Has anyone charged up at a gas station?

[FakeStewartAlsop]

...specifically, a gas station that lacks EV chargers, but has plenty of conventional wall outlets on a convenient exterior wall? This would be something to do if you have 8 miles on your Rated Range, (warm temps; no wind; level ground) but 10 miles to your SuperCharger. Can the Rated Range meter even be trusted at this kind of low level of charge? I understand that around 25-35 MPH is the best hyper-miling speed, but assume that you can't make it even with that.

 

[shelbri]

As best I can tell, Rated Range is based upon 300Wh/mi. You can easily determine if you are going to make by looking at your usage relative to that. Charging via 12A gets you ~4miles per hour of charge. Doesn't matter if it is at a gas station, restaurant or store.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Bjorn Nyland made a video about when he charged at a gas station just enough to make it to the next Supercharger.

I think this is it:

 

[FakeStewartAlsop]

Bjorn Nyland made a video about when he charged at a gas station just enough to make it to the next Supercharger.

OK, there is a 'degraded' refuel experience, and then there is an outright fail, which is what Bjorn demonstrated. His comment "I'm now get to burn some calories so I can eat a burger" -- while pushing his car, is very nearly a disaster. If he had 500 meters to go rather than 100 meters, he would have risks of pushing uphill and/or getting stuck in a pot-hole. What I'm curious to know, is a) has anyone asked a gas station cashier "can I charge for a kilowatt or so?" and b) was any charging delivered (either free, or for a fee).

He also indicates it took him about an hour to go from unfueled to charging (with the push in between). He could have spent 15 minutes at a low-powered wall outlet and avoided that complication.

Incidentally, I like Bjorn's attitude: "The only way to learn is to fall."

 

[JohnQ]

Your qualifying statement ... "lacks EV chargers" ... disqualifies my experience I suppose. I charged at a Shell station in LaFollette, TN that installed a Level 2 charger. There was no charge for the electrons but I did buy a drink at the mini-mart.

 

[lklundin]

His comment "I'm now get to burn some calories so I can eat a burger" -- while pushing his car, is very nearly a disaster. If he had 500 meters to go rather than 100 meters, he would have risks of pushing uphill and/or getting stuck in a pot-hole.

Idea:

Make an adapter to make a spinning bike produce an AC compatible with the Tesla. Producing 1kW for some time is quite possible (maybe if you haven't had too many of those burgers).

Assuming a consumption of 0.2kWh / km, 6 minutes of spinning at 1kW would provide 500m range - and one free work-out.

 

[Vexar]

The Midwest has a fuel station chain called Kwik Trip. They offer free 120v EV charging. It is thoughtful of them. Most Tesla owners in the US get by on RV park/ campground sites. I did that when I drove my 60kwh Model S cross-country before the St. George, UT supercharger was installed. It works. Pack some board games.

 

[FakeStewartAlsop]

Idea:

Make an adapter to make a spinning bike produce an AC compatible with the Tesla. Producing 1kW for some time is quite possible (maybe if you haven't had too many of those burgers).

Assuming a consumption of 0.2kWh / km, 6 minutes of spinning at 1kW would provide 500m range - and one free work-out.

I too am a cyclist. I'm thinking of a better way: install a extra small gear in the front rings, and an extra big gear in the rear cassette of the bicycle. Now add a tow rope, and you are ready to go! Just like a mountain, except with a car behind you.

 

[brianman]

...specifically, a gas station that lacks EV chargers, but has plenty of conventional wall outlets on a convenient exterior wall?

Yes. Shell station in Cle Elum, WA in early 2013. For about 3 hours. Sub 30F outside. Cold and bored out of my mind.

 

[Edmond]

I too am a cyclist. I'm thinking of a better way: install a extra small gear in the front rings, and an extra big gear in the rear cassette of the bicycle. Now add a tow rope, and you are ready to go! Just like a mountain, except with a car behind you.

The perfect perpetual motion machine!

Except the mean old First Law of Thermodynamics interferes with our plan. There are losses in the bearings of the bike, motors, generators, hysteresis, induction, and in conversion of AC to DC and back. The best alternators are about 40% efficient.

 

[Todd Burch]

Charging at 120v while stuck at a gas station is probably the worst version of Hell I can think of. (And yes, I exaggerate for effect).

 

[Vexar]

The perfect perpetual motion machine!

Except the mean old First Law of Thermodynamics interferes with our plan. There are losses in the bearings of the bike, motors, generators, hysteresis, induction, and in conversion of AC to DC and back. The best alternators are about 40% efficient.

Add to that I don't think the charger goes down to lower than 5 amps, so it won't charge up a Tesla. The Minnesota State Fair once had this booth of stationary bicycles to generate electricity for a radio station. It was amazing. All that greasy food on a stick turning into talk radio.

 

[James Anders]

At some point in the not too distant future one of these gas station/mini-marts are going to offer L2 charging stations (fee based). That will be a game changer.

 

[jerry33]

At some point in the not too distant future one of these gas station/mini-marts are going to offer L2 charging stations (fee based). That will be a game changer.

Who would charge at a gas station when they can charge at a restaurant, movie theatre, or shopping centre? There are a few SCs at truck stops and people complain as that's not the atmosphere that most folks want while charging.

I can't see charging at gas stations becoming popular.

 

[ZBB]

Yes... The Cordes Lakes AZ Supercharger is at a Shell station...

 

[snellenr]

The Perry, OK supercharger is also located in the corner of a gas station parking lot.

On the plus side -- you can grab a quick shower there...

 

[jerry33]

The Perry, OK supercharger is also located in the corner of a gas station parking lot.

On the plus side -- you can grab a quick shower there...

That is the one people complain about having a bad atmosphere.

 

[Skipdd]

At some point in the not too distant future one of these gas station/mini-marts are going to offer L2 charging stations (fee based). That will be a game changer.

Royal Farms does (some locations) today. Charged using Chademo mid April in PA on one for free

 

[James Anders]

Who would charge at a gas station when they can charge at a restaurant, movie theatre, or shopping centre? There are a few SCs at truck stops and people complain as that's not the atmosphere that most folks want while charging.

I can't see charging at gas stations becoming popular.

Atmosphere? Who cares about atmosphere when you have 5 miles of range left?

 

[Skipdd]

Atmosphere? Who cares about atmosphere when you have 5 miles of range left?

Agree. Besides gas stations are far more ubiquitous. Once a couple of chains start doing this, e.g, Royal Farms, WaWa, it will catch-on and as you say - be a game changer..