Reply from Electrify America

Illinibird

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This is the reply I received from EA when I proposed a fast charger on I-88 by my daughter's house. It seems they are listening to consumers who want more charging stations added. I hope one comes soon.

Dear Michael,

Thank you for your submission regarding Electrify America’s Cycle 3 ZEV Investment Plan. Electrify America appreciates your suggestion to build a charging station in Dekalb, Illinois. As the Chicago metro area is one of 29 metropolitan areas in which Electrify America is currently developing ultra-fast charging stations, we have shared your suggestion with our real estate team for evaluation.

As we plan our third cycle of investment, which begins in 2022, Electrify America is using a customer-centric, data-driven process to identify locations where ultra-fast EV charging stations are most needed. The company greatly benefits from stakeholder feedback as we plan. Please know that we have documented your suggestion and Electrify America will consider it while developing plans for future investment.

In 2019, Electrify America emerged as the nation’s largest open network of DC fast chargers. By the end of 2021, the company expects to have 800 ultrafast charging stations installed or in development, with over 3,500 individual chargers. During this period, Electrify America will expand to serve 29 metro areas and operate in 45 states, with two cross-country routes.

In addition to Electrify America’s infrastructure efforts, the company is spending $42 million to educate consumers, including sponsoring the brand-neutral “Normal Now” campaign, which seeks to demystify zero-emission vehicles for those Americans – still the overwhelming majority – who have never considered switching to a zero-emission vehicle.
Electrify America has received a huge response to our open call for suggestions. Our team is learning a great deal from more than 800 submissions, and we will use them to inform our data-driven investments.

Thank you again for your submission.

Sincerely,

The National Outreach Team
Electrify America

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americanflannel

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Nice.
I hope they improve their screens in direct sunlight. It was pretty difficult to read and I couldn't quite figure out what I was supposed to do next - never having done this.
I will say Plug and Charge worked on my first and only attempt so far.
(outside me not understanding there was a button I had to push to start the whole process)
 

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Nice.
I hope they improve their screens in direct sunlight. It was pretty difficult to read and I couldn't quite figure out what I was supposed to do next - never having done this.
I will say Plug and Charge worked on my first and only attempt so far.
(outside me not understanding there was a button I had to push to start the whole process)
Some of their screens in FL are suffering from severe burn-in like I used to see in CRTs before screen savers.
 

ChasingCoral

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This is the reply I received from EA when I proposed a fast charger on I-88 by my daughter's house. It seems they are listening to consumers who want more charging stations added. I hope one comes soon.

Dear Michael,

Thank you for your submission regarding Electrify America’s Cycle 3 ZEV Investment Plan. Electrify America appreciates your suggestion to build a charging station in Dekalb, Illinois. As the Chicago metro area is one of 29 metropolitan areas in which Electrify America is currently developing ultra-fast charging stations, we have shared your suggestion with our real estate team for evaluation.

As we plan our third cycle of investment, which begins in 2022, Electrify America is using a customer-centric, data-driven process to identify locations where ultra-fast EV charging stations are most needed. The company greatly benefits from stakeholder feedback as we plan. Please know that we have documented your suggestion and Electrify America will consider it while developing plans for future investment.

In 2019, Electrify America emerged as the nation’s largest open network of DC fast chargers. By the end of 2021, the company expects to have 800 ultrafast charging stations installed or in development, with over 3,500 individual chargers. During this period, Electrify America will expand to serve 29 metro areas and operate in 45 states, with two cross-country routes.

In addition to Electrify America’s infrastructure efforts, the company is spending $42 million to educate consumers, including sponsoring the brand-neutral “Normal Now” campaign, which seeks to demystify zero-emission vehicles for those Americans – still the overwhelming majority – who have never considered switching to a zero-emission vehicle.
Electrify America has received a huge response to our open call for suggestions. Our team is learning a great deal from more than 800 submissions, and we will use them to inform our data-driven investments.

Thank you again for your submission.

Sincerely,

The National Outreach Team
Electrify America

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Wonderfully thorough reply. Of course, except for the first paragraph that gets customized, the rest is their standard form letter.
 

americanflannel

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If it's true, then it's a solid on-brand consistent method of communications.
If it's not true, then they are Tesla.
 


ChasingCoral

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If it's true, then it's a solid on-brand consistent method of communications.
If it's not true, then they are Tesla.
Depends what you mean by true. I know they'e done nothing in over a year to deal with the WV hole:
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dbsb3233

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Wonderfully thorough reply. Of course, except for the first paragraph that gets customized, the rest is their standard form letter.
Yep. We've seen the same cookie-cutter reply to other requests. But that's not a bad thing. EA's customer service is actually quite good, as is their engagement with the public on accepting and responding to location suggestions.

Practically though, all they can really do is give the standard response to each request. And log each one with the thousands of other requests.
 
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Illinibird

Illinibird

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Wonderfully thorough reply. Of course, except for the first paragraph that gets customized, the rest is their standard form letter.
Yup, but I can dream that they really WILL look at the area I proposed. There are no fast chargers in that area of the state and I-88 is busy east and westbound. There is a large DeKalb Oasis that both directions of traffic can utilize as it's in the center of the tollway. Right now there is a gasoline station, clean and available rest rooms and a food court. It's open 24/7. If you look at today's news it says Biden is going to make a big push for the nation to go electric with cars and that means building a lot of charging stations.
 

dbsb3233

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Yup, but I can dream that they really WILL look at the area I proposed. There are no fast chargers in that area of the state and I-88 is busy east and westbound. There is a large DeKalb Oasis that both directions of traffic can utilize as it's in the center of the tollway. Right now there is a gasoline station, clean and available rest rooms and a food court. It's open 24/7.
While chargers everywhere would be great, DeKalb strikes me as a likely low priority. It's about a 130 mile gap from Davenport (Genesco) to Naperville, and about the same from Rockford to Bloomington. Those are usually workable distances for BEV road trips. And that's the stage EA is still mostly in -- trying to cover major interstates so they can be used at all. (Although they are also flooding some cities with in-city chargers, which I find frustrating when many interstates are still uncovered).

If they were to add a charger in that region to shrink that gap, I would think Lasalle would be the more logical spot (I-80/I-39). Or alternately, Rochelle (I-88/I-39).

I'd prefer to see them get I-80 in Wyoming covered first, and I-90 from Minneapolis to Butte. That's a massive 1000 mile gap still.

Be nice when all these places are filled in over the next 2-3 years though.
 

Rabidsquirrel22

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That's a much better reply that I would have expected! Maybe I should send them a suggestion to get a charger installed around Grand Rapids so I'll be able to drive up and down the west side of Michigan in a reasonable amount of time.
 

milepost1

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Yep. We've seen the same cookie-cutter reply to other requests. But that's not a bad thing. EA's customer service is actually quite good, as is their engagement with the public on accepting and responding to location suggestions.

Practically though, all they can really do is give the standard response to each request. And log each one with the thousands of other requests.
There are other holes. I would like to see them work towards cover traveling rather than around urban areas. Most urban areas are well covered. it would be nice if there was a fast charger every 150 miles or so along all interstates. in some areas there is a fast charger every few miles
 

ChasingCoral

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Are we really that surprised though?
Nope. WV chose to only use 5% of their VW settlement for charging infrastructure and placed it entirely at two universities -- probably all L2 stations!
 
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Illinibird

Illinibird

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While chargers everywhere would be great, DeKalb strikes me as a likely low priority. It's about a 130 mile gap from Davenport (Genesco) to Naperville, and about the same from Rockford to Bloomington. Those are usually workable distances for BEV road trips. And that's the stage EA is still mostly in -- trying to cover major interstates so they can be used at all. (Although they are also flooding some cities with in-city chargers, which I find frustrating when many interstates are still uncovered).

If they were to add a charger in that region to shrink that gap, I would think Lasalle would be the more logical spot (I-80/I-39). Or alternately, Rochelle (I-88/I-39).

I'd prefer to see them get I-80 in Wyoming covered first, and I-90 from Minneapolis to Butte. That's a massive 1000 mile gap still.

Be nice when all these places are filled in over the next 2-3 years though.
Well, of course you know I disagree. ;) There is an EA Level 3 DC charger in Aurora and then NO level 3 chargers after that going west on I-88 that I'm aware of. I think the DeKalb area should have a fast charger because Northern Illinois University is located in DeKalb and there is a lot of traffic around there (coming from Chicago mostly so they wouldn't be using I-80). Assuming the EV phenomenon takes off, more and more people will need to have a fast chargers going both ways; to get home to Chicago and to make it further west on I-88. LaSalle might be a logical place if we're talking I-80 but I'm not; I'm talking about I-88. Bottom line though is ALL the major highways need to be covered with a network of DC chargers and everybody wants their pet projects done first. My reasons for DeKalb are selfish too, I'll admit that but I also think it is logical as well. And you're right, it would be great if all these places were filled in the next 2-3 years.
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