Recharging at Hilton Whistler; Literally

[Hilton Whistler]

WHISTLER, BC – January 10, 2013 - Hilton Whistler took recharging to a whole new level recently in partnership with the Sun Country Highway. As the company expands its free public access electric vehicle charging network along the TransCanada Highway, Hilton Whistler hosted the only local stop December 20[SUP]th[/SUP] for driver, Kent Rathwell and his team, on their cross-country tour.

Hilton Whistler is home to the world’s first UL listed electric vehicle charging station; the ultimate evCharger CS-90. The CS-90 provides the fastest charge times and highest power rating of 100A. As noted on the Sun Country Highway website, while EVs can go up to 400 kilometres on a charge it can take hours or even days to charge, making the located stop quite crucial. Thankfully for those driving these green-friendly vehicles, the hotel offers opportunity to recharge onsite while their transportation conveniently does the same.

Driving a 2012 Tesla Roadster, Rathwell is holding out purposefully until the tour completion to announce the total number of charging stations that can be found along the Sun Country Highway for his leading edge vehicle and its’ compatriots. He does hope, however, to have a thousand set up by the end of 2013.

NOTES TO MEDIA
About Hilton Hotels Corporation: Hilton Hotels Corporation is recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises more than 2,300 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. Its properties include many of the world's best known and most highly regarded hotel brands including Hilton®, Conrad®, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations Club® and Homewood Suites by Hilton®. For more information, visit www.hilton.com.

 

[Seattle]

I was in Whistler and used this recharger at the Hilton after driving up from Seattle. It was great to have it in the city, and I appreciated it's availability at that end of Whistler Village. It's a j1772. If you are staying at the Hilton, I believe you can use the charger for free (you would need to pay the normal parking garage rate of ~$27/day). Since I wasn't actually staying at the Hilton, they decided I could use the charger if I paid the valet rate, which was something around $5 extra day, around $32/day. That was reasonable. I parked there just one day and charged up. Thank you Hilton for installing this. I might stay at the Hilton next time just for this.

I was actually staying at the next door Westin. If you ask the concierge at the Westin, they'll say they have 120v outlets in various places in the garage. But the problem is the outlets only support very low amperage. The Tesla will say that the outlets are not reliable and won't charge unless you cut the amperage down to 5 or 6 amps. Then you'll only get an anemic 1 mile per hour charge.

 

[deonb]

I was in Whistler and used this recharger at the Hilton after driving up from Seattle. I.

Nice! Were you able to do Seattle to Whistler as a single trip? (Range charge?) Or did you have to re-charge somewhere in between as well?

 

[Seattle]

It would have been a stretch but it could be done. I wouldn't recommend it though. Start with a range charge of course. It's much more scary going to Whistler, because the last 30 miles from Squamish to Whistler doesn't have an obvious charging location. And if you get out of Vancouver, the only places I saw in February were some 120v plus a few businesses offering nema 14-50 but without clear information on when available. There are some future scheduled installs of j1772 stations in Squamish but they weren't running yet.

On the way up, my very first long trip, I charged for an hour in Blaine, WA at the high power j1772 site. I drove in the low 60s mph and made it easily to Whistler. On the return, I drove on Chuckanut drive and in Bellingham and charged for a very short time. If I had not driven Chucknut, and also hadn't charged, I am sure I could have made it all the way back. As it was, I recharged in Kirkland for the last 10 miles.

If I was going to Whistler again, and I want to, I'd have no worries about making it, with (1) range charge, (2) drive 62 mph, (3) charge in Blaine for an hour.

if you had a 60kwh car, you would need a stop between Blain and Whistler. There must be some spots on the north side of Vancouver.

 

[montgom626]

I was in Whistler and used this recharger at the Hilton after driving up from Seattle. It was great to have it in the city, and I appreciated it's availability at that end of Whistler Village.

I assume a 85 kw in your MS???