Hello from ChargePoint!

[ChargePoint]

Hey everyone, Team ChargePoint here!

We’ve recently joined the community and we're thrilled to be here taking part in the discussions around EVs!

If you’re not yet familiar with ChargePoint, we’re the world's largest electric vehicle charging network. You’ve probably seen our charging spots around town, but you might not know we offer charging for homes, apartment complexes and condos, too.

We’re here to be a resource to everyone looking for advice, informed opinions, information about EV charging and all the new and exciting things happening in this space.

Looking forward to joining the conversation and can’t wait to meet you all!

- Team ChargePoint

 

[Anonymous]

Did you ever send out service to the charger at Cool Hand Luke's in Paso Robles? As I reported on 7/20th the output was low, coming in to the Bolt EV at 14KWh even though ChargePoint Tech Support said it was going out at 21KWh - too much of a disparity.

And my usual charge of 1.5 hours took 2.5 hours that day and plugshare community reported similar problems in the days before.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Welcome ChargePoint. For starters, I think it would be helpful if you quickly described how your network operates as opposed to say, eVgo. Many people don't know that your stations are owned, and maintained by hosts.

But what I really need to know is info on the uptake of your new high power DC modular QCs. When will they be more widespread?

Here in New England, ChargePoint QCs are still outnumbered by eVgo stations and it'll be good to see a bit more competition.

 

[marshallinwa]

Can you tell us what ChargePoint is doing to get the local supermarkets and drug stores to install your Express 100 chargers so we can use our gas points and rewards credits to charge our cars instead of buying gas.

Has ChargePoint approached the supermarket chains to allow folks to use their gas rewards credits to pay for charging time?

 

[ChargePoint]

Thanks for the welcome everyone!

Did you ever send out service to the charger at Cool Hand Luke's in Paso Robles? As I reported on 7/20th the output was low, coming in to the Bolt EV at 14KWh even though ChargePoint Tech Support said it was going out at 21KWh - too much of a disparity.

And my usual charge of 1.5 hours took 2.5 hours that day and plugshare community reported similar problems in the days before.

@michaellax I'm sorry to hear about that! ChargePoint stations are independently owned and operated, though we do facilitate troubleshooting and repairs for our station owners! So, the best way to receive status updates on an issue you submitted is to reply to the email generated when you submitted the report initially. The support team will then be able to get in touch with you directly - or you can contact them directly using [email protected] to follow up!

Welcome ChargePoint. For starters, I think it would be helpful if you quickly described how your network operates as opposed to say, eVgo. Many people don't know that your stations are owned, and maintained by hosts.

But what I really need to know is info on the uptake of your new high power DC modular QCs. When will they be more widespread?

Here in New England, ChargePoint QCs are still outnumbered by eVgo stations and it'll be good to see a bit more competition.

Thanks @DNAinaGoodWay!
We have more information about DC fast here http://bit.ly/DCfastchargers
We're always adding new Level 2 and DC Fast stations and working to grow the network. Keep an eye on the ChargePoint mobile app for new chargers added in your area!

Yes, stations are owned and maintained by the hosts. The business owners set the pricing their stations, and often the business owners provide charging for free or at a reduced cost because they want to attract customers and employees to their locations.

The ChargePoint mobile app is the best way to find stations and get pricing estimates. You can also filter your search for free stations and never pay to charge. Additionally, there are no time limits on charging sessions.

Can you tell us what ChargePoint is doing to get the local supermarkets and drug stores to install your Express 100 chargers so we can use our gas points and rewards credits to charge our cars instead of buying gas. Has ChargePoint approached the supermarket chains to allow folks to use their gas rewards credits to pay for charging time?

We would love to help get stations near you, and at more supermarkets and drugstores. We ask that drivers request stations where they'd like to see charging options. Just fill out the station request form and we'll try to get in touch with the right people! http://bit.ly/stationrequest

 

[PV1]

We would love to help get stations near you, and at more supermarkets and drugstores. We ask that drivers request stations where they'd like to see charging options. Just fill out the station request form and we'll try to get in touch with the right people! http://bit.ly/stationrequest

Will do. CHAdeMO and CCS seem to be plenty in city centers, but there's almost nothing intercity. We definitely could use some stations along highways between cities. I'll be putting this link to use :lol: .

 

[boltage]

It would be desirable if more of the DCFC in rural areas along major highways were 50 kW instead of 24 kW.

With 50 kW chargers, a road trip would probably be up to 3:1 driving:recharging time ratio, which is faster than the 1.5:1 driving:recharging time ratio that one would get with 24 kW chargers along the way.

 

[marshallinwa]

I've requested my local supermarket chains to allow us to use our gas rewards credit for electric car charging. Does ChargePoint have the ability to assist the local supermarket chains to make that happen?

 

[user 744]

ChargePoint has something called "connections" which are labels attached to your account that can control access and rates for chargers managed by the connection's owner. I don't know if they can actually bill through, or even if the connection owner is notified when the connection is used.

ChargePoint's online tutorials for these things are behind the "owner" firewall, so the details of what's possible are hard to find out.

 

[oilerlord]

We’re here to be a resource to everyone looking for advice, informed opinions, information about EV charging and all the new and exciting things happening in this space.

- Team ChargePoint

As all ChargePoint stations are "host owned", do you see businesses setting them up more as a business opportunity on the charging side, or to attract customers to their main businesses, or because they are being good corporate citizens concerned about the environment? The easy answer is of course "all of the above" - but I'm more interested in hearing about pre-sales inquiries you're getting from businesses, and understanding the host's motivation for purchasing, and installing your products.

I'm also interested in the ROI for the product (if there is one) in terms of the product paying for itself as a stand-alone profit center. If you could run through the business case, and provide supporting numbers, I'd appreciate it.

 

[redpoint5]

I'm also interested in the ROI for the product (if there is one) in terms of the product paying for itself as a stand-alone profit center. If you could run through the business case, and provide supporting numbers, I'd appreciate it.

Oilerlord is contemplating getting into the electron vending service; I love it.

Actually, I'm interested to know this as well. If there was a decent ROI, I'd buy a few.

 

[oilerlord]

Actually, I'm interested to know this as well. If there was a decent ROI, I'd buy a few.

I'm guessing that a turnkey installation for a 50kW charger costs at least $50K + an ongoing service / maintenance contract. I'm also guessing that ChargePoint shares in charging revenue so the business case for getting a charger installed is (mostly) to attract customers to your existing business. That said, I wonder if any of these stations do turn a profit (on their own) for the businesses that installed them. Does ChargePoint pay for the kWh's or does the host?

 

[user 744]

Around here (Boston metro west) many of the free(!) ChargePoint stations (often at restaurants and libraries) are owned by National Grid, which I suppose means that they get a great rate on the juice...

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the welcome everyone!

Did you ever send out service to the charger at Cool Hand Luke's in Paso Robles? As I reported on 7/20th the output was low, coming in to the Bolt EV at 14KWh even though ChargePoint Tech Support said it was going out at 21KWh - too much of a disparity.
And my usual charge of 1.5 hours took 2.5 hours that day and plugshare community reported similar problems in the days before.

@michaellax I'm sorry to hear about that! ChargePoint stations are independently owned and operated, though we do facilitate troubleshooting and repairs for our station owners! So, the best way to receive status updates on an issue you submitted is to reply to the email generated when you submitted the report initially. The support team will then be able to get in touch with you directly - or you can contact them directly using [email protected] to follow up!

Since the RFiD notoriously does not work there, it was a phone call to Tech Support to start the charge and then again to report the slow charge, so no email to follow up on

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

The ChargePoint L2 where I work was funded by the US DOE, but there are are state funding sources and others that ChargePoint can hook you up with. Installation is on the host, and there's a year's contract for operating and tracking, fee remittances if any. I think my employer was paying something like $300/month, but not sure on that. They were loosing money on it as I was the only one using it. Now it's off contract, or "decommissioned ", and it's free, but no longer tracked and I suppose if there was a maintenance provision it's on the host when that happens. Luckily, it still runs great.

L2s are great for work, but QC is needed for travel, and more expensive all around. Seems most of the ChargePoint QCs in New England are CCS, so not much help for my Leaf. Guess I'll use em if the new Leaf is only 40 kWh and I end up getting a Bolt.

 

[SparkE]

I would like to hear from ChargePoint about :

1- Can you tell us when & where the first few "Express Plus" DCFC chargers will be installed ? (For forum members, that is ChargePoint's latest DCFC offering, which is modular and is supposed to be able to *allow* charging at over 150 kW per port - depending on how it was configured).

2- Can you tell us when ChargePoint will start installing the CEC-financed intercity DCFC stations in California? (The award was announced last year, ChargePoint is getting a little over $3.5 million to pay for installation of their portion). I haven't been able to find ANY news about this for the past 6 months.

Links for (2) :
- map of proposed CEC stations :
https://www.google.com/search?q=CEC+bids+fast+charging&oq=CEC+bids+fast+charging+&aqs=chrome..69i57.5995j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

- article discussing the award from the CEC (there are many articles, this is just one) :
http://insideevs.com/california-awards-8-9-million-for-completion-of-fast-charge-corridor/

 

[SparkE]

I would like to hear from ChargePoint about :

1- Can you tell us when & where the first few "Express Plus" DCFC chargers will be installed ? (For forum members, that is ChargePoint's latest DCFC offering, which is modular and is supposed to be able to *allow* charging at over 150 kW per port - depending on how it was configured).

2- Can you tell us when ChargePoint will start installing the CEC-financed intercity DCFC stations in California? (The award was announced last year, ChargePoint is getting a little over $3.5 million to pay for installation of their portion). I haven't been able to find ANY news about this for the past 6 months.

Links for (2) :
- map of proposed CEC stations :
https://www.google.com/search?q=CEC+bids+fast+charging&oq=CEC+bids+fast+charging+&aqs=chrome..69i57.5995j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

- article discussing the award from the CEC (there are many articles, this is just one) :
http://insideevs.com/california-awards-8-9-million-for-completion-of-fast-charge-corridor/

ChargePoint? Can you comment on the two issues I mentioned on Tuesday?

 

[vrpratt]

I'm driving my wife's Bolt from Vancouver BC to Palo Alto CA in a few days time. I'm looking for what Tesla calls "destination chargers" along the way, specifically in the neighborhood of Salem OR and Mt Shasta CA. For the Bolt these would be Level 2 J1772 stations or NEMA 14-50 outlets (for which I have the Jencar EVSE), available for hassle-free overnight parking, within a reasonable walking distance of a hotel or motel.

With that in mind, an attribute of Level 2 stations that would be nice to have in the ChargePoint app's filter would be availability for overnight charging.

 

[scooter123]

Is there a chargpoint coupon to get us started?

 

[Anonymous]

I believe each Bolt EV comes with a ChargePoint RFiD.