neighbors (Tesla, Lightning, Kia, etc), kind of shrug when it comes to chargers, as long as the numbers are correct for your vehicle. They look at me like I'm asking for the best toaster....they say that they all make white bread browner and can be replaced - why worry?

My $0.02...YMMV.

 

[Dorbiman]

I stated it much earlier in this thread, but it's worth saying again: check with your electric utility for benefits on buying an EV Charger. Mine had a $600 incentive toward buying a home EVSE, so I got a ChargePoint Home Flex charger (20-80A hardwired) for $1. Even if they don't buy it for you, many utilities have a marketplace to buy EVSEs with great discounts.

 

[MIDgrid]

Thanks for the rebate reminder - I did see it earlier and checked that. Our PUD's Level 2 charger rebate is pretty small ($20).

 

[MIDgrid]

Here's another Level 2 EV charger related question. Since the Slate Trucks NMC batteries will last longer if not charged to 100% routinely, how is the charging limit going to be set? From what I can tell, the limit will have to be set using the Slate Truck app, not by a 3rd party Level 2 charger app. When I asked Slate Chat about this, I was told this information is not available for release yet. And by the way, the same question would apply to the Slate-supplied Level 1/2 charger. Anyone have any insights on this?

 

[AZFox]

Here's another Level 2 EV charger related question. Since the Slate Trucks NMC batteries will last longer if not charged to 100% routinely, how is the charging limit going to be set?

Using the dashboard display and steering wheel buttons for that (and for scheduling) would make a lot of sense.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Using the dashboard display and steering wheel buttons for that (and for scheduling) would make a lot of sense.

My experience is limited to BMW and Ford. The auto limited the juice flow.

 

[AZFox]

My experience is limited to BMW and Ford. The auto limited the juice flow.

I'm not sure what "The auto limited the juice flow" means.

What I'm saying is it cold be trivially easy to set a max-SOC parameter using the steering wheel buttons and dashboard display.

Similar capability has existed in cars since at least two decades ago.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I'm not sure what "The auto limited the juice flow" means.

What I'm saying is it cold be trivially easy to set a max-SOC parameter using the steering wheel buttons and dashboard display.

Similar capability has existed in cars since at least two decades ago.

Sorry. I was driving hands-free 70mph in the Lightning in ATL traffic. The EV software dictates the rate of electrons flowing silently into the bowels of the battery chambers. Setting how much you want and when you want it at home --- all done on the EV software for my Ford (and my old BMW). The charger was the servant - not the master in those cases.

 

[atreis]

The charger is in the car.

For charge rate limiting: The EVSE will tell the charger how much it thinks it can supply based on its maximum or a setting if it's settable. Some cars allow charge rate limiting to be set in the car, and the car's charger will also have a maximum. That charger will compare the two values (its limit and the EVSE's limit) and use the lower of the two.

SOC limiting: While the standards optionally support SOC reporting to the EVSE, almost no one implemented it for Level 1/2, so SOC limiting is generally a setting in the car if it's supported at all.

SOC limiting in cars that don't support it: Most cars still have charge timers that limit charging to happen between specific times of day, generally to support locations with TOU pricing. One can get an effect similar to SOC limiting by setting the charge timer to charge for an amount of time that replaces one's daily consumption.

 

[AZFox]

SOC limiting: While the standards optionally support SOC reporting to the EVSE, almost no one implemented it for Level 1/2, so SOC limiting is generally a setting in the car if it's supported at all.

That's helpful for us EV n00bz to know. Thanks.

SOC limiting in cars that don't support it: Most cars still have charge timers that limit charging to happen between specific times of day, generally to support locations with TOU pricing. One can get an effect similar to SOC limiting by setting the charge timer to charge for an amount of time that replaces one's daily consumption.

Scheduling could be similarly easy to set and enable/disable using the buttons and display.

Having it be app-only would be a big disappointment. If I swap cars with a friend for a few days should I need to include my phone with the Truck? No! The friend should be able to set SOC Limiting and Charge Scheduling on the dash.

Make it Radically Simple, Slate.

 

[atreis]

That's helpful for us EV n00bz to know. Thanks.



Scheduling could be similarly easy to set and enable/disable using the buttons and display.

Having it be app-only would be a big disappointment. If I swap cars with a friend for a few days should I need to include my phone with the Truck? No! The friend should be able to set SOC Limiting and Charge Scheduling on the dash.

Make it Radically Simple, Slate.

Totally agree. My car supports these settings both from the app and the dash directly. One can also override any charge timer or limit (e.g. if charging for a trip) by pressing a button on the dash.

 

[KevinRS]

Even if it's set in the app, those settings aren't something you should have to change much. You could set it up to charge only to 80% and only during certain hours, and just leave it. Only changing the settings when you are going on a road trip or something. Then set it for 100%

Other than that, just set it once and plug it in when you park.

 

[AZFox]

Even if it's set in the app, those settings aren't something you should have to change much. You could set it up to charge only to 80% and only during certain hours, and just leave it. Only changing the settings when you are going on a road trip or something. Then set it for 100%

Other than that, just set it once and plug it in when you park.

Ability to set them using the dash empowers the driver to change them.

Digital Dependency shouldn't be necessary.

Instead, deliver on the promise to make the Truck Radically Simple and let the owner make choices.

 

[KevinRS]

Ability to set them using the dash empowers the driver to change them.

Digital Dependency shouldn't be necessary.

Instead, deliver on the promise to make the Truck Radically Simple and let the owner make choices.

It's just not something you would normally need to change. Maybe you will be able to change it on the dash.