New Charging Network Announced

[Hoovertac]

Yes, they would compete with private charging stations at the interchanges like we see with gas stations. It would be useful to put them at toll road rest stops since it is harder to leave and return a toll road due to paying for using the toll road. Not a problem on Interstates.

ok, good point. (few if any toll roads in WA State)

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[Davedough]

Dave,

What have I ever done to piss you off to the point where you want me to read through all of this? LOL. Things are way, way too busy right now for me to get to that. Now, if that Powerball comes through......

If that powerball comes through, don’t forget the people who supported you through your most trying times waiting on that beautiful ride

 

[Neilthepilot]

I would say looking back doesn't give a very good perspective. Chargers to this point are not profitable because there are very few EV's on the street. Charger's installed years ago have been a loss due to lack of use. Now EV's are ramping up where there may be millions sold per year instead of thousands which makes the viability of an EV charging station more realistic. The Utilities see a revenue stream and probably know about the crappy charging network. Without a better charging network EV's will fail and another technology will rise to the top leaving Electric Utilities out of the game.

It seems from the article that the EV stations wouldn't be owned by the utility but that they are going to help others build stations.

 

[timbop]

The article itself doesn't instill confidence that anyone proofread it, let alone actually researched it. The goal is 500,000 nationwide: "The Department of Energy has announced a target of 50,000 stations worldwide. An Energy Department analysis projected that the U.S. must install about 11,000 public ports every fiscal quarter for the remainder of the decade to meet the goal."

Regardless, I'll repeat my concern that all these "fast" chargers that get put in are only going to be 50kw and it all becomes a grand waste of money. Even worse the reputation (and thus adoption rate) of BEV's will suffer as a result of having to charge for over an hour after driving for only 2 to 2 and a half hours.

 

[oadesign]

Dave,

What have I ever done to piss you off to the point where you want me to read through all of this? LOL. Things are way, way too busy right now for me to get to that. Now, if that Powerball comes through......

Damn, the popups and video that I couldn’t dismiss on that Hill site…I couldn’t get through the article and had to close the page!

 

[RickMachE]

Is there really a need for additional DC Chargers on the Interstate Highways? Does not EA advertise coverage for most of the busier Interstates? What is really needed is more DC Chargers away from the Interstates and big cities.

Yes, there is a need for additional DC chargers on the interstate highways.

Simply pull up the EA map. In addition to seeing whole states without a charger, you can see gaps in many areas. If I leave SE Michigan and head south, the charger that I head for is just north of Dayton, Ohio. 200 miles. Yes, I can charge my car to 100% and make it with a 91kw battery, if I have an efficiency of 2.2mi/kWh. After my update this week, if the battery size is actually updated, and I can charge to 90% at EA, I'll need an efficiency of 2.44 mi/kWh. What if we want to run the heat?

200 miles between stations is way too far.

want to drive through West Virginia? Not an option coming from the north or south. How about Georgia. Middle is wide open.

The goal should be that high speed charging is 50 miles apart, and that at each station there is sufficient charging capacity to charge any vehicles that arrive. Today, that second point is not an issue where we've gone. What about in 2 years? 5 years?

Spending $7.5B to get us moving in the right direction is absolutely necessary. The next innovation has to be removing the charging network restrictions, so everyone pays a fair price and doesn't need 5 apps to do it.

 

[DrJay32]

Yes, there is a need for additional DC chargers on the interstate highways.

Simply pull up the EA map. In addition to seeing whole states without a charger, you can see gaps in many areas. If I leave SE Michigan and head south, the charger that I head for is just north of Dayton, Ohio. 200 miles. Yes, I can charge my car to 100% and make it with a 91kw battery, if I have an efficiency of 2.2mi/kWh. After my update this week, if the battery size is actually updated, and I can charge to 90% at EA, I'll need an efficiency of 2.44 mi/kWh. What if we want to run the heat?

200 miles between stations is way too far.

want to drive through West Virginia? Not an option coming from the north or south. How about Georgia. Middle is wide open.

The goal should be that high speed charging is 50 miles apart, and that at each station there is sufficient charging capacity to charge any vehicles that arrive. Today, that second point is not an issue where we've gone. What about in 2 years? 5 years?

Spending $7.5B to get us moving in the right direction is absolutely necessary. The next innovation has to be removing the charging network restrictions, so everyone pays a fair price and doesn't need 5 apps to do it.

Agreed. One of my annual drives is from Colorado Springs, CO to South Dakota. Currently, there is no way for me to get there in any EV other than a Tesla.

 

[DR.J56]

Damn, the popups and video that I couldn’t dismiss on that Hill site…I couldn’t get through the article and had to close the page!

You and me. I don’t click on those links anymore. I just read through the comments now. Much more entertaining also. Plus you have to ask yourself every damn time “I wonder if this is real”.

 

[67 Stang Convertible]

For the love of all things good in the world; the last thing we need is more Gov't intervention here. Let the free market do it's thing and there will be plenty of Level 1 chargers when demand is there. Do we really want to borrow (FROM CHINA) to fund some extra charging stations? Let EA, Charge Point and Volta battle it out to build us a great national charging netwrork.

I'm with Elon, STOP ALL Gov't Subsidies!!!

 

[nvabill]

If the government has anything to do with it I’m afraid it will be messed up. Sorry, not meant as a political statement but that’s just the way it is! ?

 

[timbop]

For the love of all things good in the world; the last thing we need is more Gov't intervention here. Let the free market do it's thing and there will be plenty of Level 1 chargers when demand is there. Do we really want to borrow (FROM CHINA) to fund some extra charging stations? Let EA, Charge Point and Volta battle it out to build us a great national charging netwrork.

I'm with Elon, STOP ALL Gov't Subsidies!!!

Yes, screw these bullshit taxes. American healthcare is clearly much better and much cheaper than the rest of the world's BS socialized medicine. I mean, if you can't afford a to pay what a restricted monopoly charges then you always have the option to die instead.

Roads, bridges, schools, Police and Fire departments, and the military should ALL be FOR PROFIT to make them better!

 

[DYohn]

Caltrans is (slowly) rolling out level 3 chargers at some highway rest areas in the California central valley. I used one on our last trip and it was great.

ADOT here in Arizona is apparently planning the same.

 

[67 Stang Convertible]

Yes, screw these bullshit taxes. American healthcare is clearly much better and much cheaper than the rest of the world's BS socialized medicine. I mean, if you can't afford a to pay what a restricted monopoly charges then you always have the option to die instead.

Roads, bridges, schools, Police and Fire departments, and the military should ALL be FOR PROFIT to make them better!

timbop, the problem is it is not the taxes that are paying for it. we are borrowing from one of the most ruthless regimes that have no qualm imprisoning and killing people for a simple expression of opinion (ie. Hong Kong). Then we will be FURTHER indebted to them and can't get out of it to these financial crisis!!!

The ole adage, "don't spend what you don't have"!!!

 

[BMT1071]

timbop, the problem is it is not the taxes that are paying for it. we are borrowing from one of the most ruthless regimes that have no qualm imprisoning and killing people for a simple expression of opinion (ie. Hong Kong). Then we will be FURTHER indebted to them and can't get out of it to these financial crisis!!!

The ole adage, "don't spend what you don't have"!!!

Two points of fact:

• The amount of US debt owned by China is very small compared to what many people believe it is.
• The macroeconomics of a nation have virtually nothing to do with any of the family budgeting analogies many like to spout.

 

[Jimrpa]

want to drive through West Virginia? Not an option coming from the north or south. How about Georgia. Middle is wide open.

Um, aren’t both those states where the “emissions inspections” measure the effectiveness of diesel pickup trucks to “roll coal”? ?
TBH, I’m not sure how safe it would be to drive an electric vehicle through West Virginia in particular. I’d be concerned about being used for target practice by anyone with a means of launching a projectile at me!

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