Public Charging Stations

I honestly thought the Leaf range was 300 miles. Thanks for bringing me up to speed. This just makes it even harder for me to justify a Leaf versus its cost.

 

Its one of the last things added in the assembly process and is lifted into place from below. My understanding is it can be unbolted and lowered out if replacement is needed.

 

Gasoline started out being delivered to the home on a horse drawn wagon. It took some time before there were two gas stations on every alternate intersection.

Drivers of early diesel cars needed a truck stop on their route so they could buy fuel. Now, most or many gas stations sell diesel.

A couple or 3 generations ago people didn't travel a gas tank's range from their homes.

If you want me & my EV to visit there has to be a way for me to get home. I don't know what the answer is going to be but I'm sure someone will provide one.

 

I wondered about the cost of public charging station. I doubt it's free. It's probably cheaper to charge at home.

 

Portable plug-in meter doesn't cost much <100$ if mass-produced, issue is not how much it costs it is how long it takes to charge.

IMHO the safest bet is to have garage operators providing it as service for flat fee and hotels for free with overnight stay. There is no money to be made in selling service, but it can be good marketing tool.

As travel vehicle EV is a joke. When travel it is not uncommon to drive 700-1000mi a day and current range ~100mi and several hours to charge make it impossible.

As a commute vehicle EV is plausible but look weak when compare to alternatives PHEV, hybrids and motorcycles.

 

Heh, people always fear change.
And the op is correct in that the more public chargers out there, the quicker the adoption of EVs.
For this EV driver, I have never used, nor needed a charger.
I have enjoyed immensely (especially in winter) the convenience of never needing to pull off the road to fill up at a gas station.
EVs won't make sense for everyone. No vehicle does.

As for public chargers, they are an attraction. Something businesses can use to attract people to their place of business. And I suppose if hotels had them, I might consider going further in my EV vs our Prius. But the EV is very capable right now. Drives and performs better than any ICE car I have ever driven, and is just simply a joy to drive.

 

Just like any other technology, EV's need early adopters willing to put up with all the crap involved with creating infrastructure, dealing with new and evolving technologies and be willing to pay dearly for the privelege.

Several technologies come to mind: Computers, Flat screen TV's, Digital cameras, wireless technology, cell phones.

I totally appreciate those that are willing to deal with all the issues involved with new technology and admire their passion.

I'm just not one of them.

See you in about 10 years when EV's feature mature, proven, cost efficient technology and infrastructure.

 

I suspect that AAA and other travel support companies will soon have mobile generators on their service fleet to give a quick charge to get you going. The cost will be whatever the traffic (no pun intended) will bear.

 

I am not sure if it still exists, but in the Huntington, NY (LIRR) station, there were free charging kiosks as far back as 6 years ago.

 

Anyone ever ridden the Auto-train? Its an amtrak service for getting to Florida with your car on the train to save you the driving (just sleep on the train).

I'm thinking if shorter range EV's catch on they could implement something like this in other parts of the country, so if you really needed to get your EV from LA to SF you could take it with you by train then get off and do what you need to do. A network hitting the major metropolitan areas and you could cross the country.

 

+1 !!!

 

being part of the EV Highway Project i have several public charging stations well within reach of my Leaf. also, the Olympia area has had 120 volt public charging stations for years.

in my Zenn, i used them extensively. but in my Leaf, i only use it to show other people (which i do VERY rarely...too much of a hassle) my Leaf does just fine on 120 plugged into my garage.

 

When you bring up PHEV's in the same breath as EV's then couple it with charging - you have NO idea the can of worms you open. I've already been "ICE'd" by a person in a Volt on multiple ocasions. He's using the spot, just for parking, which stops a real EV from charging. I guess that's what happens in a world where it's all about "ME".

 

I did not ridden it but looked at the costs. It was way cheaper to drive from DC to Orlando, was more then to fly and rent, YMMV

 

agreed, I was commenting more on the concept than the execution.

 

If that happens to you in California you should call the police and have them towed. PHEV's are not allowed to park or charge at spaces labeled as EV parking or charging, only cars with white stickers can (pure EVs).

 

Interesting. What are more common "pure EV"? .... Zenn, Tesla and Leaf?

 

Not sure where in CA you're at, but in SoCal it's pretty common to see Volts parked in EV spots legally and charging. I've seen this in the multiple ChargePoint stations dotted around LA at LAX (EV/PHEV also get 30 days of free parking too), Santa Monica and SouthBay area specifically. Most of these chargers are also in businesses (Toyota Center, Santa Monica Place, LAX) so not sure if calling the police will help much.

The white stickers are more for HOV access and for certain cities that allow you to park for free @ meters. I have never heard/experienced that you needed a white sticker for any PHEV to park in the areas marked "Reserved for EV".

It's true the charging infrastructure is still being built out. But it's slowly happening. Also having a iPhone helps a lot where you can locate chargers (number of good apps), and for ChargePoint network (free to charge, but sometimes need to pay for parking) which exists in CA, you can see which stations are currently open so you don't waste a trip. The other charging network is Blink but they don't have any maps or apps out yet.

In CA the more annoying thing is there's a bunch of the old paddle chargers everywhere (Ralphs, Costco, Best Buy, etc) which are in pretty bad shape and not compatible, can't wait till all those get updated.

For now there are few public chargers installed by businesses and the rest are at Nissan dealers and a couple Toyota dealers.

Dealers are happy for you to visit for a charge (at least in SoCal), the main issue is what do you do for the couple hours you're waiting around... I guess you can test drive some cars ....

 

I'm in Delaware, but I followed a discussion on the topic over on the GM-Volt forums. In pertinent part (emphasis added):

22511. (a) Any local authority, by ordinance or resolution, and any
person in lawful possession of an offstreet parking facility may
designate stalls or spaces in an offstreet parking facility owned or
operated by that local authority or person for the exclusive purpose
of fueling and parking a vehicle that displays a valid zero-emission
vehicle (ZEV) decal identification posted on the driver's side rear
window or bumper of the vehicle or, notwithstanding any other
provision of law, if the vehicle does not have a rear window or
bumper, on the driver's side of the windshield issued by the
Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to this section. The
designation shall be made by posting a sign in compliance with
subdivision (d) or (e).
(b) If posted in accordance with subdivision (d) or (e), the owner
or person in lawful possession of a privately owned or operated
offstreet parking facility, after notifying the police or sheriff's
department, may cause the removal of a vehicle from a stall or space
designated pursuant to subdivision (a) in the facility to the nearest
public garage if a valid ZEV decal identification issued pursuant to
this section is not displayed on the vehicle.
(c) If posted in accordance with subdivision (d), the local
authority owning or operating an offstreet parking facility, after
notifying the police or sheriff's department, may cause the removal
of a vehicle from a stall or space designated pursuant to subdivision
(a) in the facility to the nearest garage, as defined in Section
340, that is owned, leased, or approved for use by a public agency if
a valid ZEV decal identification issued pursuant to this section is
not displayed on the vehicle.
(d) The posting required for an offstreet parking facility owned
or operated either privately or by a local authority shall consist of
a sign not less than 17 by 22 inches in size with lettering not less
than one inch in height which clearly and conspicuously states the
following: "Unauthorized vehicles not displaying valid zero-emission
vehicle decal identifications will be towed away at owner's expense.
Towed vehicles may be reclaimed at

________________________________or by telephoning
(Address)
_______________________________________________."
(Telephone number of local law enforcement
agency)

The sign shall be posted in either of the following locations:
(1) Immediately adjacent to, and visible from, the stall or space.
(2) In a conspicuous place at each entrance to the offstreet
parking facility.
(e) If the parking facility is privately owned and public parking
is prohibited by the posting of a sign meeting the requirements of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 22658, the requirements
of subdivision (b) may be met by the posting of a sign immediately
adjacent to, and visible from, each stall or space indicating that a
vehicle not meeting the requirements of subdivision (a) will be
removed at the owner's expense and containing the telephone number of
the local traffic law enforcement agency.
(f) (1) For purposes of implementing this section, the Department
of Motor Vehicles shall make available for issuance, beginning July
1, 2003, for a fee determined by the Department of Motor Vehicles to
be sufficient to reimburse it for actual costs incurred pursuant to
this section, distinctive decals for zero-emission vehicles.
(2) The department shall design the decal, which shall be two
inches by two inches, and be placed on the driver's side rear window
or bumper of the vehicle, or, notwithstanding any other provision of
law, if the vehicle does not have a rear window or bumper, on the
driver's side of the windshield. Each decal shall display a unique
number. The decal may be provided to car dealers who sell electric
vehicles for distribution to ZEV purchasers.
(g) For purposes of this section, "zero-emission vehicle" means
any car, truck, or any other vehicle that produces no tailpipe or
evaporative emissions.
(h) Nothing in this section is intended to interfere with existing
law governing the ability of local authorities to adopt ordinances
related to parking programs within their jurisdiction, such as
programs that provide free parking in metered areas or municipal
garages for electric vehicles.


22511.1. (a) A person may not park or leave standing any vehicle in
a stall or space designated pursuant to Section 22511 unless a valid
zero-emission vehicle decal identification issued pursuant to
Section 22511 is displayed on that vehicle.
(b) A person may not obstruct, block, or otherwise bar access to
parking stalls or spaces described in subdivision (a) except as
provided in subdivision (a).
(c) A person shall not display a decal issued pursuant to Section
22511 on a vehicle that does not use electricity as the motive power.

 

Now of course there may be spots that don't have the necessary language in the wording on the sign, but as far as I can tell then there is no legal way to exclude any ICE from just parking there.

Also of course private businesses can do whatever they want, but I'm guessing most would want to make sure if they went to the trouble of offering EV charging to their customers that they don't end up with Hummers parked in the spots.