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Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Tideland Prius, Apr 14, 2018.

  1. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    thanks, i added superchargers, and it makes more sense.
     
  2. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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  3. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    And that can site be woefully out of date, unfortunately. really need to confirm if you're not familiar with each station. Two of the three nearby "free" L2 J1772 chargers in my area didn't exist when I went looking for them, and were on the map for more than a year following their demise.
     
  4. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    My habit is to look for a recent charge posting. Sometimes they break and the comments let us know it isn't worth the trip.

    Bob Wilson
     
  5. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    Like Bob said, you can click on the icon and see if it's there and working by the posts and photos.
     
  6. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    I've seen a gas pump (or 8 out of 20) out of service but almost never do I see an entire station's pumps out. And if they are, there is often a station across the street. That is the level of charger density we have to get to before it becomes as convenient for most people to switch. And then there is the beta/vhs thing. How many times a day do you see a charger-availability sign as you drive compared to the gas station signs that are everywhere you look? You talk about looking up on an app or screen to find a place to recharge. I'm solo driving 90% of my trips and I don't want to have to stop (the safe way to look) when the alternative is just to look around me. In my little town there are 45 gas stations, one public charge point. No signs. When I can drive up I-95 and see signs for my kind of charger on 40 foot poles at every other exit we will have arrived.
     
  7. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    More often than I see gas stations :)
     
  8. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    You can set up charging stations on a smartphone and/or navigation.
     
  9. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    not necessarily ..... I just solved that problem for me when driving our 50mile/short range ev. My solution adds about ⅓ more potential chargers on most any route i might take;
    2018-04-18 04.58.26.jpg
    Bought this slick adapter for the Tesla wall charger from an EE up near the San Francisco Bay. These Tesla wall Chargers are often available at a substantial amount of hotels now days (& the Tesla wall chargers are free). Just last week I had to stay overnight up at a hotel nearly 50 miles away, & this adapter meant I didn't have to charge somewhere else on the way up, or on the way back home.

    This adapter also means i can sell our older/lower powered aerovironment EVSE & just use our Tesla wall charger at home, on any plugin. So, if any one of the manufacturers ever builds a L2 plugin hybrid vehicle that can suck down up to 17 kW's, we'll be future proof'ed - & good to go.

    man .... that's a serious case of, "glass is only half full" syndrome goin' on there. Let me try my hand at being Mr huge insurmountable problem solver .... how about planning that trip ahead of time, so you've looked up where the chargers are right along route, so you already know.
    ;)
    .
     
    #49 hill, Apr 21, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2018
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    not on the east coast.:unsure:
     
  11. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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  12. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    I was going to bring that up, but I figured it was too obvious. :D
     
  13. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    Maybe if you live in CA you have a different perspective because of the number of charging stations you have. We don't.

    I see one physical charger available sign (or whatever it says) between me and DC (my most common out of battery range destination) roughly 250 miles away. 2 charging stations in town with at least one at a dealer and restricted.

    With a hybrid I car almost always refuel any time I want within the next 30 miles and always make a pit stop where that is (and not have to sneak into a Starbucks). Important when you are my age and/or have grandkids in the car.

    I can accept a 100 mile out of my way reroute into back roads due to storm damage and not worry about fuel planning. I can veer off my normal route when traffic gets too bad. If I get really stuck in a traffic jam for hours in the summer, I don't have to turn off the AC to conserve the battery. (All real examples that actually happened to me within the last 2 years).

    And after every significant trip I've taken in the last three years when I looked up charging stations, they either weren't where they would need to be or were so out of the way at my destination that it would be an unacceptable hassle. When you are in the Eastern US, sometimes there is really only one direct high speed route between cities and yet off that route you still have gas refuel options.

    So the short answer is "because I don't want to have to plan my refueling to the degree currently necessary".
     
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  14. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    This isn't really an issue for DC chargers as different media formats are. I have a couple HD DVDs lying around that can't be played in a BluRay player. The cost for a second plug with necessary software/circuitry on a fast DC charger is tiny compared to the charger and installation.

    At this point, the only DC chargers being built that can't accept the both plugs are the ones at car dealers.
     
  15. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    Mike, the east coast, in general, has tons of chargers.
    Please note, I am not arguing that a bev works for you. I am just saying your broad brush statement about the east coast not having many chargers is false.
    Your local may not, but in general there are tons of them. Check it out on plugshare.com.

    For me, we started taking vacations with our bev in 2013.
    I spent little time or effort planning out our charging. I actually spent more time researching and planning out our hotel stops than Chargers.

    I live in Minnesota. While the west coast does have the most chargers, the east coast follows. If you want to see a lack of chargers, come out to the Midwest :p
     
    markabele and bwilson4web like this.