Travel stop charging -not!

[Cobra427]

We stopped to check out the brand-slap new Love's Travel Stop near us, and were surprised that they have no EV charging facilities. At a travel stop? I know Love's is primarily a truck stop, but this one includes a restaurant, so would you not think it would have been wise to include EV charging?

The only charging in the whole county is in a public parking lot in the city. Honda and the Transportation Research Center have them, but not open to the public. Wondering where your nearby charging is, hotels, restaurants, shopping, public parks?

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[silverelan]

Love's has some charging stations, both EA and non-EA DCFC. It's disappointing that a brand new location has no chargers though. I hope you reached out to Love's and asked about it. I made a suggestion to them awhile back about installing a DCFC at their store in Prosser, WA. It's always helpful to let companies know what customers are looking for.

Other travel stop companies are getting into the game, like TA Travel Centers is installing Freewire chargers.

 

[JamieGeek]

That wouldn't surprise me at all. We're still not to the point where a DCFC is the default with new construction of that kind.

 

[DYohn]

Here in the West Love's hosts EA stations.

 

[Cobra427]

Love's has some charging stations, both EA and non-EA DCFC. It's disappointing that a brand new location has no chargers though. I hope you reached out to Love's and asked about it. I made a suggestion to them awhile back about installing a DCFC at their store in Prosser, WA. It's always helpful to let companies know what customers are looking for.

Other travel stop companies are getting into the game, like TA Travel Centers is installing Freewire chargers.

Yep, gave them feedback through their web site. Thanks.

 

[benk016]

We stopped to check out the brand-slap new Love's Travel Stop near us, and were surprised that they have no EV charging facilities. At a travel stop? I know Love's is primarily a truck stop, but this one includes a restaurant, so would you not think it would have been wise to include EV charging?

The only charging in the whole county is in a public parking lot in the city. Honda and the Transportation Research Center have them, but not open to the public. Wondering where your nearby charging is, hotels, restaurants, shopping, public parks?

It really depends on where you are. Here in Oklahoma, we have a really great private company that has put DCFC in all over the state. Their plan is to have charging every 50 miles in Oklahoma. And they are expanding outside of Oklahoma as well.

They actually just announced yesterday a partnership with "Wally's" travel stops to put chargers in at their locations.

https://francisenergy.com/francis-e...the-largest-charging-centers-in-the-mid-west/


But, for example, if I go over to Arkansas, there are like 5 DCFC stations for the whole state. Missouri and Kansas aren't much better. So In Oklahoma, I never have to worry, But when I leave the state, then I have to actually plan a route.

 

[RockwallRick]

The closest EA charging for me is located at a Loves Truck stop. I have charged there a few times and it gives me an excuse to get my Arby’s fix!

 

[Cobra427]

One more thing...

The section of interstate that this new Love's is on is five miles from the Transportation Research Center (TRC), a major proving ground facility, and the stretch of highway between the TRC and the Columbus outerbelt has just undergone infrastructure installation for a massive TRC-led development program for autonomous vehicles.

Somebody didn't do their market research well...

 

[Jimrpa]

I believe Sheetz has DCFC at many of their locations and Wawas are supposedly putting in DCFCs (to compete with Sheetz, of course) at their new stores).

 

[Carsinmyblood]

Don't blame the land owner. EA has to ask for the space. Also, there has to be enough power coming in to accommodate the extra load. Most highways have zero power running alongside. It can be incredibly expensive to move power to a location.

 

[db4z]

Buc-ee's is a very popular mega gas station chain in Texas that is typically on interstates and can have over 50 gas pumps but as far as I'm aware have no plans for EV chargers. They have huge stores and large food selection so you would think they would easily make their charger investment money back through people shopping but I just don't think the demand in Texas is here yet as most EVs are still Teslas and they have their own infrastructure. Eventually when there is high percentage of EVs on the road gas stations, convience stores, fast food restaurants, etc. will have to install chargers to compete for customers because most people would probably like to top off their battery if given the option while they eat, shop, etc.

 

[SbN]

Don't blame the land owner. EA has to ask for the space. Also, there has to be enough power coming in to accommodate the extra load. Most highways have zero power running alongside. It can be incredibly expensive to move power to a location.

Highway power availability is a great point. However, there is no reason movie theaters, supermarkets (including Sam's and Costcos'), malls, etc. shouldn't have charging stations. There is more than enough power coming into these places (the NEC is extremely conservative when it comes to load calculations) that most existing systems would have no problem installing 5-10 chargers. Our local Sam's has about 5 stations while the Costco across the street has none.
I think any business where the average customer is likely to spend more than 30 minutes should put in charging stations.
Now I don't know what the agreements are between the charging manufacturers and the places of business (profit sharing-wise), so I could be way off, but it seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[RickMachE]

OP lives in O_io. Doesn't that explain everything?

Go Blue!

 

[All Hat No Cattle]

Depends on the Costco. In CA I saw several with charging. For instance:

The new Costco has 16 207V, 20A charging spots with six dual charging stations against the building near the food court.

https://www.plugshare.com/location/11957

 

[digdug52]

Buc-ee's is a very popular mega gas station chain in Texas that is typically on interstates and can have over 50 gas pumps but as far as I'm aware have no plans for EV chargers. They have huge stores and large food selection so you would think they would easily make their charger investment money back through people shopping but I just don't think the demand in Texas is here yet as most EVs are still Teslas and they have their own infrastructure. Eventually when there is high percentage of EVs on the road gas stations, convience stores, fast food restaurants, etc. will have to install chargers to compete for customers because most people would probably like to top off their battery if given the option while they eat, shop, etc.

https://cleantechnica.com/2021/11/1...for-superchargers-span-26-stores-in-7-states/

Seems that Buc-ee's is now seeing the value in adding EV charging. Starting with Tesla Superchargers, hopefully will add some EA or other brand DCFC in future. This is not in all the stores but a good portion not just in Texas but in the other southeastern states as well. Maybe this is a result of the money available in the infrastructure bill or just a unrelated coincidence.

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