Hello from ChargePoint!

[Pigwich]

Hey, I get your frustration with all the apps, there's a lot of garbage out there, but I'd be a lot more worried about games and social stuff from no-name developers than a company with actual physical assets. Not to say that larger companies haven't had problems either. At the same time, don't forget about Bubba down at the filling station that skims your card when you fill up. That happens daily. In reality, chargepoint probably uses the same payment processor company as many of your other payments, so it's probably no less secure. I can't speak for them, but I wouldn't want to have anybody's credit card on my servers. Leave that to the bank. And about the banks... Having a balance with chargepoint is better in regards to fees. Everybody's fee agreement is different, but the bank always makes out, whether it's a per transaction fee, which can be DOLLARS in some cases, or percentages. And with charging fees being so
low, the company racks up a LOT of $2 transactions. Sufficee to say, the more your times a card gets "swiped" the more the customer and the store are getting hosed. It's in everybody's best interests to minimize the number of transactions. As for chargepoint, or any other vendor, they all do their best to save as much money as possible and there just might be some potential what if kind of evils in there. And unfortunately, if you want to drive cross country, you need to buy "fuel". It is what it is.

 

[JerryBob]

Thank you ChargePoint for answering my question. If I understood it correctly it was: Sign up for the app, give us access to bill your credit card as much as we want, good luck with the privacy information, non-negotiable. Pigwich says to accept it as it is. If it works for you Pigwich then great. I tend to think I am the customer, and no the customer is not always right, but I don't see how this is a great business model for me. I see how it is great for ChargePoint to prebill you for services not yet rendered. Do I need an app connected to my credit card to buy gas for my ICE car? Replace the tires? Get it serviced? Buy groceries? Pay bills? Anything but some public EV charging? No, those businesses realize that different people have different ways they are comfortable paying for things and make allowance for it. Thanks anyway ChargePoint.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

If it works for you Pigwich then great. I tend to think I am the customer, and no the customer is not always right, but I don't see how this is a great business model for me. I see how it is great for ChargePoint to prebill you for services not yet rendered.

To recapitulate, carrying a balance allows them to make fewer credit card charges, incurring fewer fees. This helps you because, believe it or not, it's always the customer who pays those fees. If they instead took a credit card fee every transaction, they would have to increase their rates to make up the extra money. In other words, the benefit to you is lower rates.

If that does not work for you, there are other networks out there.

Do I need an app connected to my credit card to buy gas for my ICE car? Replace the tires? Get it serviced? Buy groceries? Pay bills? Anything but some public EV charging? No, those businesses realize that different people have different ways they are comfortable paying for things and make allowance for it.

Those transactions are also a much higher cost each. This makes the fees a smaller percentage of revenue. They simply hide it better. FYI, more and more gas stations have been charging a higher price for CC than Cash.

 

[JerryBob]

Gas stations charge a higher fee for credit over cash because they are the only business that can legally add the credit card charge cost back on the customer. If ChargePoint works for you then keep on with it. I just had a nightmare of everybody taking the same business model. Wake up on Saturday and take the wife and kids to IHOP for breakfast. Can't eat here unless you sign up for our app and have a balance of $50 which we will refill after you leave. Stop at IKEA for furniture shopping. Can't shop here until you sign up for our app and have a standing balance on your credit card we will top back up for your convenience. Home Depot for some flowers for the garden. Not until you have the app and a balance. Let's stop for lunch at McDonalds, did you remember to sign up for the app honey? Sorry we can't because our card is maxed out with standing balances so we have to go to a Taco Bell because we have their app.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

reductio ad absurdum

 

[JerryBob]

"It is easier to fool someone than it is to convince them they have been fooled."

 

[BoltEV]

In October of 2018 where can I expect to find your DCFC’s on Interstate 5?

 

[ChargePoint]

In October of 2018 where can I expect to find your DCFC’s on Interstate 5?

Hi!
The information we're able to share publicly is included in our previous post, however, as soon as I have an update for you with specifics I'll happily update everyone on this thread!

I'm going to quote our previous update on DCFC below, for anyone else viewing the thread, because it is a few pages back and can be challenging to find.

Many of you saw the news about the ChargePoint Express Plus (delivering up to 400 kW per port) on InsideEV or CleanTechnica.

https://insideevs.com/chargepoint-express-plus-debuts-offers-industry-high-400-kw-dc-fast-charging/
https://cleantechnica.com/2017/01/18/unpacking-the-new-chargepoint-express-plus-family/


I'm happy to share that we have a quick update regarding DCFC!

We haven't released very much information publicly yet, however, I'm able to share a just a few details that might help to answer questions you've all asked us here in the past!

We are actively engineering all of our I-5 sites, including the necessary site and utility design work. This is a key part of getting stations installed that are reliable and accessible to all EV drivers.

We expect all ChargePoint stations on I-5 to be active by October 2018!

ChargePoint will be installing chargers in more than 70+ sites in California this year. There will be a mix of chargers at each site, for example, 1 or 2 DC Fast Chargers & 1 Level 2 AC chargers, including the ChargePoint Express 200, Express 250, Express Plus, and the CT4000. You can find details on these stations here (http://bit.ly/2vVa8lL). In total, we will be installing 100+ DC Fast charging stations and 70+ Level 2 chargers.

The major funding source is CEC grants with additional funds contributed by ChargePoint and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. The stations are also part of the West Coast Electric Highway Initiative (http://bit.ly/2HQ4p4e) which involves participation from multiple state agencies.

That's it for now, though as always, we'll share more with the community when we have new updates or more details available!

 

[ibedonc]

what about Austin Texas ? for fast chargers

 

[SparkE]

what about Austin Texas ? for fast chargers

Folks, ChargePoint is an EVSE and DCFC sales, installation, and networking company - they rarely *own* the stations themselves. Somebody else has to agree to pay for it. So if you want a DCFC installation near you, try to convince somebody it would be a good idea for THEM; maybe talk to the city or county govt, or a large institution. There used to be a large Apple facility in Austin - maybe there still is. If so, try convincing them to put in a DCFC station for their employees (free use) and for the community (who pay). Great PR for them.

The DCFC stations going in along I5 in California are being "incentivized" by a CA govt org called CEC. I don't know if they are paying the entire cost or not, but well over a 8 million dollars is being paid out. The CEC selected the sites, which you can find here (interactive google map):

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1VEJLK0-wcAhWV8Q0MirTLULd5mg&ll=37.8195735374153%2C-119.38891739999997&z=7

What I found surprising is that *somebody* is keeping the map up-to-date, and the new(-ish) EVgo stations to get to N lake Tahoe and Reno have been added to the map, as well as the new "30-30" category (which is CalTrans, the govt org that maintains state highways, and separate from CEC).

 

[SparkE]

BTW, there are already several DCFC stations in and near Austin - some of which are free. Use plugshare.com to find them.

 

[ChargePoint]

what about Austin Texas ? for fast chargers

The DCFC stations going in along I5 in California are being "incentivized" by a CA govt org called CEC. I don't know if they are paying the entire cost or not, but well over a 8 million dollars is being paid out. The CEC selected the sites, which you can find here (interactive google map):

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1VEJLK0-wcAhWV8Q0MirTLULd5mg&ll=37.8195735374153%2C-119.38891739999997&z=7

What I found surprising is that *somebody* is keeping the map up-to-date, and the new(-ish) EVgo stations to get to N lake Tahoe and Reno have been added to the map, as well as the new "30-30" category (which is CalTrans, the govt org that maintains state highways, and separate from CEC).

Great resource, thank you for sharing that!

 

[ChargePoint]

what about Austin Texas ? for fast chargers

In addition to Sparks suggestions, you can also request stations on our website: https://www.chargepoint.com/drivers/request/

 

[ChargePoint]

Things have changed a lot since 2010. ChargePoint now has more than 50,000 charging spots. EV drivers plug into our network every 2 seconds and charge more than 1 million times per month. We’re excited to be fueling the future!

 

[gpsman]

ChargePoint-

Why oh why are you ENCOURAGING Tesla owners to use ChargePoint stations in the latest EV Driver News newsletter?!?!?¿¿¿

Yes it’s a free country.
Yes many (most) ChargePoint stations are open to the general public.
Yes Tesla owners are “allowed” to use ChargePoint.

However, this SHOULD NOT BE ENCOURAGED!
This should be for emergency use only.

Tesla has their own dedicated charging network and they are greedy. They don’t share with the rest of us. We don’t want Tesla cars clogging up the public network. We are excluded from the Tesla network.

I’m downgrading my opinion of ChargePoint.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

ChargePoint-

Why oh why are you ENCOURAGING Tesla owners to use ChargePoint stations in the latest EV Driver News newsletter?!?!?¿¿¿

Maybe because ChargePoint is a for-profit company? On any stations from which they earn revenue, of course they are going to encourage as many customers as possible. Common sense here.

 

[gpsman]

They only sell the hardware. Not the power or parking fees.

ChargePoint-

Why oh why are you ENCOURAGING Tesla owners to use ChargePoint stations in the latest EV Driver News newsletter?!?!?¿¿¿

Maybe because ChargePoint is a for-profit company? On any stations from which they earn revenue, of course they are going to encourage as many customers as possible. Common sense here.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

They only sell the hardware. Not the power or parking fees.

ChargePoint-

Why oh why are you ENCOURAGING Tesla owners to use ChargePoint stations in the latest EV Driver News newsletter?!?!?¿¿¿

Maybe because ChargePoint is a for-profit company? On any stations from which they earn revenue, of course they are going to encourage as many customers as possible. Common sense here.

They sell more than hardware. ChargePoint runs the networking and billing of the stations as well. I don't work there, so I don't know for sure, but I suspect they take a cut from each transaction that occurs.

 

[Pigwich]

Changing the topic from a Tesla rant, and speaking of profit, can I hook an OCPP-enabled charger that we already own at work up to Chargepoint? What are the fees? Greenlots and EVConnect will let us, but what about Chargepoint?

 

[ChargePoint]

Changing the topic from a Tesla rant, and speaking of profit, can I hook an OCPP-enabled charger that we already own at work up to Chargepoint? What are the fees? Greenlots and EVConnect will let us, but what about Chargepoint?

Great question! Our network supports OCPP communication, we are looking to certify different stations on our network. Stay tuned for updates, and because this can vary depending on your setup, give our station owners support line a call at 1-877-850-4562
(Mon – Fri, 5 AM PT – 6 PM PT)