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[Richard230]

According to an article in my newspaper today, written by George Avalos of the Bay Area News Group, titled (appropriately) "PG&E has plan to charge autos - and consumers".  The story is that our electric company, Pacific, Gas and Electric (AKA Pacific, Gas and Extortion) has applied to the state PUC to authorize the construction of 25,000 new EV charging stations within their service area in Northern California. (The entire state currently has about 6000 charging stations.)  The stations would be located all over the place, including large apartment buildings, all sorts of businesses and all of the expected public locations, streets, parking lots, public buildings, parks, etc. etc.  The entire program would cost $654 million, of which $551 million is the estimated capital cost of the charging stations. The program would be funded by a 70 cent increase in the average monthly residential electric rate.

It should be no surprise that the state's rate payer advocates have questioned placing the burden of the program on residential customers.  Mark Toney of TURN says that "We are very skeptical about the value of investing so much ratepayer money and betting it all on electric vehicles". 

It should also be no surprise that Charge-Point is not too happy about the idea, either. While they support the concept of electric utility companies getting into the charging station arena, they are concerned that PG&E's approach "could stifle competition", because the utility wants the PUC to authorize it to wield wide-ranging control over the design of the physical facilities and the network support services. Charge-Point says that "PG&E wants to pick the hardware vendor, the network services vendor, and we don't' think that's fair", says Pasquale Romano, CEO of Charge-Point.

This is going to be an interesting public discussion, especially as just about everyone in the state hates the CA PUC right now and believes they are in the pocket of PG&E (which apparently they are, according to a ton of leaked emails between the two organizations).   

[MotoRyder]

Wow, four times the current size of the infrastructure that currently exists in the whole state of California, just for the northern part of the state.  That's a bold proposal indeed.  In addition to the electric highway from Blaine, WA, all the way to San Ysidro, CA, electric mobility could be possible throughout the region there.  It'll be interesting to follow how the scheme evolves through the various planning phases of the proposal.

[jheth]

For cars, these L2 public charging stations are silly, especially since the per-mile cost for the electricity is pretty much the same as buying gasoline.

Tesla has the right strategy: 200+ mile range, which easily covers a typical day's driving. Need to go farther (ie. road trip)? Superchargers (free and fast). There's a reason why Superchargers are not centrally located in urban areas. In 5-10 years, low-cost big-battery EV's (Model 3, Bolt) will make these urban-located L2 chargers go unused. As much as I support EV's and more infrastructure is better, they are overbuilding without having a specific strategy.

[Richard230]

For cars, these L2 public charging stations are silly, especially since the per-mile cost for the electricity is pretty much the same as buying gasoline.

Tesla has the right strategy: 200+ mile range, which easily covers a typical day's driving. Need to go farther (ie. road trip)? Superchargers (free and fast). There's a reason why Superchargers are not centrally located in urban areas. In 5-10 years, low-cost big-battery EV's (Model 3, Bolt) will make these urban-located L2 chargers go unused. As much as I support EV's and more infrastructure is better, they are overbuilding without having a specific strategy.

I think PG&E has a strategy.  Something to do with selling more high-priced electricity and making more money.   

[CrashCash]

For cars, these L2 public charging stations are silly, especially since the per-mile cost for the electricity is pretty much the same as buying gasoline.

Tesla has the right strategy: 200+ mile range, which easily covers a typical day's driving. Need to go farther (ie. road trip)? Superchargers (free and fast). There's a reason why Superchargers are not centrally located in urban areas. In 5-10 years, low-cost big-battery EV's (Model 3, Bolt) will make these urban-located L2 chargers go unused. As much as I support EV's and more infrastructure is better, they are overbuilding without having a specific strategy.

Hm. I'd rather have the chargers next to a restaurant or shopping center, so I can do something while it charges. That's the reason I went to Sanford the other week: have a bite at the excellent German restaurant, then take a walk while my bike charged.

I'd rather grab a charge before heading back home than have to stop in the middle to charge.

Plus I'd much rather be *somewhere* than stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do and the usual bunch of freaks and weirdos that seem to love interstate rest stops.

[Richard230]

Yesterday my newspaper published a long legal notice regarding this charging station proposal and rate increase to support it.  I note that the proposal states that 2,600 charging stations would be built - not 25,000 as mentioned in the newspaper article.  The PUC proposal also states that "PG&E would install, maintain and manage the operation of electric vehicle charging stations and related electric infrastructure".....throughout their service territory.  "The sites will be located at workplaces, multi-unit dwellings and public spaces.  If the application is approved, PG&E also will develop materials to promote hosting of charging stations and to raise awareness of he benefits of clean electric transportation.  The program will help improve transportation options for electric vehicle owners and improve the environment".

A copy of this application and its exhibits can be obtained by writing to PG&E at:

Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure & Education Program
P.O. Box 7442
San Francisco, CA 94120