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Blog Target to Install 600 Charging Stations at More Than 100 Stores

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Target said this week it has partnered with Tesla, ChargePoint and Electrify America to install more than 600 charging stations at more than 100 stores.

The retailer has already deployed chargers at 18 stores in five states. The full plan will expand the program across 20 states.

Target began investing in electric vehicle charging stations in its parking lots back in 2012 by partnering with ChargePoint. In 2017, Target teamed up with Tesla to pilot its Superchargers and plans to expand the partnership in 2018.

“Accelerating our efforts to install new charging stations at Target stores across the country is one way we’re building on our commitment to investing in solutions that leave our communities better for future families,” said John Leisen, vice president, Property Management at Target. “And it’s an opportunity to work with industry-leading partners to bring a more convenient shopping experience to guests as we look to design lower-carbon solutions throughout our entire operation.”

 
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When I first saw this thought maybe Target was working with Tesla to put Urban chargers at Target stores. My opinion is that slow chargers really arent worth much when the average stop at a store is really short. Like way back in 2012 when Walgreens was putting chargepoint chargers at stores. It was like whats the point you are there for 5-10 minutes.
 
To put this in perspective, Target has over 1800 stores. Even after this effort is complete next year, odds are >90% that there won’t be EV charging at the Target store you go to. It reminds me of the Hilton Hotels announcement a year or two ago, which sounded great but actually involved less than 5% of Hilton hotels.
 
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To put this in perspective, Target has over 1800 stores. Even after this effort is complete next year, odds are >90% that there won’t be EV charging at the Target store you go to. It reminds me of the Hilton Hotels announcement a year or two ago, which sounded great but actually involved less than 5% of Hilton hotels.

less than 5% of hotels is better than no hotels. i'm in the Denver area. we only have about 3 hotels with chargers. 2 destination and 1 super. the hotel I work at is installing 9 destination chargers. things are happening. none of this is bad. it just takes time.
 
Tesla SuperChargers or Bolt chargers is not relevant, it is the fact that retailers are getting the point that providing this service (paid or free) will encourage customers to swing by and pick up needed or wanted items.
Road trip? Buy items you forgot, grab a bite to eat, candy for your fix ~ got that too. Oh, this is beginning to sound like the market at the old fashion gas station:)
Tipping point?
 
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When I first saw this thought maybe Target was working with Tesla to put Urban chargers at Target stores. My opinion is that slow chargers really arent worth much when the average stop at a store is really short. Like way back in 2012 when Walgreens was putting chargepoint chargers at stores. It was like whats the point you are there for 5-10 minutes.
If your Tesla is at 25% SOC these Urban Tesla Superchargers will add about 3 miles/minute. They supply a dedicated 72 kW to the battery and is not shared like the traditional 135 kW Tesla Superchargers which are paired. If you have ever watched your Tesla charge at a Supercharger you will find that at somewhere near a 50% SOC you are not charging at a rate above 72 kW.

Tesla unveils new ‘urban’ Supercharger with a slower dedicated charge rate

While I am excited at this Target announcement I am not holding my breath for my local Target to install charging.
 
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When I first saw this thought maybe Target was working with Tesla to put Urban chargers at Target stores. My opinion is that slow chargers really arent worth much when the average stop at a store is really short. Like way back in 2012 when Walgreens was putting chargepoint chargers at stores. It was like whats the point you are there for 5-10 minutes.

It's a big deal if you leave climate control running while you are in the store. More so for winter but either extreme makes it helpful.

In the winter the benefit is more than double because heating the battery pack by charging gives you range by both raising SOC% and by raising pack temperature.
 
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I just used one of these superchargers with my M3 at Target on the way to work in the morning just to check them out. The Target in Foster City, CA has 10 superchargers and 4 regular ChargePoint stations. They were mostly all busy, with a number of people just sitting in their cars—I think mostly the Tesla folks.

I think I will plan on hitting this spot on the way home once a week, and might as well do some shopping while I'm there.
 
When I first saw this thought maybe Target was working with Tesla to put Urban chargers at Target stores. My opinion is that slow chargers really arent worth much when the average stop at a store is really short. Like way back in 2012 when Walgreens was putting chargepoint chargers at stores. It was like whats the point you are there for 5-10 minutes.
If they install a good quality 48 amp unit that could be of help. Far better than nothing.
 
It's a big deal if you leave climate control running while you are in the store. More so for winter but either extreme makes it helpful.

In the winter the benefit is more than double because heating the battery pack by charging gives you range by both raising SOC% and by raising pack temperature.
Live just outside Chicago and regular winter trips to Michigan to see son at school. Our experience is the short stay at a non SC wouldnt do much even in very cold weather.

My take is we should hope for chargers at places like Museums, Malls, Sports Stadiums (I do charge when at a Bears game), movie theaters, etc. Stuff where you will stay for at least a few hours. Unless of course we are talking about SC or UrbanChargers.
 
Sounds like a great plan to me. There is no longer a reason for a separate fuelling station since anyone can provide electricity. So why not use the parking lot of a store as a refueling or recharging station? I suggest that the stores be located near long distance travel routes since that is when people are more likely to use them. I don't have a Tesla yet, so I don't know if the Tesla dashboard App tells you where and how much the recharging station costs are like Gas Buddy does for gas stations but that certainly would be useful.

For long distance travel routes I suggest working with gas stations or restaurants since i normally stop off to get gas and then will go to a near by restaurant while I am still on local roads and not the highway. McDonalds and Wendys that are located in remote exits along the highway as some good examples.
Also, one usually take about 15 minutes to eat so that probably is a good amount of charging.

Since I don't like much fast food, perhaps Tesla could form a joint venture with a great healthy restaurant and build a network of restaurants/charging stations at key interstate intersections across the US in areas that are not served by McDonald's or some other fast food company. It should be easy to identify the most successful alternative restaurants based on customer ratings and growth of franchise.
 
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Tesla SuperChargers or Bolt chargers is not relevant, it is the fact that retailers are getting the point that providing this service (paid or free) will encourage customers to swing by and pick up needed or wanted items.
Road trip? Buy items you forgot, grab a bite to eat, candy for your fix ~ got that too. Oh, this is beginning to sound like the market at the old fashion gas station:)
Tipping point?
 
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It's great there are hundreds of fast chargers are being installed from from the VW "DieselGate" settlement... but what will the cost be to recharge at these ChargePoint and Electrify America charging stations? From my experience, recharging at ChargePoint stations is expensive... so much so that driving electric is more expensive than ICE. Also, the few I visited have been "Out of Service": Windows "blue screen" crash, plug / cable broken, etc. Also, getting the ChargePoint station to recognize my active account's ChargePoint key fob have been very frustrating requiring a phone call to ChargePoint which took a long time to get them to tell me their ChargePoint station wasn't working. DUH.

Nothing like the FREE and painless recharging at Tesla Superchargers.