Electrify America will install ultrafast EV chargers at over 25 IKEA US locations

[TruWrecks]

WOW! 25 more chargers in 22 states. That is basically 1 location in each listed state, with a couple states getting 2. Not impressive or helpful.

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[EV OLVE]

if only EA had chargers in places that had food and restrooms 24hrs a day.

 

[kennethjk]

Yeah all the IKEA in Tampa and Orlando are off major interstates

On another note the Tampa area seems void of many fast chargers. Looking at routes from Boca area once you get off turnpike not many choices

 

[Logal727]

On another note the Tampa area seems void of many fast chargers. Looking at routes from Boca area once you get off turnpike not many choices

Yeah there’s basically zero in Pinellas county

 

[tesla2mme]

Gas stations ‘n blockbuster video.

Name a more iconic duo

 

[Glen Boise]

Apparently, EA needs to read some of those state DOT NEVI plans, we were discussing the last couple of weeks. I know the Indiana Plan reports that most people filling out their surveys, participating in their meetings, or sending in comments, wanted to see amenities at their DCFC locations. That stuff you see at convenience store/gas stations today. Stuff like trash cans, toilets, food and security which is nearby. Not a long walk across a parking lot. How many other states' plans include similar comments? EA should be co-locating their chargers at the convenience stores/gas stations, if they can.
There have been reports, here in Indiana, of the convenience store/gas station owners complaining of the cost of upgrading to add DCFC at their stations. This suggests the opportunity is there for co-locating services. After all, a gas pump and a charger do the same thing. They refuel cars using different technologies.

 

[dbsb3233]

Apparently, EA needs to read some of those state DOT NEVI plans, we were discussing the last couple of weeks. I know the Indiana Plan reports that most people filling out their surveys, participating in their meetings, or sending in comments, wanted to see amenities at their DCFC locations. That stuff you see at convenience store/gas stations today. Stuff like trash cans, toilets, food and security which is nearby. Not a long walk across a parking lot. How many other states' plans include similar comments? EA should be co-locating their chargers at the convenience stores/gas stations, if they can.
There have been reports, here in Indiana, of the convenience store/gas station owners complaining of the cost of upgrading to add DCFC at their stations. This suggests the opportunity is there for co-locating services. After all, a gas pump and a charger do the same thing. They refuel cars using different technologies.

EA does have some stations co-located at travel plazas like that. We occasionally use the one at the Love's Travel Stop on I-70 in Salina UT.

I like those as well as the ones at Walmarts. A little walk across the parking lot doesn't bother me at all (need to stretch legs with a walk anyway after 2 hours in the car). And there's usually trash cans and bathrooms (although if in the middle of the night, not all stores are open 24x7). That's a plus for a travel plaza as they're always 24x7.

But the food options are often better in a Walmart lot, as there's commonly a handful of restaurants sharing the lot. More variety than a travel plaza that usually just has one fast food option. It's also nice having a full Walmart with good prices there if we need to buy something, rather than an expensive convenience store with very limited items.

Pros and cons both ways. Both are way better than an IKEA though.

 

[BadgerGreg]

Why can't EA pay attention to the European models that actually work? Put chargers in locations where drivers want to be, right off the highway with easy access to bathrooms, coffee, and food. Simple. No member-only mega stores or furniture stores several miles off the highway.

I have no desire to park at the edge of an IKEA parking lot, only to walk 400 feet through the rain to a crowded furniture store so I can buy Swedish meatballs.

We need a better fast charging business model, not gimmicky locations.

 

[Maquis]

I don’t think the locations being chosen are “gimmicky.” The big box stores are usually located in spots with electrical capacity to support charging. A travel stop along a rural interstate will not likely have that capacity in place, requiring expensive utility upgrades. The only DCFCs around me that are located in truck stop/travel plazas are 50 KW because they can’t handle larger.

 

[dbsb3233]

Why can't EA pay attention to the European models that actually work? Put chargers in locations where drivers want to be, right off the highway with easy access to bathrooms, coffee, and food. Simple. No member-only mega stores or furniture stores several miles off the highway.

I have no desire to park at the edge of an IKEA parking lot, only to walk 400 feet through the rain to a crowded furniture store so I can buy Swedish meatballs.

We need a better fast charging business model, not gimmicky locations.

Most of the between-cities EA stations are right off the highway (within a few blocks, anyway). That's also often where a store like a Walmart or Target is. And where there isn't one, they often put it at a travel plaza or hotel or something else close to the interstate exit. Not always, but usually.

I think some of the consternation here stems from EA doing both urban and rural (road trip) chargers. IKEA stores only exist in big cities. Those are usually not gonna be good fits for road trippers, but neither are most of the other urban locations. I still have little interest in urban DCFC and wish EA would focus mostly on building out road trip chargers first, but it is what it is. I just hope these IKEA chargers jumping the line in the schedule don't delay the ongoing roll-out of road trip locations.

 

[RickMachE]

It's pretty funny the diverse opinions you get in a forum like this. Lots of "I want them right off the highway" without looking to see that most IKEA locations are in fact "right off the highway"...

Notice in the info there's not a thing said about them using any of the federal grant money, therefore zero impact on rolling out those chargers by doing these with IKEA. I read it as IKEA wanting to electrify their vehicles, and this helps them do that AND roll out some chargers for people to use.

 

[dbsb3233]

It's pretty funny the diverse opinions you get in a forum like this. Lots of "I want them right off the highway" without looking to see that most IKEA locations are in fact "right off the highway"...

Notice in the info there's not a thing said about them using any of the federal grant money, therefore zero impact on rolling out those chargers by doing these with IKEA. I read it as IKEA wanting to electrify their vehicles, and this helps them do that AND roll out some chargers for people to use.

That's another interesting aspect of this -- who's funding it? Doesn't say whether IKEA is footing the bill, or EA is using their VW settlement fund. Or some combination of both. I would guess it's mostly EA with IKEA offering the site locations rent-free, but that's just a guess. The announcement doesn't allude to any of those details.

I was just thinking more about EA's workload. If they devote manpower and resources to installing these 200+ urban chargers in the next year inserted ahead of the existing Cycle 2/3/4 schedule, I worry it may push some of that back. But who knows. I just want to see the between-cities (road trip) roll-out happen as fast as they can do it.

 

[kltye]

It's pretty funny the diverse opinions you get in a forum like this. Lots of "I want them right off the highway" without looking to see that most IKEA locations are in fact "right off the highway"...

Notice in the info there's not a thing said about them using any of the federal grant money, therefore zero impact on rolling out those chargers by doing these with IKEA. I read it as IKEA wanting to electrify their vehicles, and this helps them do that AND roll out some chargers for people to use.

It's quite apparent that some people here don't have much capability in doing any research, but just assume everyone lives the same lives as them, i.e., "we don't need urban DCFC" or "Ikea furniture bad hurrr durrrrr". Why do any research about things when you can sit back in your retired armchair and quarterback from there?

 

[RickMachE]

It's quite apparent that most some people here on social media don't have much capability in doing any research on any thing, but just assume everyone lives the same lives as them, i.e., "we don't need urban DCFC" or "Ikea furniture bad hurrr durrrrr". Why do any research about things when you can sit back in your retired armchair and quarterback from there?

I corrected this for you.

 

[dbsb3233]

It's quite apparent that some people here don't have much capability in doing any research, but just assume everyone lives the same lives as them, i.e., "we don't need urban DCFC" or "Ikea furniture bad hurrr durrrrr". Why do any research about things when you can sit back in your retired armchair and quarterback from there?

I don't think anyone is saying we don't need any urban DCFC. My point is more that EA is the primary road trip (CCS) network, while there already tends to be other efforts going on to put DCFC in cities (other networks but also just lone ad hoc chargers). There's a variety of local programs and funding for that already taking place.

Also, locals are in much better position to figure out all the quirks of different chargers when they're using them frequently. All these chargers are a bit different, often requiring an app and a wallet set up first. That's much harder for road-trippers to deal with. That's one of the beauties of EA -- their consistency. Road-trippers can often just traverse the country by EA alone, without all the mess of dealing with different networks. That's another reason I prefer road-trip routes being the priority for EA.

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