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[DonTom]

Yesterday, I was at Cisco Grove, on I-80 in CA  Charging my Zero SR (@ 6.4KW). I noticed they are putting in new CCS DC fast chargers (not yet even mentioned on PlugShare, other than in my own check-in <with photos>) and another J-1772 charge station. And I ask myself, Why? In either direction there are more CCS chargers within a few miles as well as a little used J-1772  station right there, a few feet away, that I was then using.

Between here and Reno, there are MANY  CCS chargers these days, as well as several J-1772s.

But why do they keep on grouping them together? How about being able to charge in Portola,  CA or Quincy, CA or LoveLock, NV? We don't need any more charge stations in the area where they keep on adding more and more every few miles for no apparent reason. On my many trips to Reno and back, I have yet to see ANYBODY use a CCS charger other than myself. We don't need more in that area.

But we do need them in countless other areas.

/Rant off.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[TEV]

Probably,  the answer is very simple: the connection to the electrical network was already available in that place, so, they didn't have to deal with that on a new location 😁

[JaimeC]

I've seen some... not necessarily "stupid" but definitely puzzling... locations here.  For example, in the middle of an office complex, there are a couple of J1772 ChargePoint stations open to the public.  We have them in our office building, but they're for employees only.  So what do they expect someone who DOESN'T work there to do while waiting for their vehicle to charge? 

On the Long Island Expressway there is a HUGE welcome center with ChaDeMo charging stations ONLY.  Who still uses ChaDeMo??  Wouldn't it make more sense for CCS??

And two weeks ago PlugShare directed me to a ChargePoint station at a college campus out on our East End... but the campus was CLOSED!  Thank God for three things:
1) I was able to enter via the "Exit" gate
2) The ChargePoint stations hadn't been powered off
3) Campus Security took pity on me.

Yes, I did update PlugShare to indicate the campus was closed and HOPEFULLY people will attempt to find something else in the area before they run completely out of power (if I weren't able to use those stations, I would've had to call for a tow because I wouldn't have been able to reach the next closest station).

Smart places (to me) are shopping malls, and parking lots in the center of towns near restaurants and shops.  Libraries would be another good location.  CCS users, of course, don't have to kill as much time as those of us restricted to J1772 L2.  Once movie theaters reopen they'd be an EXCELLENT option as well. 

I did notice three of my favorite steak houses out on the east end ALL have J1772 Chargepoint stations in their parking lots.  That's SMART!

[DonTom]

Probably,  the answer is very simple: the connection to the electrical network was already available in that place, so, they didn't have to deal with that on a new location

Yeah, I thought of that possibility, but still don't buy it because there are some great places where there are only Tesla Superchargers where there are no others of any type. Not even an AC outlet.  Such as Lake Topaz, NV on Hwy 95.

The other thing I think is stupid is all the Wal*Merts that don't have a J-1772. A J-1772,  albeit  slow, all EV's can use, even Tesla as well as all Zeros.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Richard230]

About 5 years ago a double L2 station was built at the back of the local Safeway grocery store, right next to their truck loading ramp. What a perfect location, in the middle of a truck maneuvering area and behind the store where it can't be seen.  Needless to say, I can't recall anyone using that station. Still, it is not as bad as the multi-million dollar H2 station built next to the Sky Londa General Store, located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, across from Alice's Restaurant, which still doesn't appear to be in operation - however it does have a solid red warning light lit all the time.    (If I was the owner of the General Store I think I would be a little worried about that.    )

[BigPoppa]

This seems like the last hurdle before widespread adoption of EVs, well thought out placement of charging stations of the appropriate type. I’m not one to subscribe to conspiracy theories but I have to wonder if there’s some behind the scenes effort to make charging infrastructure fail. Between inefficient placement, poor maintenance of the DC chargers, uneven pricing structures and the need for umpteen different charging memberships, only those who believe in EVs will adopt them. The average consumer is going to look at the current charging infrastructure and determine it’s too much of a hassle and stick with gas.

[Sklith]

You see the grouping effect like this everywhere: Walmarts opening next to gocery stores, Starbucks next to local coffee shops, even gas stations group up.

It makes less sense to open up business in an unproven area, better to set up shop where there's competition.

[DonTom]

I've seen some... not necessarily "stupid" but definitely puzzling... locations here.  For example, in the middle of an office complex, there are a couple of J1772 ChargePoint stations open to the public.  We have them in our office building, but they're for employees only.  So what do they expect someone who DOESN'T work there to do while waiting for their vehicle to charge? 

On the Long Island Expressway there is a HUGE welcome center with ChaDeMo charging stations ONLY.  Who still uses ChaDeMo??  Wouldn't it make more sense for CCS??

And two weeks ago PlugShare directed me to a ChargePoint station at a college campus out on our East End... but the campus was CLOSED!  Thank God for three things:
1) I was able to enter via the "Exit" gate
2) The ChargePoint stations hadn't been powered off
3) Campus Security took pity on me.

Yes, I did update PlugShare to indicate the campus was closed and HOPEFULLY people will attempt to find something else in the area before they run completely out of power (if I weren't able to use those stations, I would've had to call for a tow because I wouldn't have been able to reach the next closest station).

Smart places (to me) are shopping malls, and parking lots in the center of towns near restaurants and shops.  Libraries would be another good location.  CCS users, of course, don't have to kill as much time as those of us restricted to J1772 L2.  Once movie theaters reopen they'd be an EXCELLENT option as well. 

I did notice three of my favorite steak houses out on the east end ALL have J1772 Chargepoint stations in their parking lots.  That's SMART!
(if I weren't able to use those stations, I would've had to call for a tow because I wouldn't have been able to reach the next closest station).

Everywhere I have seen ChaDeMo out here, it was CCS on the other side.

I've wondered how often EV's have had to be towed because of running out of charge--perhaps because of a charge station being down or not quite enough range.

Has it happened to anybody here?

Charging where there is nothing else to do is fine with me, as long as there is a cell connection. I always bring a small notebook computer with me with my Verizon Wireless portable hotspot, which is also often handy at some charge stations. I have seen some charge stations that could ONLY be activated with a web connection, especially in Truckee, CA.  IOW, I often get on-line while charging.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Crissa]

The red warning light usually means the battery backup is offline.

The J stations at the parks are grand - but only operate while the parks are open, which kinda makes it unreliable.  And what do you do if someone else gets to the one station first?

-Crissa

Oh, yeah!  The web start chargers in the bottom of a parking garage with no wifi.  Ugh!

[JaimeC]

Unfortunately the ChaDeMo stations at the rest area are JUST that.  I don't think I've ever seen them in use, either.

https://www.plugshare.com/location/98064

[DonTom]

You see the grouping effect like this everywhere: Walmarts opening next to gocery stores, Starbucks next to local coffee shops, even gas stations group up.

It makes less sense to open up business in an unproven area, better to set up shop where there's competition.

All they have to do is put more charge stations at gas stations. Make it a law that every gas station has to have at least one charge station. That would fix the problem fast, even if they all only have a J-1772, which are cheap to install and every service station has 240 VAC already. If I can do it at all three of my houses, I would think that wouldn't be such a major expense to a gas station. And it helps them get ready for what may be coming.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[DonTom]

Unfortunately the ChaDeMo stations at the rest area are JUST that.  I don't think I've ever seen them in use, either.

Interesting. I have never seen those type of chargers anywhere in CA or NV or anywhere else I have been. I see it's all Nissan Leafs and KIAs that have used them there.

At least there are two CCS chargers within ten miles of those two CHAdeMOs. And both of those locations also have CHAdeMO.

Are thsoe CHAdeMOs free out there?  The reason I ask is out here, the CHAdeMO is free to use for most, but we usually have to pay for the CCS. But there are exceptions, I have not had to pay at the ChargePoint CCS at the Harley Shops. At least not yet.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[JaimeC]

Since I can't use them, I've never bothered to check.  Plugshare USUALLY reports if a site is free or not but they don't say anything about those chargers other than the parking is free.

[Sklith]

All they have to do is put more charge stations at gas stations. Make it a law that every gas station has to have at least one charge station. That would fix the problem fast, even if they all only have a J-1772, which are cheap to install and every service station has 240 VAC already. If I can do it at all three of my houses, I would think that wouldn't be such a major expense to a gas station. And it helps them get ready for what may be coming.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

I totally agree. Installing J plugs at gas stations is fairly cheap, and tax deductible on top of that! I'm sure it'll happen with the larger energy companies like BP & Shell soon enough, they'll do it for the easy PR.

I would like to see DCFC take off here in North America but it's going to be a while until an EV that's not a Tesla goes mainstream. It's so weird, Tesla's an American company, and their success should have spurred loads of competition by now (in the states). We should have a shitload of EVs and charging options by now here! Instead, all the new EVs aren't available here because of "limited demand".

[ultrarnr]

I like the idea of multiple CCS chargers close to each other. If one doesn't work you have other options close by. Last time I took my Eva to get inspected I tried a EA station and couldn't get any to work. So I had to charge on L2 for awhile to reach another CCS charger. Sure would have been nice to have other CCS chargers close by.