Why ChargePoint is Terrible

[sdrevik]

<<I will be happy to help you. I am showing only one charger in our system in Montgomery VT and I was able to match it to the address for the Phineas Swann Bed & Breakfast, I went on to your website and there was a picture of the station, and it is indeed a home charging unit.

The above picture is of one of our Level 2 Commercial charging unit, these units starting cost is around 3-5 thousand dollars. Depending on what the station owner is looking, for they can cost much more. The Home charger is still a Level 2 charger, it is just not a commercial Level 2 charger and would not be listed on our map. I apologize for the confusion. >>

So, a business owner put in a L2 charger, but ChargePoint won't put it on their map (even though there isn't much in that area, and an EV drive would love to know they have charging options) because they didn't buy the super-expensive charger with the credit card processor that ensures CP of a revenue stream for the electricity.

It sounds like there are probably more chargers out there at businesses that just can't be found unless you ask the business owner directly. Maybe some apps are more generic (or someone should make a more agnostic EV charger map?).

 

[rdlink]

It is what it is. Use Plugshare. That'll pick up chargers that might now show up on ChargePoint's app.

 

[Eno Deb]

It sounds like you're the owner of the business and want the station on Chargepoint's map to potentially attract customers? Have you talked to Chargepoint about a commercial plan? I think they have a lease program which only costs a few dollars per day. You may also be eligible for incentives from government or local utilities which can make it very cheap to host a public charger. I know that the Chargepoint workplace chargers that my employer set up cost next to nothing (besides the actual electricity).

 

[TexasEV]

Just list your site on PlugShare. That’s what it’s for. Anyone who needs it will be looking on PlugShare. No one cares about the ChargePoint app for finding charging stations for this very reason— it doesn’t show all possible charging stations. It would be like needing gas and searching for Exxon stations instead of gas stations.

 

[Eno Deb]

Just list your site on PlugShare. That’s what it’s for. No one cares about the ChargePoint app for finding charging stations for this very reason— it doesn’t show all possible charging stations. It would be like needing gas and searching for Exxon stations instead of gas stations.

Well, I don't necessarily agree with that. One big advantage of the Chargepoint app is that it shows you whether a station is currently occupied (as long as it's a Chargepoint station).

 

[Darmie]

Well, such a hassle.

 

[dhrivnak]

Well, I don't necessarily agree with that. One big advantage of the Chargepoint app is that it shows you whether a station is currently occupied (as long as it's a Chargepoint station).

I frequently use PlugShare but never ChargePoint. Why limit searches to like 10% of the available charging options?

 

[Eno Deb]

I frequently use PlugShare but never ChargePoint. Why limit searches to like 10% of the available charging options?

In my experience they show way more than 10%. Besides Chargepoint chargers, they also show Tesla, Blink, EVGo, Sema and possibly other networks, which together make up the vast majority of public chargers (at least in my neck of the woods).

 

[eprosenx]

Well, I don't necessarily agree with that. One big advantage of the Chargepoint app is that it shows you whether a station is currently occupied (as long as it's a Chargepoint station).

ChargePoint sells different products into different markets with different features.

One line of business is basic L2 chargers for home use that have very few features.

Another line of business is commercial chargers. These have the ability to accept payment, they have a map that shows if they are in use or not, etc...

These are very different business models. I don’t understand why we would expect them to provide the commercial level features on their residential units... (even if a residential unit was installed at a business location)

I agree with what others have said. PlugShare is the master source of record to see what is around and then I would use the ChargePoint app to inquire about the status of a specific charger.

If it is non-commercial then you won’t be able to get status (the same as nearly every other charger out there).

 

[robski]

So why is ChargePoint terrible?

 

[TexasEV]

So why is ChargePoint terrible?

As I said in a different thread, their motto could be “We’re overpriced, but we’re underpowered”.

If you’re looking for a J1772 EVSE, look at Clipper Creek.

 

[sdrevik]

Yep, it’s a friend’s B & B, and I’ve already suggested he lost on PlugShare and some local EV guides. Just sad that CP sells chargers that are out in other places, but won’t tell you where they are.

 

[sdrevik]

I don’t understand why we would expect them to provide the commercial level features on their residential units... (even if a residential unit was installed at a business location).

Yep, to our understanding it’s the same unit with the same charging rate- just free instead of having a credit card (or EPay) machine for CP to take their cut (and a competent to fail).

 

[Eno Deb]

Yep, to our understanding it’s the same unit with the same charging rate- just free instead of having a credit card machine for CP to take their cut (and a competent to fail).

Chargepoint chargers do not have a "credit card machine". They can now read contactless cards and Apple Pay/Android Pay phone-based wallets via NFC, but that capability was just recently added by software (originally you could only use Chargepoint cards). And the business owner can set any price they want for charging, including free.

 

[SageBrush]

Well, I don't necessarily agree with that. One big advantage of the Chargepoint app is that it shows you whether a station is currently occupied (as long as it's a Chargepoint station).

Are you sure that occupancy is logged in a non-commercial station ? I get the impression (not confirmed) that EVSE connection to the mother ship is part of the commercial arrangement.

 

[SageBrush]

So, a business owner put in a L2 charger

Let's reframe that with a little more clarity: a private L2 EVSE is installed and commercial contract costs/benefits are excluded.

 

[AWDtsla]

<<I will be happy to help you. I am showing only one charger in our system in Montgomery VT and I was able to match it to the address for the Phineas Swann Bed & Breakfast, I went on to your website and there was a picture of the station, and it is indeed a home charging unit.

The above picture is of one of our Level 2 Commercial charging unit, these units starting cost is around 3-5 thousand dollars. Depending on what the station owner is looking, for they can cost much more. The Home charger is still a Level 2 charger, it is just not a commercial Level 2 charger and would not be listed on our map. I apologize for the confusion. >>

So, a business owner put in a L2 charger, but ChargePoint won't put it on their map (even though there isn't much in that area, and an EV drive would love to know they have charging options) because they didn't buy the super-expensive charger with the credit card processor that ensures CP of a revenue stream for the electricity.

It sounds like there are probably more chargers out there at businesses that just can't be found unless you ask the business owner directly. Maybe some apps are more generic (or someone should make a more agnostic EV charger map?).

Expensive, slow, poor app and map support. But for some reason everyone gets them installed, when they could have installed 10x Tesla wall connectors or 100x 240v outlets instead, not including utility upgrades. They must have a really good cold-call sales department or something?

A 100D that arrives at this place could take up to 40 hours to fully charge. Ridiculous.

 

[SageBrush]

Expensive, slow, poor app and map support. But for some reason everyone gets them installed, when they could have installed 10x Tesla wall connectors or 100x 240v outlets instead, not including utility upgrades. They must have a really good cold-call sales department or something?

Clipper Creek sells an L2 EVSE for about $600. I have one at my home and like it a lot. No complaints at all, and I think I am typical. ChargePoint sells a similar product at a similar price.

The commercial ChargePoint product is a different animal and quite a bit more expensive. OP is conflating business owner of a Chargepoint product with purchase of a Chargepoint commercial product.

 

[sdrevik]

Expensive, slow, poor app and map support. But for some reason everyone gets them installed, when they could have installed 10x Tesla wall connectors or 100x 240v outlets instead, not including utility upgrades.

This particular business owner first applied for the Tesla destination charge program. When he found out the program had changed, and that he would bear all of the cost of installation and equipment, he made the extremely obvious decision to put in a charger that could be used for all brands of EV’s, not one proprietary to Tesla. He would have gone Tesla if they had at least offered to pay for the equipment, he would have paid for installation.

 

[sdrevik]

The commercial ChargePoint product is a different animal and quite a bit more expensive. OP is conflating business owner of a Chargepoint product with purchase of a Chargepoint commercial product.

Functionally, to the EV owner, they are the same, Although actually, the non-commercial one is more reliable and likely to be FUNCTIONAL.

The issue here is that CP is charging another $2500 to $3000 to be listed on their web site, with inferior hardware. If they actually cared about their EV clients, they would let a business owner with thteor non-commercial owners be listed. Business owner is not expecting to add new business with this, he’s doing it for the convenience of his guests.