How to Activate your Complimentary ChargePoint Card (P.S. it has a limited life span)

I certainly won't activate mine at the time of sale, and if they activate it for me before that time, I'll just throw it away.

I can't really imagine activating it unless I plan to travel somewhere away from home that will also have a bunch of available chargers. I can charge at home and at work, and that will cover most of my needed charging.

 

I can't see the point of this service, even if free. Spending two hours to get 75 cents worth of electricity seems like the ultimate waste of my time.

 

While it's not as useful for a Prime as it might be for a Model S, since we have gas, it's useful in situations where you already know you're going to be somewhere with a charging station. There's one at my local library and one downtown. You get priority parking and a chance to fill up for cheap while you're doing something you were already planning to do.

I can say that I've tried a few charging stations so far and I've enjoyed the experience. Some of them are even totally free.


iPhone ?

 

I just did an extensive search of my area and I couldn't find one anywhere I'd ever be for longer than 5 minutes, and most of those are listed as free. Do you need to be a member and sign up to use a free one?

 

I've been using my charge point credit already quite often....the shopping mall I live close to has 4 charge points - perfect for charging while shopping AND I don't have to drive around looking for parking. The first two hours are 2/hr, then it jumps to 8/hr...to keep the ubiquitous Teslas away from hogging the chargers I can also use it at work as well 0.50/hr for the first two hours. I wouldn't go out of my way, but if it's easy and convenient it's a no-brainer.

 

I looked some more and there's one set of chargers at one place I go to about once a month for about a half hour. However, I go there from work, I can charge at work, and they are on the opposite side of the parking lot from where I actually park when I'm there so I probably wouldn't even use those.

I never go shopping anywhere for more than a half hour and I never shop more than about 2 miles from my house. I just can't see how these would be useful if you have a home charger.

 

There was one at a restaurant I went to the other night, 22 miles from home. I charged it while I ate and drove home on 100% battery. Sweet.

 

Well, I haven't used any ChargePoint credits yet, although I have used the card. Got my Prime 11/13. One thing of note: you need a NFC card to activate a charger even if it's free. I've been to a couple of places that have free chargers, but they require activation by a card to begin charging. The exceptions to this are Volta chargers, but those are rare (around here) and usually hogged by Tesla's or Leafs. Then there are the ubiquitous EvGo's and Blink chargers (probably others) that require their own cards. The market has to shake out. There needs to be a universal card that works in any charger. Perhaps with loyalty 'points'. Or the ability to use a NFC enabled phone with an app.
But for mostly short trips, it is by far cheaper to charge at home. Especially if you have solar to offset the KWH cost.

 

Everyone here has a point, to really benefit on this complimentary gift from Toyota/ChargePoint you would need to use it often. As for me I ended up noticing there is 1 ChargePoint location half a mile from my house. Its a County Education Office and never in use so I go ahead and leave my car there when I get off work and pick it up in about 2hrs. Lets me eat dinner unwind then go for a short walk/jog to get the Prime fully charged up and ready for the next 2 days and rinse and repeat. Yes, it may be cheap and senseless to some, but if you can might as well take full advantage of it. FWIW

 

I searched my entire city. There isn't a single ChargePoint charger anywhere I ever go.

 

Check with the car dealers for a ChargePoint charger. However, in Huntsville, they are usually free for the asking.

Bob Wilson

 

Worthless to me.

 

I looked at the ChargePoint map and see that you can filter by Tesla vs J1772 vs NEMA 14-50 Level 2 chargers. I can guess that maybe I shouldn't be looking for Tesla chargers. Should the other two mean something to me?

 

The Prime has a J1772 Level 2 port. A NEMA 14-50 would require you to have your own Level 2 charger with that plug on it.

 

So if I have a ChargePoint card and account already, can I merge it in?

Bob Wilson

 

Amusingly, I might be in the opposite situation: Having immediate use for it, but maybe not being able to burn through the $100 in 100 days! I have a 22ish-mile commute each direction, so I expect to charge at home to get to work and then change at work to get home. Amusingly though, my company and their landlord subsidize a substantial part of the charging cost, so I might not burn through the $100.

 

I don't know because I don't have this need card.
But I've had a ChargePoint card from work for 4+ years...for PIP.
When I got a Leaf 18 months ago I got a card that was good with many charging systems including ChargePoint and I couldn't link them.

Mike

 

There was no charge point card in my Prius Prime when I picked it up yesterday.