Production scheduled so wondering about best charger and snow tires

[Tahoep]

Hi - My wife's Premium E-AWD production has been scheduled so I need to start searching for some stuff.

1) Will need to buy wheels and snow tires. I'm assuming 19" but i guess that's an open question as well? Just checked tire rack and they don't have any recommendations for Mach-E. Anyone have suggestions?

2) We'll need to get a charger which I'll install. I know Ford sells one but is that the best one to get? If not, what?

3) we currently have 19" wheels spec'd. Any reason to get different?

thanks!
Paul
Lake Tahoe

Sponsored

 

[Reign of Ravens]

Gonna skip the winter tires question because I'm in the land of eternal summer.

2) We'll need to get a charger which I'll install. I know Ford sells one but is that the best one to get? If not, what?

Purists will tell you that you're not actually buying a charger -the charger is in the car, you're buying a EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment). Aside from the portable unit Ford supplies with the Mach-E, I haven't heard of EVSEs failing or giving major issues - usually the problems arise from wiring. If you want somewhere to start, Grizzl-E often seems to get positive mentions.

If you'll be charging outside, the choice of EVSE might be a bit more important as you'll want to make sure you're getting one that can withstand the elements. If indoors, I don't think it's quite as critical.

Some EVSEs have features like being able to set timers and charge rates, but don't bother with those - you can set those from within the Mach-E, and most modern EVs allow you to do so as well.

Do you already have the wiring installed? Most EVSEs come in one of two forms: hard-wired or plug-in, usually on a NEMA 14-50 plug. Hard-wired requires some electrical knowledge or an electrician to install, with the benefit being that you can utilize higher charge rates (assuming the circuit is a 60 amp circuit). Plug-in is nice if you're worried about having to swap them out, or if you'd want to occasionally remove the charger to take it with you. I've been told the NEMA 14-50 plug isn't designed for frequent unplugging and replugging like a standard electrical outlet is, so if you plan to unplug and replug daily, consider getting two EVSEs, with one for travel.

Speaking of travel, if you weren't going to use faster charge rates and intended on charging through a standard outlet, make sure the EVSE you get has an adapter for that.

Personally, I'm using the charger that Nissan supplied with my old Leaf. It's on a 40 amp circuit, so charging at 32A I believe (car seems to draw 7.5-8 kW). It's been charging EVs just about daily for three years without any problems. So it's not the case that all manufacturer-supplied EVSEs are garbage. You might very well be able to get by with the Ford-supplied charger.

One final consideration: some EVSEs come with their own dock for the charger. Since the Leaf's charger was pretty bare-bones I bought my own dock (which angles the plug downward a bit, which is more space-friendly) and drilled it into the wall. But for simplicity, you may want one with its own plug and cable management system. Some EVSEs also have two plugs so that two vehicles can use it at the same time; the charging rate per vehicle should be cut in half if both were used at the same time, but if you will either have or plan on getting two EVs and think you might need to plug in both at the same time, consider looking into a dual-plug EVSE. For our usage, each vehicle takes 1-2 hours to charge each evening and we have no problems just unplugging one and plugging in the other, but I could envision scenarios where you would need to have both vehicles plugged in simultaneously. (If you're going with Grizzl-E, they have a version that has two plugs - but it is about twice as expensive as the single version.)

 

[Mrn]

I've been using the 240v/40amp AmpRoad model that sells for $320 on Amazon. It's been in service for about 4 months with no issues. Make sure you go back and re-torque the wires inside your NEMA 14-50 box a few days after the initial installation.

I also recommend putting dielectric grease on the wires and leaving your 'charger' plugged into the 14-50 as a dedicated garage unit. Keep the Ford supplied unit in the car in case you need it away from home.

 

[worachj]

The Ford mobile charger that comes with car has two different connectors, a 120v and a 240v .

• Standard home 120V outlet (3 miles of range per charging hour)
• 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet (20 miles of range per charging hour)* to be installed by alicensed electrician

https://www.ford.com/ntzlibs/conten...-sheet/Home_Install_Spec_Sheet_0831_FINAL.pdf

 

[timbop]

The Ford mobile charger isn't rugged enough for constant use - it will break. I wouldn't get any of the Chinese junk from amazon - you don't want to end up damaging a $60,000 car or causing a fire to save $200. Clipper creek, chargepoint, grizzl-e, and juicebox are popular and reliable. You could check Tom Mologhney's reviews on insideevs.com or youtube.

Get an electrician to install a 240V outlet using an industrial grade connector (not the $15 one from home depot).

 

[RickMachE]

You won't need snow tires until next season because the car won't be delivered this year in time for snow. Wait to buy until Fall 2023.

JuiceBox 40 or ChargePoint Flex for 40amp plug in. JuiceBox 48 or ChargePoint Flex for 48amp hardwired.

 

[kennethjk]

An FYI on my juicebox

last year I noticed that the plug into my 14-50 Hubbel was super hot to the touch.

I called back the electrician and after checking it out they said it was fine.

I called juicebox and they said it should be fine. I derated to 32 amp and heat went down considerably.

I have had the car here in Florida over the winter using an Autel 40 amp and even when charging at 40 amp the plug was cool to the touch.

I contacted Autel again, phone was useless but by their chat page and they are sending me a new one. Agent immediately said it should not be hot to the touch.

very pleased with the results.

 

[smoke20]

Everybody gonna have an opinion; mine is a simple ClipperCreek.

Sponsored