@senordaley I thought I would repost my last information on eVgo and your options on choosing an EVSE:
Nissan AeroVironment + Installation: Standard total cost is $2,200 (a $100 home assessment is required). Both the unit and installation are covered for 3 years and repairs are done onsite. This is the "official" offical charger and installation. EVSE is only a standard one, no wireless communication, etc. EVSE is hardwired into breaker box. Comes with a 30% tax credit on unit and installation (~$660)
Nissan AeroVironment + local installation: Unit cost is $1,000. My local electrictian quoted $300 installation. Unit is covered for 3 years maitenence, but for unit repair it must be mailed to AV (no local repair). EVSE is basic, no wireless, tracking, etc. Tax credit of ~$390.
ECOtality Blink Charger + local "installation": Unit cost is $1,500. EVSE plugs into wall via a 220 "Dryer" socket outlet. Installation cost for the addition of the socket in garage was quoted at $300. Unit is covered warranty for 1 year. EVSE is full wireless and utility link-up with usage data, utility smart grid, etc. Tax credit of ~$540.
Coulumb & Leviton EVSE: The only other UL certified home EVSEs (Leviton has other chargers that are not UL certified). At the time of my research both were unavailable for order. This could change. I ignored all other EVSEs that were not UL certified.
eVgo: uses AV's charger (offical Nissan charger). Version is the full wireless and utility link-up, smart grid, etc. (similar to Blink). Plans are a per month pay and start off as $50 for EVSE only, $80 for EVSE and access to public chargers (level 2 and level 3 DC quick chargers), $90 for EVSE, public EVSE, and electricity paid to charge vehicle. Home assessment is free. No tax credit is available with eVgo. $90 dollar plan is only compatible if you use Reliant, TXU, Green Mountain Energy, and Direct Energy (HILCO co-op is currently in the works). Electricity payment is only good during "off-peak" hours defined as 8pm-Noon (next day) and all weekend. EVSE is set to default charge only during these times (can manually override it via web/on unit). Plans including the public charging network ($80 and $90) will not be charged the monthly part of their bill ($30) until 70 chargers have been installed (estimated ~August 2011), so the plans would be $50 and $60 respectively. Warranty and maintence of device and installation is for life (i.e. you are paying, you get warrant and maintenence) on site. After the three year contract is up, there are a few options you can continue with:
1) Continue on current plan - we have determined is a pretty bad idea as the price of the EVSE over the life of the vehicle (10 years) is $6,000
2) Request a new plan with current charger - no current info on these plans. Will there be a reduced rate for those that have "paid" on the EVSE for 3 years?
3) Request a new plan with new charger - assuming its probably going to be the same monthly rate or more. I don't know what can happen for an EVSE that is so awesome that I want an upgrade in 3 years...but there is no telling (induction charging?)
4) Request to purchase current charger at fair market value and discontinue eVgo service - who knows that FMV will be? Consideration for current payment into the EVSE? Can't "own" and keep service
5) Terminate eVgo contract and EVSE is removed from home.
As for the eVgo plans, for 36 months, the EVSE is paid @$1,750 the public infrastructure @$1,080 and the electricity @$360. It really depends how much your electricity cost and your usage (especially if you have access to a charger at work) and how much you would use the public charging system. At a 2/3 battery usage per day with some weekend driving, my cost for electricity (on HILCO w/ fees, etc.) turned out to be ~$50 per month (all estimated, no car yet)
So there are all your options for an EVSE. eVgo is still planning to implement their level 3 CHAdeMO chargers throughout the metroplex, but you will have to be appart of their plan to utilize them. Its up to you to determine if the cost is worth it (for my wife and I it was).
In response to the car cost, I don't know about everyone else, but when I received my quote from the dealership, my destination charge was included in the price. The only cost not included was TT&L.
In response to the Nitrogen in the tires, (minus the dealership saying its required), its actually a chemistry lesson. Firstly, oxygen in its natural state (O2) is a smaller molecule than natural nitrogen (N2). This has alot to do with the electron density in the cloud, the slightly higher positive charge of the O2 molecule, etc. (I can explain it more but it would bore most people). Anyways, because rubber is a permable material (if you own a bicycle you see this in action faster than with a car tire), the oxygen, a smaller molecule, leaks out at a greater rate than nitrogen. (Average loss is ~1.5 psi for air a month versus ~1.5 psi for pure nitrogen in 6 months). Both oxygen and nitrogen behave similarly with heat expantion, but water molecules do not. Water expands in size when heated and contracts when cooled, which can varry your psi of your tires, especially in hot weather or fast driving (such as racing). This variablity becomes greater with more wild swings in temperatures. In addition, with Air, you have free oxygen floating around and free hydrogen (in H2) floating around. Both are nicely reactive to each other in a enclosed, pressurized space and will readily form H2O, creating more water vapor in your tires. Pure nitrogen won't react with free floating Hyrdogen very easily and it definetely won't make water or water vapor, which is the cause of the problem. As you can imagine, using any other heavier gas will work too (like Xenon or something), but nitrogen is easy to pull by itself out of normal air.
So, nitrogen provides a more consistant psi pressure both in retention and in temperature fluxuation. But, air still works just as well. I use air for all my tires and never have problems. Yes I bring out the air pump more often and watch tire pressure as temperature changes, but thats part of the gig.