Chargers in all the WRONG places and WRONG prices!

[JediMasterBarrett]

I really don't get why Disney doesn't take the initiative here. I'll bet Walt would be all over this. I'll be calling Disney every couple weeks and asking about EV charging. I know they listen. Perhaps they'll do something sooner rather than later. As annual passholders, it would be one more perk.

[Ladogaboy]

I've noticed this same problem here in Los Angeles. About the only places I've seen that do it right at the moment are in Santa Monica, and even then, it is a stretch. This issue is very complex, and to me, there are several areas that need to be addressed.

I agree with the idea of work locations being the logical next step after home charging. Corporate businesses are already receiving benefits from going green, and some businesses are actually giving perks to workers who buy environmentally-conscious vehicles for commuting. For those businesses, the chargers will definitely be a cost center, but they can be looked at as an additional employee benefit.

I also think that one area overlooked in this thread is apartment complexes, and, to me, these should be a higher priority than public-access charging. Much like businesses, property managers are also being pushed to go green, and making charging stations available to residents would be a big step forward. Having accessible charging stations would increase the value of the apartments to prospective renters, and in a different way than businesses, these apartment complexes can offset much of the cost by charging for these premium, EV spots. $30-40/month for access to prime parking locations and EV charging isn't unreasonable. Also, providing residents with an actual account means that, even BEVs that take much more electricity will be charged commensurate with their electricity usage.

For retail businesses, installing charging stations really is a loss leader. You'll never get EV drivers (other than the desperate) to use the charging stations at a rate that would pay for the stations in a reasonable amount of time. That means, as a business owner, you'd need to assess how much business you'd actually need to draw from EV drivers in order allow cheap access and still pay for the installation of the chargers. At the end of the day, if the availability of chargers doesn't draw customers in, it won't be worth it for most business owners to make chargers available.

And in terms of cost of charging, I think that we, in the Volt community, are at a pretty big disadvantage. The limitations of the 3.3 kW charger mean that, at many charging locations, that we'll get half the charge that a Leaf will get in the same period of paid parking. So, if a Leaf owner is paying the equivalent of gas prices to recharge, we are likely paying double, which just isn't worth it.

[mrtremere]

Money makes the world go round. I don't see business setting these up for free.

[mikeg3]

I think that some large organizations like Disney still think that EVSE's are political statements.

We may do better after the election or the next terrorist attack, whichever comes first.

[Ladogaboy]

Money makes the world go round. I don't see business setting these up for free.

That's why I said it would have to be a loss leader. But we have a chicken/egg scenario because, right now, there aren't enough EVs on the road. Why would a theme park put in EV charging stations? People are going to go regardless, and most people who go still have access to an ICE car or EREV. If available charging was the deciding factor on whether people travel to certain locations, then we would see more chargers going up.

[Norlea]

Charging while at work, even with just a standard 110v outlet is priceless toward educating the public. When people ask about your electric car, being able to say I drive 60 miles a day and had to stop for gas three months ago because I was going to visit my sister in Ohio, provides a very unique and simple answer that no other vehicle has every been able to provide. The response is always positive and generates more interest.
In my opinion, it’s a valuable promotional point that’s not being used to promote the VOLT.

[Ron C]

This is a textbook example of the network effect. Further, I see a lot of comments here all in favor of spending other people's money. Indeed, there was a list of businesses that should spend more money to make your life more convenient. Ultimately that list may be right (and right for the right reasons) but you can't spend their money for them.

I'm not criticizing per se, rather I'm trying to put you in their shoes. Consider these questions that a business owner might ask in regards to the installation of and charging for a L2 EVSE:

• Overall cost - both initial capital outlay as well as on-going expenses. These are fairly easily quantifiable.
• Overall benefit - this is the part that is problematic. Consider these sub-questions:
  • How much direct revenue is attributable to the presence of an EVSE?
  • How much indirect revenue is attributable to the presence of an EVSE? By this, I mean additional sales because someone showed up due directly to the availability of the EVSE.
• Other considerations - try some of these on for size:
  • Does my business take on any new risks or liabilities because of this? For example, if I charge too much will people start writing negative comments about my business that they wouldn't do if I had not even installed the EVSE. Will I cause current customers to go elsewhere? Is it too hot politically?
  • Can I ask my neighbors to share in the costs & benefits of the EVSE? (they will have the same questions, I would expect.)
  • Does it really matter? [here's the network effect in play] How many EVs are there in my area? Will those people shop here anyways? (Think Disney World) Are they going to my competitors because they have an EVSE and I don't?
  • Is this a fad or the beginning of the next best thing since the wheel?

This is after thinking for 3 minutes, and I don't make decisions for my business. Think what else could come up that would result in the situation we have now.

Finally, this lack of EVSEs is a cost of being an early adopter. Heck, it might turn out that the J1772 connector is obsolete and we don't know it yet. Then we're all screwed...

[Ladogaboy]

I pick the movie theater based on charge station access, driving up to an extra 10 miles each way which is break even.

At that point, I think the next course of action is to contact competing movie theaters that are closer in order to let them know that the reason you are patronizing a rival is because they provide EV recharging. Maybe we should all be doing that in similar situations. Put hegemony to work in a good way.

[richardw0000]

I went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner the other day specifically because they had a free EVSE.

[drbruns]

I went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner the other day specifically because they had a free EVSE.

Did you tell them the reason you patronized their establishment?