To be pedantic, it is not that 120 V is not enough. It's that the amount of current you need at that voltage is prohibitive because of wire sizing, which is needed to minimize resistive voltage loss and dangerous wire overheating.
That's not particularly meaningful. 60 hours to a full 85kWh charge.
Also, 240v cars makes so much more sense in a world where 99% of people use 240v outlets, and in the US you can just oscillate two 120v's and get a usually-good-enough 240v signal.
Yes, although at least in my view part of the selling point is that we have plugs everywhere, so you have electricity anywhere right? Well, hunting around for a 240V plug is a big harder than 120V.
Also, even though 99% (???) of the world is on 240V, I think the current rating on those circuits still limits power to around 2kW sustained.
Thanks for explaining the 240/230v difference, I'd always wondered why it existed.
It is a little cumbersome though (had to plumb it to a tank, etc)
A bit like this one: http://www.cafeideas.com.au/product.asp?pID=3620&cID=211
But when you need a lot of power, you would install a 400V three-phase circuit (230 V between one phase and ground, 400V between two phases), something like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_and_multiphase_power...
This kind of circuit isn't very common in households, but it's fairly simple to get one if you need it - most houses have three-phase power right up to the door, so an electrician can install it in a few hours. My grandfather had one for his circular saw.
But yes, hunting for these circuits on a road trip will be harder than finding a household circuit. Although that could change rather quickly if electric cars prove popular.
Only 10A? That seems very low, the common "mainland" circuits seem pretty much all rated 16A (@230V). So you can't even run some electric kettles at your place?
(but I confirm you can get 3-phase for very high loads, you'll usually pay the electricity company through the nose for running it though)
The standard for newer houses, the past 10-15 years or so, is indeed 16A. I have 5x16A + 1x20A and a 35A main circuit breaker, so I can pull about 8kW all together. Enough for a few kettles :) (This is for a a 40m^2/400 sq.ft. condo. A house would have more circuits and a larger main circuit breaker. And this is for Norway - we tend to follow similar standards as Denmark and Sweden, but there may be differences I'm not aware of.)
Ah that's probably it, I missed that you were talking about older houses. The content of your second paragraph sounds much like what I know.