Charging Station Congestion

[RickMachE]

As the apps' self-reporting of station availability can be very "overoptimistic," we all have already seized on the value of driver reports, e.g. PlugShare, to better gauge the true state of a station. But it does beg the question: shouldn't we be reporting charger outages to their respective owners EVERY SINGLE TIME we encounter them at a busy station, no exceptions, instead of doing what we sometimes do: just waiting to move 2 meters over to the next charger, maybe telling the other people at that station about it, and/or low key grousing on PlugShare?

I'm as guilty as anyone here, I suspect...

Yes, you should be. We use the EA app to report bad chargers that we use, in addition to PlugShare. We sometimes report down chargers we don't use that we see aren't working.

We've found that EA almost never contacts us despite checking the option that says they should.

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[mkhuffman]

Yes, you should be. We use the EA app to report bad chargers that we use, in addition to PlugShare. We sometimes report down chargers we don't use that we see aren't working.

We've found that EA almost never contacts us despite checking the option that says they should.

I am definitely guilty of not reporting bad chargers. I will endeavor to report them next time. I do have the EA app and an account, so I should report it there for sure. I don't use the EA app because I still have "free" Ford kWh remaining, so I just plug and charge.

 

[Glen Boise]

All of you whining about politicians involved in providing DC Fast Charging are behind the curve. The Biden Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is being implemented today. It has billions for states for building DC Fast Charging stations. The amounts per state are available from FHWA. One thing the program guidance, published by the FHWA, emphasizes is the states contracting with private companies to provide the stations. They require at least 4 chargers capable of charging 4 cars at the same time at rates of at least 150 kw.hr. There is a stated preference for contracting with companies with 5 years experience providing DC Fast Charging stations. In addition, there are some comments about placing the stations next to places with amenities like trash cans, toilets and food. The priority is building out service on Interstates with spacing of no more than 50 miles apart with stations no further than 1 mile from the interchange. (States can apply for exceptions.) After that, the states can go where the need is. Like other busy highways and expressways. There is some language about serving rural, disadvantaged and under served areas. Each state is supposed to submit their implementation plans for FHWA approval before August 1, 2022. The Laws' money is good for 5 years.
This could mean that we could see some new DC Fast Charging Stations next year. Do not be surprised if it takes longer. Normal, federally funded highway construction projects can take over 4 years to start building. There are a lot of bureaucratic reviews in the process to avoid construction of substandard roads and price gouging the government. The phrase "good enough for government work" reflects what some private contractors and consultants think of selling to the government. Much of the review process may not be relevant with building DC Fast Chargers, but try convincing your state DOT of that.
The question I have for somebody who actually knows is: Do the convenience stores selling particluar brands of gasoline, today, have language in their contracts forbidding them from selling competitive products? After all, a charger and a gas pump do the same thing. They refuel cars, using different technologies. I could see a Big Oil company, using such contract language, trying to stifle the spread of DC Fast Charging Stations and with it, the spread of BEVs escaping the tyranny of monopolistic oil companies. Something we see today with the recent big increase in gasoline prices. If not, then that convenience store near an Interstate needs to start finding out if they are eligible for serving as a site for EA, EVgo or other DC Fast Charging company contracting to build a station at their interchange.

 

[Pioneer74]

The Biden Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is being implemented today.

What passed was not the bill Biden proposed.

 

[RickMachE]

What passed was not the bill Biden proposed.

$7.5B was in the signed bill.

 

[Pioneer74]

$7.5B was in the signed bill.

Yes, but the bill that passed was not the bill Biden proposed. The bill he proposed was bloated. What passed was a true bipartisan bill, that focused on infrastructure. Thus the previous poster that gave credit to a single individual, is wrong.

 

[RickMachE]

Says bipartisan. You're trying to interject politics. No place here.

 

[Logal727]

What passed was not the bill Biden proposed.

Hence the bipartisan part

 

[Logal727]

Yes, but the bill that passed was not the bill Biden proposed. The bill he proposed was bloated. What passed was a true bipartisan bill, that focused on infrastructure. Thus the previous poster that gave credit to a single individual, is wrong.

Looks like you’ve got trouble reading ?

 

[mkhuffman]

All of you whining about politicians involved in providing DC Fast Charging are behind the curve. The Biden Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is being implemented today. It has billions for states for building DC Fast Charging stations. The amounts per state are available from FHWA. One thing the program guidance, published by the FHWA, emphasizes is the states contracting with private companies to provide the stations. They require at least 4 chargers capable of charging 4 cars at the same time at rates of at least 150 kw.hr. There is a stated preference for contracting with companies with 5 years experience providing DC Fast Charging stations. In addition, there are some comments about placing the stations next to places with amenities like trash cans, toilets and food. The priority is building out service on Interstates with spacing of no more than 50 miles apart with stations no further than 1 mile from the interchange. (States can apply for exceptions.) After that, the states can go where the need is. Like other busy highways and expressways. There is some language about serving rural, disadvantaged and under served areas. Each state is supposed to submit their implementation plans for FHWA approval before August 1, 2022. The Laws' money is good for 5 years.
This could mean that we could see some new DC Fast Charging Stations next year. Do not be surprised if it takes longer. Normal, federally funded highway construction projects can take over 4 years to start building. There are a lot of bureaucratic reviews in the process to avoid construction of substandard roads and price gouging the government. The phrase "good enough for government work" reflects what some private contractors and consultants think of selling to the government. Much of the review process may not be relevant with building DC Fast Chargers, but try convincing your state DOT of that.
The question I have for somebody who actually knows is: Do the convenience stores selling particluar brands of gasoline, today, have language in their contracts forbidding them from selling competitive products? After all, a charger and a gas pump do the same thing. They refuel cars, using different technologies. I could see a Big Oil company, using such contract language, trying to stifle the spread of DC Fast Charging Stations and with it, the spread of BEVs escaping the tyranny of monopolistic oil companies. Something we see today with the recent big increase in gasoline prices. If not, then that convenience store near an Interstate needs to start finding out if they are eligible for serving as a site for EA, EVgo or other DC Fast Charging company contracting to build a station at their interchange.

Bipartisan or not, I don't think the government should take billions of dollars from citizens who don't drive EVs and give it to those who do. It is immoral IMO.

 

[Logal727]

Bipartisan or not, I don't think the government should take billions of dollars from citizens who don't drive EVs and give it to those who do. It is immoral IMO.

Don’t drive EVs yet. I also don’t get to decide who we bomb with our drones.

 

[mkhuffman]

Don’t drive EVs yet. I also don’t get to decide who we bomb with our drones.

This is not a drone forum or a national defense forum. This is a car forum and we are talking about taking billions of dollars away from some citizens to give to others who are generally rich people.

The companies producing the cars should be spending money on this, not Joe taxpayer who is facing massive inflation and huge gas pump price increases. It is immoral.

 

[Pioneer74]

Biden

Looks like you’ve got trouble reading ?

I dunno. Looks like English to me. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Logal727]

I dunno. Looks like English to me. Maybe I'm wrong.

Also dishonest cause it says bipartisan there too

 

[Logal727]

This is not a drone forum or a national defense forum. This is a car forum and we are talking about taking billions of dollars away from some citizens to give to others who are generally rich people.

The companies producing the cars should be spending money on this, not Joe taxpayer who is facing massive inflation and huge gas pump price increases. It is immoral.

Wait till you hear about taxpayer oil subsidies

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