Fast (level 3) chargers in northern parts of lower Michigan, the UP of Michigan, northern Wisconsin do not exist.

[JCHLi]

$1.7 million awarded to build 36 electric vehicle chargers – many in rural Michigan cities

The latest batch of funding for direct current fast chargers – which can charge some electric vehicles in 30 minutes – is helping other areas of Michigan grow their charging network.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced $1.7 million in funding for 36 fast-charging stations with a total of 76 plug-in points on Thursday, Aug. 6. The site owner and electric utility provider must each pay one-third of the costs to install the charger.

Locations:

Meijer, Inc. (Ann Arbor, Muskegon, East Lansing, Grand Rapids): $187,102.50 for eight chargers

Folk Oil Co. (Dundee, Whitmore, Perry): $146,845 for six chargers

U-Go Stations Inc. (Traverse City, Clare): $100,000 for four chargers

Blarney Castle Oil & Propane (Ludington, Clare): $99,674 for four chargers

J&H Oil Co. (Cadillac, Grandville): $98,674 for four chargers

City of Marshall: $98,140 for four chargers

Walters-Dimmick Petroleum Inc. (Marshall, Big Rapids): $94,674 for four chargers

Hage Automotive (Elk Rapids, Grayling, Mackinaw City): $92,038.50 for nine chargers

City of Rogers City: $80,000 for two chargers

West Huron Properties LLC (Ann Arbor): $80,000 for four chargers

A4 Energy LLC (Brownstown Township): $50,000 for two chargers

M53 Enterprises LLC (Washington Township): $50,000 for two chargers

Venture Plaza Associates (Troy): $50,000 for two chargers

NuVu Fuels Michigan LLC (Ionia): $49,837 for two chargers

Roan & Black Inc. (Saugatuck): $49,837 for two chargers

Northland Food and Family Center (Kalkaska): $49,817 for two chargers

Bishop International Airport Authority (Flint): $47,337 for two chargers

City of Gaylord: $41,212.50 for two chargers

City of Saginaw: $40,370 for two chargers

Flint Downtown Development Authority: $40,228.04 for two chargers

Dore’s Stores, Inc. / The Jerky Outlet (Kawkawlin): $39,395.50 for two chargers

Delhi Charter Township: $35,909 for two chargers

Gemini Capital Management IX LLC (Alma): $35,895.50 for two chargers

City of Norway: $26,311.30 for one charger

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/08/17-million-awarded-to-build-36-electric-vehicle-chargers-many-in-rural-michigan-cities.html?outputType=amp

Nice, looking at my that looks like it's about covered!

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[Billyk24]

Nice, looking at my that looks like it's about covered!

If, I am correct, the city of Norway is outside Iron Mountain which is in the UP! This would be the first Fast DC charger in the UP. I traveled thru Norway just this week.

 

[dbsb3233]

Meijer, Inc. (Ann Arbor, Muskegon, East Lansing, Grand Rapids): $187,102.50 for eight chargers

Folk Oil Co. (Dundee, Whitmore, Perry): $146,845 for six chargers

U-Go Stations Inc. (Traverse City, Clare): $100,000 for four chargers

Blarney Castle Oil & Propane (Ludington, Clare): $99,674 for four chargers...

Interesting stuff, as it gives us a pretty good idea of what it costs to install high-power DCFC chargers... roughly $25,000 each.

Gives some insight into the economics of the whole thing. (Like why EA's rates are so high.)

 

[Billyk24]

We don't know the kW charging rate for these new stations. Hage Automotive is an EV charging installation company using Juice Box which has a DC fast charger (Juice Boost) with a top rate of 50kW. Better than nothing but one could say outdated at installation. These are evolutional times for such and one would expect "improved" competition in the future.

 

[dbsb3233]

We don't know the kW charging rate for these new stations. Hage Automotive is an EV charging installation company using Juice Box which has a DC fast charger (Juice Boost) with a top rate of 50kW. Better than nothing but one could say outdated at installation. These are evolutional times for such and one would expect "improved" competition in the future.

I was relying on the "which can charge some electric vehicles in 30 minutes" line, which would presumably require 150kw+ service. But that may be a poor assumption. Wouldn't surprise me if only a few of them are high power but the writer threw that as though they all are.

Or maybe they're basing that on "some vehicles" with really small batteries.

Agree that installing mere 50 kW at this point would be really disappointing. That's "limp along" power for road trips.

 

[dbsb3233]

Doh! You're right. I read that too and forgot to make that adjustment.

Wow, that's not cheap. And that presumably doesn't include the cost of the ongoing electricity consumed.

 

[JamieGeek]

Here is the official press release from Michigan's EGLE department.

This paragraph in the EGLE press release:

Public or private entities can apply for EGLE grants of up to $70,000 per charger station. The funding is to be used toward the cost of a DC fast charging station, including site preparation, equipment installation, networking fees and signage. Under the program, EGLE, the host site owner and the electric utility that serves the site will each pay for about a third of the cost to install the DC fast charger – the fastest of three options to charge a vehicle battery. The EGLE grants come from the more than $9.7 million allocated to Michigan from the Volkswagen diesel emissions settlement.

Indicates that the grant is for $70k which could be 1/3 per charger which would mean that total cost per charger would be 3x that or $210k (or even more if the city decides to pay more or a priate donor decides to pay more).

There is a cool map on this page showing where they want to install them--looks like an image so...(LOL! Its bigger here)

Even 50k is much better than the 10kW or so you'll get from a Level-2. (Yeah you're looking at 2 hours to charge a LR Mach-E @ 50kW from empty though.)

 

[dbsb3233]

Indicates that the grant is for $70k which could be 1/3 per charger which would mean that total cost per charger would be 3x that or $210k.

That's the "up to" price though. Looks like the actual grants listed averaged closer to $25,000.

 

[JamieGeek]

That's the "up to" price though. Looks like the actual grants listed averaged closer to $25,000.

True, still you're looking at a total station cost of 3x that so $75k.

 

[ChasingCoral]

I'm not sure that's correct. I"m no expert on the cost of those chargers but even 350 kW chargers had an estimated cost of at $65K, $45K for 50s in this article:
https://theicct.org/sites/default/files/publications/ICCT_EV_Charging_Cost_20190813.pdf

That means $75K per should cover up to 350 kW at most locations.

 

[JCHLi]

Michigan isn't a state you just drive through like one neighbor to the south (sorry "Crossroads of the US") so stopping for a little longer to enjoy your time isn't so bad even if the chargers only do 50 kW

 

[dbsb3233]

Michigan isn't a state you just drive through like one neighbor to the south (sorry "Crossroads of the US") so stopping for a little longer to enjoy your time isn't so bad even if the chargers only do 50 kW

Doesn't mean they want to waste that time sitting at a charger babysitting their car though. If slow 50 kW chargers are going in, they should be placed at places where people spend 1-2 hours (if they actually want them to actually get used more than less).

The other thing I don't like about seeing "tweener" 50 kW chargers go in is that it makes it easier for them to say "OK, that area is covered so let's look elsewhere to put fast ones".

50's will get some use, but it shrinks the population of drivers they work well for. The longer they make refuel times (other than overnight and workplace L2), the more it's gonna slow BEV adoption. That means lots of L2's in apartment building lots (park it and forget it), and lots of retail L3 @ 150kW+ (babysitting). But not many tweeners that don't fit either purpose well.

 

[JCHLi]

Doesn't mean they want to waste that time sitting at a charger babysitting their car though. If slow 50 kW chargers are going in, they should be placed at places where people spend 1-2 hours (if they actually want them to actually get used more than less).

The other thing I don't like about seeing "tweener" 50 kW chargers go in is that it makes it easier for them to say "OK, that area is covered so let's look elsewhere to put fast ones".

50's will get some use, but it shrinks the population of drivers they work well for. The longer they make refuel times (other than overnight and workplace L2), the more it's gonna slow BEV adoption. That means lots of L2's in apartment building lots (park it and forget it), and lots of retail L3 @ 150kW+ (babysitting). But not many tweeners that don't fit either purpose well.

My thinking is, there are very few places I could go between in the LP that would require any stops between. So most trips for me would be: charge at home, drive to wherever (MBS, Detroit, TC, Mackinaw, etc.), charge and relax for a couple hours...

My point is, based on it's location most people aren't driving through Michigan to get somewhere else on long road trips unless they are leaving the state, but even then most places are one charge away from the border.

 

[jdmrc93]

LET ME TELL YOU how much I have been BITCHING at Electrify America about this. I've been sending them messages through their location request portal on their website, sending messages on social media... There's nothing of value along the I75 corridor north of Flint and it irritates me that they're not investing in the state with the home of the Big Three AND where a lot of this crap is made (especially with the new Ultium platform plant Detroit-Hamtramck).

Let's just say that their reply is usually just "Thanks for the input"... basically "we don't care what you think, California needs all the chargers and who gives a crap about the north? There's nothing up there but wheat and corn!"...

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