plj
Active member
I successfully charged at a Recargo station in Prunedale Nov 20th. Nice to cruise up to six (6!) chargers.paulgipe said:
I look forward to them installing more along 101.
(Generic) news of DCFC in Calif
- Thread starter plj
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Help Support Chevy Bolt EV Forum:
I look forward to them installing more along 101.
{{ Edited by mod to remove all the "this is the wrong thread" stuff - and this post has been moved to a more appropriate thread. }}
{...} As long as we are off topic, did the promised “by end of October” DCFCs open on Interstate-5 north of the Grapevine?
{...} As long as we are off topic, did the promised “by end of October” DCFCs open on Interstate-5 north of the Grapevine?
SparkE
Well-known member
(I will be moving some posts here out of other threads.) (said posts may appear above or below this one, due to forum software.)
keijidosha
Well-known member
The 6 Recargo CCS/CHAdeMO 175kW DC Fast Chargers at the Prunedale Shopping Center off the 101 freeway show active with Jag I-Pace reporting 84kW and Chevy Bolt 52kW peak charger rates (vehicle limited).
https://www.plugshare.com/location/163319
https://www.plugshare.com/location/163319
SparkE
Well-known member
The first Caltrans site (rest area) quietly went live less than a month ago. It is FREE, solar powered (so careful about depending upon it at night) and about halfway between Salinas and Pismo Beach. Technically, there are two : one in the southbound rest area, and one in the northbound.
Camp Roberts Southbound Rest Area,
Bradley Rd, Bradley, CA 93426,
Camp Roberts Southbound Rest Area,
Bradley Rd, Bradley, CA 93426,
SparkE
Well-known member
A couple of weeks ago, the EA site at the Great Mall in Milpitas went live. Plugshare says 2 units, EA site says 4 plugs. The chargers are "150 kW".
SparkE
Well-known member
Oh, and a 3-unit ChargePoint install went live last month down near where I-5 and CA-99 meet (Wheeler Ridge, mailing address Lebec) at the Denny's. They are the 125A (50 kW) Tritium Veefil units.
(Edit: Correction: have NO idea why I originally typed "Buttonwillow" - chargers are in Wheeler Ridge.)
The distance from there (North) to the 3 CP units at Coalinga is about 130 miles, and the next station at Gustine is about 100 miles north of that.
Theres a 4-unit EA site in Patterson ( app 35 miles N of Gustine on CA-33)
Theres a 3-unit ChPoint site in Stockton ( 60 miles N of Gustine)
OR you could slip over to CA-99 at either Manteca or Stocken and use any of a bunch of DCFCs from EA, CP, EVgo, or even Greenlots between Manteca and Sacramento. The northernmost DCFC (before getting near the congestion of downtown is at 6051 Florin Rd, Sacramento just off CA-99, and is 105 miles N of Gustine.
With the opening of the CP site in Buttonwillow/Lebec, EV travel on I-5 is now a breeze, with multiple plugs and redundant stops for much (but not yet all) of the trip between Bay Area/Sacramento and LA/San Diego. And it is only going to get better, as there are multiple ChargePoint and EA sites planned but not yet open on I-5 between Valencia/Santa Clarita and Tracy (and Stockton).
(Edit: Correction: have NO idea why I originally typed "Buttonwillow" - chargers are in Wheeler Ridge.)
The distance from there (North) to the 3 CP units at Coalinga is about 130 miles, and the next station at Gustine is about 100 miles north of that.
Theres a 4-unit EA site in Patterson ( app 35 miles N of Gustine on CA-33)
Theres a 3-unit ChPoint site in Stockton ( 60 miles N of Gustine)
OR you could slip over to CA-99 at either Manteca or Stocken and use any of a bunch of DCFCs from EA, CP, EVgo, or even Greenlots between Manteca and Sacramento. The northernmost DCFC (before getting near the congestion of downtown is at 6051 Florin Rd, Sacramento just off CA-99, and is 105 miles N of Gustine.
With the opening of the CP site in Buttonwillow/Lebec, EV travel on I-5 is now a breeze, with multiple plugs and redundant stops for much (but not yet all) of the trip between Bay Area/Sacramento and LA/San Diego. And it is only going to get better, as there are multiple ChargePoint and EA sites planned but not yet open on I-5 between Valencia/Santa Clarita and Tracy (and Stockton).
According to PlugShare and EV Connect, Pismo Beach City Hall is live with one 50 kW station. There are no check-ins but the station appears on both web sites.
https://www.plugshare.com/location/212650
And for those who follow this closely, it appears that the "coming soon" EA station in Paso Robels is now in town on Spring St at the Bank of America according to PlugShare.
https://www.plugshare.com/location/193091
I have not confirmed either site.
Paul
https://www.plugshare.com/location/212650
And for those who follow this closely, it appears that the "coming soon" EA station in Paso Robels is now in town on Spring St at the Bank of America according to PlugShare.
https://www.plugshare.com/location/193091
I have not confirmed either site.
Paul
SparkE
Well-known member
Mid- (ish) 2020 update :
Thanks to (just) Electrify America, one can now travel in a Bolt from Tijuana (well, Chula Vista just N of there) all the way up CA to Sacramento along either I-5 or CA99 to Sacramento, then up to Yreka, and then all the way through OR and WA into Canada, using I-5. (By "just EA", I meant that you wouldn't have to use any other company's DCFCs, not that other companies haven't also been building out.)
Also, from Chula Vista (actually, most of CA) to Las Vegas, and then Salt Lake City (and further).
Also, from Chula Vista (actually, most of CA) to Reno, and then Elko (but there's a hole, so you can't make it to SLC on I-80 without stopping somewhere and use someone else's charger).
Also, from Chula Vista (actually, most of CA) to Yuma (using I-8) to Phoenix, or Tucson and then (I *think*) all the way into NM and TX using I-10).
Also, (theoretically) from Chula Vista up the coast along US-101 all the way to Crescent City and then into Oregon. I say "theoretically, because there are two stretches that are "theoretically" doable with the Bolt's range (but I wouldn't chance it - I'd stop somewhere in the middle for a "safety charge" at some other vendor).
If, that is, one has NO problems getting their chargers to work, en route - which isn't always possible.
ChargePoint (CP) also has a rather extensive network in the state now, having added a significant number of DCFC units in the past 18 months along major routes. *most* of the above routes are fairly well covered by ChargePoint, BUT generally only in CA. Once you leave the state, good luck. Also, there are a lot of Single DCFC CP sites, *some* 2-unit sites, and some 3-unit sites. CP is starting to install 4-unit sites, but there are not many out there at the moment. There are also older (single!) 24 kW units out there, and a lot of single 50 kW (125A) sites. So use the "minimum power" filter in plugshare to filter out those 24 kW units for planning, then add them back in to find your "emergency back up spots" in areas that don't have any other visible DCFCs. Be aware that there are some "holes" in their travel network.
EVgo also has a rather extensive network in the state now, having added a significant number of DCFC units in the past 18-24 months along major routes. *most* of the above routes are fairly well covered by ChargePoint, BUT generally only in CA, after that you get "concentrations" inside some major cities. You can't really use their network exclusively to get there (just like ChargePoint). There are quite a few holes. On I-5, for example: nothing north of Corning in NorCal, virtually nothing S of Sacramento (on I-5) until you get to Santa Clarita (although the alternate route, CA-99, has quite a few EVgo sites). The entire SF Bay Area, to Sacramento then Reno, and into the central Valley to go south is also well covered. You *can* get to Las Vegas, but if just one of their sites is down you have to use another network (not true of CP or EA) - there are multiple sites from other vendors along the corridor. All around San Diego/Los Angeles/Palm Springs is well covered, and US-101 from LA to Santa Rosa is also well covered except that San Luis Obispo is a single point of failure (but nothing north of Santa Rosa). There are quite a few *other* network's chargers along that route, however. (Actually, along all the routes I mentioned as having holes.)
Bad News : US-395 in the eastern sierras is still very poorly served by everyone except Tesla. Once another DCFC site (hopefully with a min of 4 units) opens between Bishop and Mojave it will be (theoretically) possible to travel from Las Vegas or Los Angeles or Bakersfield all the way to Reno on US-395. I say theoretically because it will still be a long string of "single point of failure" sites until you get to Lake Tahoe. I believe that currently only EA (and CalTrans "30-30") are planning on installing *any* DCFC sites between Mojave and Tahoe on US-395. And I know of *NO* DCFCs planned currently along 'Northern' US-395 (between Reno and OR). I think that is a shame : Susanville would have been a perfect choice, with another in Alturas, would have opened up that entire recreational area to people coming in from the south (Reno or Sacramento) or the west (Mt Shasta, Redding, Red Bluff, Chico) and via "the west" cities, anyone driving in from Oregon or in from the coast (or San Francisco). Ah, well, tourism be damned.
If I were going to travel "long" distances (>200 miles round-trip) along freeway routes, I would definitely get a membership with EA for the trip - it is free ("Pass"). Heck, if I thought I'd use it ONCE, I'd get a paid subscription to EA ("Pass+") : $4 a month and gives you lower per-minute charges AND waives the connection fee. So if you use it once during your trip, you should more than break even (waive $1 charge, and 7 cents / min difference is 43 mins to break even). And $4 is a really, really cheap travel insurance policy (as in "oops, I almost ran out of electrons and my wife is glaring at me because we are now stuck at this L2 for 3 hours with hungry, screaming kids in the back seat"
). It *used* to be that you could cancel at any time and not have to remain a member for a full year: check with them about that. Also, download their FREE mobile app, to find closest station, whether or not it is available, and to start and monitor your charging. You don't HAVE to be a paid member to use their stations. But sign up and download the app to your phone - it gives you more options to start charging and find chargers.
Most of the above account info is more or less true of EVgo and ChargePoint as well. Join for free, download their phone app so you can use their chargers while on the trip. It gives you access to (what I believe are) the three largest DCFC networks in the state of CA.
EA should be the cheapest option at the moment in CA (unless you can find free charging ). 18 cents/min (for the pay sub) and the vast majority of their chargers will charge the Bolt at its max charge speed (depending on temperature, state of charge, etc) as most of them are 350A or higher (150 kW or 350 kW). EVgo has a *lot* of 100A units (~38 kW on the Bolt), and EVgo's per-minute rate is generally higher than EA if you compare paid-to-paid, and unpaid-to-unpaid plans (although EVgo doesn't have a connection charge for the free plan, and their $10 mo plan includes $10 of DCFC charging - so if you use "about" $10 of DCFC every month, the EVgo plan is probably better). However, if you are using one of EVgo's 100A units, you are paying more per kWh (since the car charges more slowly and you pay per minute). ChargePoint in the past owned virtually none of the chargers they installed - they sold the unit, installed it, and it was up to the owner to set the fees. Most of the older units are this way. Many, many of the DCFCs installed along travel corridors in the past 18 months are owned by ChargePoint and the rate is generally $0.25/kWh PLUS $0.10/min. That makes it (possibly) more expensive than EVgo - depending on how full your battery is, or how full you want to charge it, since the car charges more and more slowly as the battery fills up, and with CP you are paying by kWh and a much smaller per-minute charge. (Once you hit about 50%, the car only charges at 100A anyways, so the "speed" of the DCC doesn't matter as much above 55% if you are paying only a per-minute rate.)
Frankly, the three networks are pretty complementary, in that they often overlap so that one site being down won't strand you. Drive 5 or 25 miles to another vendor's site.
And, as always, it really doesn't matter how expensive a charge is if you REALLY, REALLY need to charge. I'd rather pay twice my "normal" price and not be stranded, personally.
Thanks to (just) Electrify America, one can now travel in a Bolt from Tijuana (well, Chula Vista just N of there) all the way up CA to Sacramento along either I-5 or CA99 to Sacramento, then up to Yreka, and then all the way through OR and WA into Canada, using I-5. (By "just EA", I meant that you wouldn't have to use any other company's DCFCs, not that other companies haven't also been building out.)
Also, from Chula Vista (actually, most of CA) to Las Vegas, and then Salt Lake City (and further).
Also, from Chula Vista (actually, most of CA) to Reno, and then Elko (but there's a hole, so you can't make it to SLC on I-80 without stopping somewhere and use someone else's charger).
Also, from Chula Vista (actually, most of CA) to Yuma (using I-8) to Phoenix, or Tucson and then (I *think*) all the way into NM and TX using I-10).
Also, (theoretically) from Chula Vista up the coast along US-101 all the way to Crescent City and then into Oregon. I say "theoretically, because there are two stretches that are "theoretically" doable with the Bolt's range (but I wouldn't chance it - I'd stop somewhere in the middle for a "safety charge" at some other vendor).
If, that is, one has NO problems getting their chargers to work, en route - which isn't always possible.
ChargePoint (CP) also has a rather extensive network in the state now, having added a significant number of DCFC units in the past 18 months along major routes. *most* of the above routes are fairly well covered by ChargePoint, BUT generally only in CA. Once you leave the state, good luck. Also, there are a lot of Single DCFC CP sites, *some* 2-unit sites, and some 3-unit sites. CP is starting to install 4-unit sites, but there are not many out there at the moment. There are also older (single!) 24 kW units out there, and a lot of single 50 kW (125A) sites. So use the "minimum power" filter in plugshare to filter out those 24 kW units for planning, then add them back in to find your "emergency back up spots" in areas that don't have any other visible DCFCs. Be aware that there are some "holes" in their travel network.
EVgo also has a rather extensive network in the state now, having added a significant number of DCFC units in the past 18-24 months along major routes. *most* of the above routes are fairly well covered by ChargePoint, BUT generally only in CA, after that you get "concentrations" inside some major cities. You can't really use their network exclusively to get there (just like ChargePoint). There are quite a few holes. On I-5, for example: nothing north of Corning in NorCal, virtually nothing S of Sacramento (on I-5) until you get to Santa Clarita (although the alternate route, CA-99, has quite a few EVgo sites). The entire SF Bay Area, to Sacramento then Reno, and into the central Valley to go south is also well covered. You *can* get to Las Vegas, but if just one of their sites is down you have to use another network (not true of CP or EA) - there are multiple sites from other vendors along the corridor. All around San Diego/Los Angeles/Palm Springs is well covered, and US-101 from LA to Santa Rosa is also well covered except that San Luis Obispo is a single point of failure (but nothing north of Santa Rosa). There are quite a few *other* network's chargers along that route, however. (Actually, along all the routes I mentioned as having holes.)
Bad News : US-395 in the eastern sierras is still very poorly served by everyone except Tesla. Once another DCFC site (hopefully with a min of 4 units) opens between Bishop and Mojave it will be (theoretically) possible to travel from Las Vegas or Los Angeles or Bakersfield all the way to Reno on US-395. I say theoretically because it will still be a long string of "single point of failure" sites until you get to Lake Tahoe. I believe that currently only EA (and CalTrans "30-30") are planning on installing *any* DCFC sites between Mojave and Tahoe on US-395. And I know of *NO* DCFCs planned currently along 'Northern' US-395 (between Reno and OR). I think that is a shame : Susanville would have been a perfect choice, with another in Alturas, would have opened up that entire recreational area to people coming in from the south (Reno or Sacramento) or the west (Mt Shasta, Redding, Red Bluff, Chico) and via "the west" cities, anyone driving in from Oregon or in from the coast (or San Francisco). Ah, well, tourism be damned.
If I were going to travel "long" distances (>200 miles round-trip) along freeway routes, I would definitely get a membership with EA for the trip - it is free ("Pass"). Heck, if I thought I'd use it ONCE, I'd get a paid subscription to EA ("Pass+") : $4 a month and gives you lower per-minute charges AND waives the connection fee. So if you use it once during your trip, you should more than break even (waive $1 charge, and 7 cents / min difference is 43 mins to break even). And $4 is a really, really cheap travel insurance policy (as in "oops, I almost ran out of electrons and my wife is glaring at me because we are now stuck at this L2 for 3 hours with hungry, screaming kids in the back seat"
). It *used* to be that you could cancel at any time and not have to remain a member for a full year: check with them about that. Also, download their FREE mobile app, to find closest station, whether or not it is available, and to start and monitor your charging. You don't HAVE to be a paid member to use their stations. But sign up and download the app to your phone - it gives you more options to start charging and find chargers.Most of the above account info is more or less true of EVgo and ChargePoint as well. Join for free, download their phone app so you can use their chargers while on the trip. It gives you access to (what I believe are) the three largest DCFC networks in the state of CA.
EA should be the cheapest option at the moment in CA (unless you can find free charging
). 18 cents/min (for the pay sub) and the vast majority of their chargers will charge the Bolt at its max charge speed (depending on temperature, state of charge, etc) as most of them are 350A or higher (150 kW or 350 kW). EVgo has a *lot* of 100A units (~38 kW on the Bolt), and EVgo's per-minute rate is generally higher than EA if you compare paid-to-paid, and unpaid-to-unpaid plans (although EVgo doesn't have a connection charge for the free plan, and their $10 mo plan includes $10 of DCFC charging - so if you use "about" $10 of DCFC every month, the EVgo plan is probably better). However, if you are using one of EVgo's 100A units, you are paying more per kWh (since the car charges more slowly and you pay per minute). ChargePoint in the past owned virtually none of the chargers they installed - they sold the unit, installed it, and it was up to the owner to set the fees. Most of the older units are this way. Many, many of the DCFCs installed along travel corridors in the past 18 months are owned by ChargePoint and the rate is generally $0.25/kWh PLUS $0.10/min. That makes it (possibly) more expensive than EVgo - depending on how full your battery is, or how full you want to charge it, since the car charges more and more slowly as the battery fills up, and with CP you are paying by kWh and a much smaller per-minute charge. (Once you hit about 50%, the car only charges at 100A anyways, so the "speed" of the DCC doesn't matter as much above 55% if you are paying only a per-minute rate.)Frankly, the three networks are pretty complementary, in that they often overlap so that one site being down won't strand you. Drive 5 or 25 miles to another vendor's site.
And, as always, it really doesn't matter how expensive a charge is if you REALLY, REALLY need to charge. I'd rather pay twice my "normal" price and not be stranded, personally.
Thanks for the comprehensive report.
Yes 395 is still a barrier though we can't get any where we'd need to stay overnight until the lockdown is lifted.
Paul
Yes 395 is still a barrier though we can't get any where we'd need to stay overnight until the lockdown is lifted.
Paul
theothertom
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2018
- Messages
- 183
I think News Coulomb (Eric Way) just did that....SparkE said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvywO_y2q_8
SparkE
Well-known member
I'm not going to watch a 25 minute video of a guy talking to himself in a car to find out. For anybody that watched it :
- did he do it, yes or no?
- if he did, how did he bridge the gap between Bishop and Mojave? Did he stop at an L-2 for a while? Or did he just drive slowly?
As an aside, if you want to drive Reno-LA, you can drive through CA using I-80 to I-5 (or CA-99) *OR* you an drive through NV using US-95. The problem with the US-95 route in NV is that almost all of the sites before you get close to Las Vega are single-unit sites.
- did he do it, yes or no?
- if he did, how did he bridge the gap between Bishop and Mojave? Did he stop at an L-2 for a while? Or did he just drive slowly?
As an aside, if you want to drive Reno-LA, you can drive through CA using I-80 to I-5 (or CA-99) *OR* you an drive through NV using US-95. The problem with the US-95 route in NV is that almost all of the sites before you get close to Las Vega are single-unit sites.
theothertom
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2018
- Messages
- 183
Yes, he made it. He said it was ~175miles from Bishop to Mojave. He charged to 85% in Bishop, drove at 65-70mph, and arrived at Mojave with 5% battery.
cwerdna
Well-known member
For those who https://drivethearc.com/ territory (basically between Monterey and Lake Tahoe), they extended their 100% promo ticket offer and apparently have done it (quietly) to CCS users. Previously, that offer was for CHAdeMO users only.
I posted about my experience at https://www.chevybolt.org/threads/calif-dcfc-info-and-or-news.30575/page-17#post-545551.
Big thank you to a couple guys on Bolt FB groups who mentioned it. I wouldn't have known.
I posted about my experience at https://www.chevybolt.org/threads/calif-dcfc-info-and-or-news.30575/page-17#post-545551.
Big thank you to a couple guys on Bolt FB groups who mentioned it. I wouldn't have known.
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