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I can get behind panera. I guess for me panera is what Starbucks is to you guys. Eat, browse the web., meetings. Just a cool place.
That would be even better actually. Can get real meals too. They typically are located in larger cities and not along highway routes in-between big cities I've found (around here at least) but would be great options for spending time in a city charging if you were passing through.
You don't really need free WiFi. You have it in the car. I found it to be a delight to be able to catch up on e-mail, read the TMC, stream music, etc. on the 17" screen while charging! You dont even need to leave your car!! Well coffee would be nice......:smile:
Liz G
P03056
I was thinking it might be nice to have some gyms put them in. An hour is just about the right amount of time to get in a good work out, shower and change. One of the things I always miss doing when travelling is working out. Having charging stations at the gym would give me the opportunity to utilize the charging time in a productive manner.
Al Sherman
It's about THIS car.
+1 and Dave I think it's a great idea. I agree with all your reasons. I especially got a good laugh at the "chai-latte" comment! I've even been going around to local businesses particularly nicer restaurants and pitching this. We live along I74. Some of the nicer places could definitely sell a few more steaks here and there with an EV charging station. It seems like a no brainer to me. People could plan there trips around a nice lunch, or dinner at a place that wouldn't normally ever see them as a customer. Charge and dine destinations!
dhrivnak
Active Member
Sorry but for me places like Starbucks do not really work for EV charging. With most pubic charging 208V 30 amps you get about 21 miles/hour in a Roadster and 15 in a Model S. To stop for coffee, even for an hour that is not much addition to the range. A place of work or hotel; a place you plan to spend 4+ hours then it makes sense.
I would change my thinking if you could get them to place a 70 amp charger or fast DC charger then I see it working. But "normal" level 2 charging is just not very useful to most people in my humble opinion.
Charging at home works well so if you are near home few people "need" to charge around town. If you are traveling then you need to charge fast. I have seen very little need in-between.
I would change my thinking if you could get them to place a 70 amp charger or fast DC charger then I see it working. But "normal" level 2 charging is just not very useful to most people in my humble opinion.
Charging at home works well so if you are near home few people "need" to charge around town. If you are traveling then you need to charge fast. I have seen very little need in-between.
Maybe true with the Model S and other longer range EVs, but an hour for a Plug-in Prius, Volt, or even a Nissan Leaf is a full charge or a significant bolus of juice. In my case it might be just the amount I'd need to be able to complete a distance trip from my home to St.Louis and might be a nicer environment to wait out the charge than some sketchy RV Park in the middle of winter. Lots of EV/PHV options out there, more coming, and we're not all the same in our needs. More options are good.
dhrivnak
Active Member
The Leaf and Volt have even weaker chargers about 3kw. So those cars only get about 10 miles per hour. Better than nothing but i cant see it maki.g a big difference.
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
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I agree that 30 A charging stations are not needed for long range EVs like the Roadster and Model S except at places you spend 4+ hours, like hotels and work.
However 10 extra miles at Starbucks is a big deal for my Volt. It is a 25% extension to my EV range. Very useful when driving around town or nearby.
GSP
With the range of my Roadster and even better with the Model S, I would think few would need to charge other than at home--except on a trip. For me, that is the Santa Barbara to San Francisco run. There are a series of 4 chargers at Rabobanks on that run. I use the ones in Atascadero and in Salinas. They are 70 amps--and you need that on a trip--or you have to be there forever! 30 amps won't cut it . More need to be put in. Anyhow, at both places there is a Starbucks 1-2 blocks away--and that is where I hang out catching up on overdue email.
The problem is, there is only one charging head at each of these places, and if someone is there before you, you're screwed. We need more 70 amp chargers! And maybe next to 30 amp ones with signs telling the 'other' cars to leave the 70 amp ones for Teslas!
They actually have that situation at the Marsh Garage in San Luis Obispo. Several 30 amp chargers and one 70 amp charger. Once a Leaf was using the 70 amp charger and the others were open. I pulled up next to him and swapped cords so we both could charge and left him a note. The gargage attendant later told me the Leaf owner appreciated the note as he had not been aware of the difference in the chargers.
The problem is, there is only one charging head at each of these places, and if someone is there before you, you're screwed. We need more 70 amp chargers! And maybe next to 30 amp ones with signs telling the 'other' cars to leave the 70 amp ones for Teslas!
They actually have that situation at the Marsh Garage in San Luis Obispo. Several 30 amp chargers and one 70 amp charger. Once a Leaf was using the 70 amp charger and the others were open. I pulled up next to him and swapped cords so we both could charge and left him a note. The gargage attendant later told me the Leaf owner appreciated the note as he had not been aware of the difference in the chargers.
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