Electrify America charging station - Livermore CA

[PLUS EV]

It looks a lot like the Electrify America site I found at an outlet mall in North Bend, WA.

Initially I thought it was a supercharger construction (even started a thread for it rather embarrassingly), because it was clearly an EV charging installation and it was the same company working on it that built the Issaquah supercharger, but alas it was just an EA site. I went back yesterday (about a month after I originally found it) and it looks like it's going to be 4 CCS/Chademo combo chargers. When I initially discovered it, it looked a lot like the pictures above.

 

[miimura]

Electrify America updated their web site today. Is this the same location people are talking about in this thread?

 

[Pluto]

Electrify America updated their web site today. Is this the same location people are talking about in this thread?

Yes, though that was announced 5 months ago: https://www.electrifyamerica.com/si...ectrify America Simon Release May 21 2018.pdf

 

[Darksoldier360]

In case anyone wants to see what the ABB Electrify America chargers will look like here (going at the end closer to the mall/playground):

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks for the update! I wonder if this is the first location to include both Tesla Superchargers and electrify America chargers?

I am amused by the difference between a Supercharger pedestal which needs no digital display or interface (all the complexity is hidden from the user, it’s just “plug and charge”) and the electrify America interface (which of course does have to service multiple manufacturers and “dumb” EVs that are not connected to the internet).

 

[UrbanEater]

For the Electrify America chargers, why would they have dual handles but have only one stall to provide a charge to? Maybe for redundancy? The combo chargers make sense but if the others are dual CCS then it would seem strange.

 

[mociaf9]

For the Electrify America chargers, why would they have dual handles but have only one stall to provide a charge to? Maybe for redundancy? The combo chargers make sense but if the others are dual CCS then it would seem strange.

Can only tell you what EA says and let you make up your own opinion whether it's reasonable. Some cars with CCS have the port on the right of the car. Some have it on the left of the car. They put in the two cables so that they can reach a car's CCS charge port no matter where on the car it's located.

 

[Jeff N]

Can only tell you what EA says and let you make up your own opinion whether it's reasonable. Some cars with CCS have the port on the right of the car. Some have it on the left of the car. They put in the two cables so that they can reach a car's CCS charge port no matter where on the car it's located.

It may be that the liquid-cooled cables being used are more delicate and so they didn’t want longer cables that can end up messily draped into the parking space where they might be accidentally driven over.

Another reason is that cables and connectors, since they are physically exposed and manipulated, are one of the more common sources of failure. Having independent cables decreases downtime for cars that are able to successfully use either cable.

A potential third reason, is that coming up with a plausible excuse for using redundant CCS cables helps give them an explanation for not dual cabling all spaces with CHAdeMO which helps lock out Nissan and Tesla vehicles from dominating use of the chargers during periods of peak usage.

 

[Jeff N]

I’m here now and they have 2 destination chargers right behind the electrify America ones. Charging now

Here’s a photo of those destination chargers:

 

[Darksoldier360]

I’m here now and they have 2 destination chargers right behind the electrify America ones. Charging now

To note, only the destination chargers seem to have juice so far

. Also, nice X ;-)

Lots of other activity, interconnect vaults are in, electrify America transformer on site in addition to Tesla one. Workers buttoning up landscaping and sprinklers. I suspect this is shooting for a black fridayish opening.

 

[Jeff N]

Lots of other activity, interconnect vaults are in, electrify America transformer on site in addition to Tesla one. Workers buttoning up landscaping and sprinklers. I suspect this is shooting for a black fridayish opening.

It’s good to hear that the EA transformer has been installed now also (or is maybe just “on site”).

EA is saying that this is one of the 9 sites in CA that will be open within 6 weeks (by the end of the year).

First nine California Electrify America sites planned to open before 2019

 

[zeezz]

Was driving by today and destination chargers seemed to be coned off for just valet. Makes sense... kind of.

 

[mspohr]

EA charge stations each have two CCS cables labeled 150kw each. Don't know why. Only one car can park in front of each.

 

[miimura]

EA charge stations each have two CCS cables labeled 150kw each. Don't know why. Only one car can park in front of each.

The common speculation is that the dual cables provide redundancy and easier reach for different cas with charge ports on either side of the vehicle. They can't be used simultaneously either, even if they could reach multiple cars.

 

[Jeff N]

EA charge stations each have two CCS cables labeled 150kw each. Don't know why. Only one car can park in front of each.

Seven spaces are dual 150 kW CCS. Two are dual 350 kW. One is 150 kW CCS and 50 kW CHAdeMO (100 kW future).

The dual identical cables are to help reach the different charge port locations used on various cars. Older chargers do this with longer cables but they often end up draped on the ground and sometimes end up partially in the parking space where they could get run over. These new chargers use liquid-cooled cables which may be more delicate.

Although Electrify America doesn’t talk about it, the dual cables may generally help with connector failure by providing a back for cars that can use the working cable.

 

[mspohr]

Seven spaces are dual 150 kW CCS. Two are dual 350 kW. One is 150 kW CCS and 50 kW CHAdeMO (100 kW future).

The dual identical cables are to help reach the different charge port locations used on various cars. Older chargers do this with longer cables but they often end up draped on the ground and sometimes end up partially in the parking space where they could get run over. These new chargers use liquid-cooled cables which may be more delicate.

Although Electrify America doesn’t talk about it, the dual cables may generally help with connector failure by providing a back for cars that can use the working cable.

The dual CCS cables are the same length and enter the cabinet about one foot from each other. Hard to see how this would help reaching.

 

[smwcom]

All charging stations are completed with the only problem, None will fit out Tesla Cars
All are Euro Connectors like in the model 3 now scheduled to ship in Europe
Anybody have ideas? Is Tesla going the standardized route now

 

[mociaf9]

All charging stations are completed with the only problem, None will fit out Tesla Cars
All are Euro Connectors like in the model 3 now scheduled to ship in Europe
Anybody have ideas? Is Tesla going the standardized route now

Those aren't the Tesla Superchargers. This mall has both Superchargers and an install by Electrify America (EA) of CCS or dual CCS/CHAdeMO EV Charging Stations (EVCS). The EA charging stations will obviously have limited utility for Tesla owners as there is only a single CHAdeMO connector that Model S/X could use if they have an adapter. But since there's a Supercharger anyways, I don't know way any of them would bother. Plus there are some Tesla Destination Chargers over there as well. Though given recent news re: Model 3 charging port in Europe, IMO, it's likely that Tesla will come out with a CCS adapter before too long. So, at that point Teslas may benefit a bit.

 

[miimura]

There are also EVgo fast charging stations at two different locations at that outlet mall.

 

[Jeff N]

There are 20 Electrify America charging spots closer to the mall itself, not yet operational.

There are 20 Supercharger spaces but only 10 Electrify America spaces.

The "Electrify America" contractors were there with final work. When asked when they will be ready, they replied, "...very soon."

The Electrify America area is now open and available for use. All 10 spaces support up to 150 kW CCS but two of those support up to 350 kW CCS. One space supports CHAdeMO up to 50 kW (100 kW future).