Post some higher charge rates in your area.

S

Snagglefoot

Joined
Dec 31, 2017
Messages
17,964
Location
SE British Columbia, Canada
BC hydro is getting into higher charge rates for its EV chargers. Here is an example of a 350 kW charger in the Okanagan Valley. One should be aware that BC Hydro is owned by the Provincial government and ultimately the taxpayers, so it’s even more dangerous than government sponsored charger installations. ;)

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Some people have been saying that they would need to see faster charging before they would consider buying an EV. So there you have one.

Tesla installed an 8 bay 250 kW Supercharger near our home recently (with another 8 bays in place but not yet active). They charge about 3 times the rate I pay at home for energy. It's already being well used. I've only seen it empty once and it usually has 2 or 3 Teslas (or other vehicles) charging when we drive by. Not bad for a new installation, and this isn't even tourist season.

At some point these charging stations will become profitable (if they aren't already). Good for Tesla and for BC Hydro.
 
ecotourist said:
Some people have been saying that they would need to see faster charging before they would consider buying an EV. So there you have one. ...
Click to expand...
I get the sense that many of those people either don't fully understand how maximizing time per kWh by charging from ~20-80% works, or they don't want to.

That, or their use case truly isn't compatible with EVs and the related infrastructure, at least as those systems exist today. My work Suburban that can easily see ~900 kilometres in a trip with no overnight stop likely won't be replaced by an EV anytime soon. Neither will the half-ton used to tow our travel trailer. As for our Tiguan that is generally used for errands and sub-1.5 hour commutes - different story once the TCO$ works.
 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CuYgM1BLYph4Kh3W7

This is the small town (~4,500 residents) where my wife grew up and many in her family still live. The location is key: The town itself straddles I75 and is a pretty central location for traveling anywhere in Northern Michigan.

The particular charging station, in a Meijer parking lot, has four 350kW chargers.

It also has about as many 150kW chargers and a single CHAdeMO. 10 Tesla Superchargers (150kW V2) also share the parking lot.
 
I live in a town of 16k people. I have no Tesla specific charging here. I have 2 CCS and 2 J1772 and they're all Shell Recharge and have been free since they were installed. I thought about buying a CCS adapter as an emergency backup just for the faster charging in a pinch. I've only used the Level 2 there a couple of times with the J1772 adaptor just to try it out. Otherwise I've only used Superchargers a couple of times and only once in my Model Y. It says I paid $0.38/kWh and added 21.387 kWh in 13 minutes on 11/7.
 
Near me. 250kW baby! I've never charged here, because I would just charge at home. But if I needed a quick charge, this would be the ticket. Grab a cup of Joe and off I go!
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ecotourist said:
Tesla installed an 8 bay 250 kW Supercharger near our home recently (with another 8 bays in place but not yet active). They charge about 3 times the rate I pay at home for energy. It's already being well used. I've only seen it empty once and it usually has 2 or 3 Teslas (or other vehicles) charging when we drive by. Not bad for a new installation, and this isn't even tourist season.
Click to expand...
The rate for Teslas at this local Supercharger is 25 cents/kW (Cdn). Idle fee is $1/min (Cdn). Seems it's quite a bargain.
 
A minimum of 350kW/920v/500A is pretty common now in the USA. EA, EVGo, etc. NEVI basically requires 150kW simultaneously on 4 chargers at the same time - but most places are installing more powerful equipment.

Unfortunately Tesla lobbied to get their old 400v chargers approved and they got special treatment in the NEVI program, but thankfully it seems all other CPOs are installing modern 800v stations.

IONNA will be installing 400kW minimum chargers, and they will be the fastest growing charging network going forward. The new Kwik Charge (Kwik Trip) stations in the midwest are 400kW. Francis energy is also installing 400kW shared units

The new 400kW SK and Alpitronic units make sense though for NEVI because they are dual-cable
shared. One EV could get a full 400kW, but another EV Can use the 2nd cord on the same unit and they each get 200kW, meeting NEVI requirements.
 
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JeffKeryk said:
I cannot speak to the Ponzi stuff, but energy costs here in CA are crazy high, so I got solar and now my electricity costs are perhaps the lowest in the nation. Plus I charge an EV.
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are they really? have you counted the depreciation of the solar installation? You definitely paid a LOT in advance.
 
Jetronic said:
are they really? have you counted the depreciation of the solar installation? You definitely paid a LOT in advance.
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I researched the solar project for over 5 years before pulling the trigger. Installed in March 2018, so I am close to 7 years into the savings.
I am way past break even point.

In Los Gatos, there are over 330 days of sunshine per year; solar is a big fat no-brainier.
Add in the 12K miles of EV use saving $4 to $5 per gallon gas. That's at least $2000 alone.

Depreciation? In another 15 years I will be far ahead of the game. We will see what is available going forward. My guess is there will be better energy solutions. In the meantime I pay $10 to $20 per month for electricity.

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so divide the cost of that installation over the amount of energy it produced (and will produce until you feel it needs replacing, 20 years?) That sould give you a cost per kwh. it's not "free".
 
Jetronic said:
so divide the cost of that installation over the amount of energy it produced (and will produce until you feel it needs replacing, 20 years?) That sould give you a cost per kwh. it's not "free".
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No. The solar project was an investment with an expected return. I have recouped the cost of the project and save money every month going forward. There are people paying well in excess of $400 per month around here.

And PG&E has announced rate increases. You're right; it's not free. It is a good investment with a good return; far better than free.
 
JeffKeryk said:
No. The solar project was an investment with an expected return. I have recouped the cost of the project and save money every month going forward. There are people paying well in excess of $400 per month around here.

And PG&E has announced rate increases. You're right; it's not free. It is a good investment with a good return; far better than free.
Click to expand...

I agree it can be an investment, but if the cost per kwh is the same as the cost the electric company charges it's not. But some people can't do that math it seems.

We have realistically 3 months of summer, and 3 months were the solar panels produce basically nothing (ironically, the time you need the most energy), the other 6 are not optimal, but you get something at least. That really alters the calculation.

My neighbour's pv panels and installation provide him with 30ct/kwh electricity, if he has no costs for 20 years. His warranty is 10 years. Meanwhile we get electricity for 23cts per kwh. But he reduced his electric bill by paying tens of thousands for that installation and only sees that.
 
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