OnRoute Charging Stations?

[Doug_G]

This has already been discussed at length... I've merged this into the original thread.

 

[wayner]

• Ontario granted the franchise for car servicing operations to Canadian Tire, and for the food services to an American company. As a result, there is a disconnect - Canadian Tire does not benefit in any way from people staying to visit the restaurants. There is absolutely no financial motivation to install them.

I realize that I am a couple of years late on this correction but the food services contract is held by Kilmer van Nostrand which is owned by Larry Tannenbaum, chairman of MLSE. That is a Canadian company.

 

[Doug_G]

Right you are... I was misinformed. A bit of research confirms your assertion. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Duckjybe]

I realize that I am a couple of years late on this correction but the food services contract is held by Kilmer van Nostrand which is owned by Larry Tannenbaum, chairman of MLSE. That is a Canadian company.

Perhaps there is hope if Larry gets a Tesla.

 

[mknox]

Perhaps there is hope if Larry gets a Tesla.

The problem is that Canadian Tire has been awarded the rights for all "automotive servicing" and EV charging has been lumped under that category. Any OnRoute charging stations has to be done under Canadian Tire.

 

[wayner]

And they would likely be of marginal utility to Tesla owners if/when they install these since they are likely to be way slower than SCs. There are OnRoute stops between Woodstock and Ingersoll but any Tesla owner is likely to go to the SCs about 5 km east of those and walk 100m to the Wendy's/Timmys. Same with Barrie. It would have been useful if Tesla could have put the SCs at OnRoute sites but that didn't happen for various reasons. Maybe that's a good thing as these occasionally get shut down for months at a time for refurbishment.

 

[mknox]

And they would likely be of marginal utility to Tesla owners if/when they install these since they are likely to be way slower than SCs.

But still faster than other Level 2 stations. Until Superchargers become more ubiquitous, I can see the usefulness for Tesla owners. For example, someone going from Toronto to the Waterloo Region, especially in winter, could make good use of a Level 3 station at the Cambridge OnRoute stops.

 

[SmartElectric]

someone going from Toronto to the Waterloo Region, especially in winter, could make good use of a Level 3 station at the Cambridge OnRoute stops.

That's us!! :wink: Fortunately, we destination charge in KW (see my plugshare reviews), so it's not too inconvenient, but yeah, for day trips on the coldest days in winter, the round trip on a range charge is cutting it very close.

 

[iKhalid]

In case you didn't see this before (attached).

It was taken from ONroute Mallorytown, almost inside the gas station area while I was refuelling the Enterprise ICE loaner/rental yesterday night.

 

[Jaff]

In case you didn't see this before (attached).

It was taken from ONroute Mallorytown, almost inside the gas station area while I was refuelling the Enterprise ICE loaner/rental yesterday night.

Is this a new sign?

Like many of the other enroute signs, It might be old enough to vote.

 

[RiverBrick]

A specific bid to install CHAdeMO/CCS at the OnRoute locations as part of the EVCO grant program wasn't retained.

 

[Doug_G]

Well that's great - one of the best possible locations for chademo/css and it doesn't go forward. Our government inaction.

 

[Peter_M]

Is this a new sign?

Like many of the other enroute signs, It might be old enough to vote.

That sign has been there for a couple of years at least. It's a cheap way for CT to get some "green points" without actually doing anything.

 

[iKhalid]

That sign has been there for a couple of years at least. It's a cheap way for CT to get some "green points" without actually doing anything.

Sorry guys; I thought it was new :-(

 

[Jaff]

Sorry guys; I thought it was new :-(

No crime in being an optimist!

 

[MarcoRP]

I posted this in Canadian CHAdeMO Charging but it could go well here too, any opinions?

I saw this on PlugShare. These signs are still up and people still assume that there will be a fast charger soon. No partnership has been signaled with KSI has there? View attachment 282772View attachment 282774These two are from yesterday and this -> from sometime in 2015View attachment 282773 . Does anyone else think that OnRoute should remove these signs?

 

[wayner]

It doesn't seem like it is going to happen. It wouldn't be much use to Tesla owners anyhow and as @mknox has pointed out that there are infrastructure issue that make this a challenge. Maybe a more interesting question is where will Tesla semis charge on the highway or how will we get heavy duty electrical distribution to rural truck stops?

 

[Gunfus_r]

On the way to montreal this winter, we stopped at the torusit information center, just as you enter in QC, (it felt like a small onroute) and to our delight(although I was driving the ICE) they had this: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You

How hard is to do that, for on-route..?

 

[wayner]

It is not hard for a small charger or two but for a more useful charging site these don't make sense as (again as @mknox has pointed out) the ONroute stations tend to be at the skinny end of the grid. It would cost a lot of money to upgrade them to provide several hundred kiloWatts for EV charging. And an L2 charger is not very useful at a place where you are only going to be stopping for about 30 minutes.

I could see how it would help other EV drivers but why would Tesla owners really care? Why use the ONroute in Cambridge when there is a Supercharger a few km away at 401&24? Why use the ONroute in Vaughan when there is a Supercharger a few km away at Vaughan Mills. Why use the ONroute in Woodstock when there is a Supercharger a few km away. Why use the ONroute in Newcastle when there is a Supercharger a few km away in Port Hope. etc, etc.

For Tesla owners, Superchargers make ONroute sites redundant. ONroute sites have gas stations, fast food and coffee/donut shops. Supercharger locations have superfast L3 chargers, and are generally located very close to fast food and coffee/donut shops.

 

[sakimano]

It is not hard for a small charger or two but for a more useful charging site these don't make sense as (again as @mknox has pointed out) the ONroute stations tend to be at the skinny end of the grid. It would cost a lot of money to upgrade them to provide several hundred kiloWatts for EV charging. And an L2 charger is not very useful at a place where you are only going to be stopping for about 30 minutes.

I could see how it would help other EV drivers but why would Tesla owners really care? Why use the ONroute in Cambridge when there is a Supercharger a few km away at 401&24? Why use the ONroute in Vaughan when there is a Supercharger a few km away at Vaughan Mills. Why use the ONroute in Woodstock when there is a Supercharger a few km away. Why use the ONroute in Newcastle when there is a Supercharger a few km away in Port Hope. etc, etc.

For Tesla owners, Superchargers make ONroute sites redundant. ONroute sites have gas stations, fast food and coffee/donut shops. Supercharger locations have superfast L3 chargers, and are generally located very close to fast food and coffee/donut shops.

perfectly said.

My car gets 425 km of range at 182 wh/km so there's very little use or need for me to stop somewhere for anything other than ultra fast, free Tesla energy. Even if I am heading to windsor, cambridge now bridges what was a bit of a gap to woodstock and takes the fear out of it. Heading East? Forget about it. Incredibly well covered and about to get even better with Belleville and Brockville. heading north? barrie is the SC mecca of earth and then you have hunstville/parry sound if you're going farther.

The Onroute discussion, for tesla owners, is pretty much dead thanks to the proliferation of new supercharger sites both opened, and still to come.