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Man of Many
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Man of Many
This Fuel-Station-Like EV Charging Centre in California Gave Me Hope About the Future of EVs
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 30 Jun 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. I've driven more than 100 EVs and the story is always the same when it comes to charging—it sucks! I could count the positive charging experiences I've had using the public network on one hand, and it's only getting worse. Despite an increase in the number of EV chargers, it hasn't grown at the rate of electric vehicle sales. These days, when a charger isn't broken, slow, or 'ICED' by a petrol vehicle, you're lining up and waiting to charge with all the other frustrated EV owners. It's a painful experience that needs to change quickly, or else the government and the manufacturers risk losing an already slowing battle for sales with Australian EV customers. I find it increasingly difficult to recommend electric vehicles to some people based on my own experiences. With the current state of affairs, I wouldn't recommend buying an EV unless you have access to an EV charger at home or your workplace. However, on a recent trip around California behind the wheel of an EV, I experienced a fuel-station-like charging centre that reset my perspective on the future of EVs. If we want EVs to become the norm, the charging network has to look something like this. I had just finished my drive from Los Angeles to San Bernardino, and I was hunting for an ultra-fast EV charger on PlugShare. The Cadillac VISTIQ I was driving was low on battery, and while the 300 miles (482km) of charge it offers is good, I was driving to Big Bear tomorrow, and with 8,000ft of elevation to conquer, I needed a full charge to make it there are back. This is California, so I had plenty of options to choose from, but I stumbled across something that looked too good to be true—an EV charging oasis with 41 ultra-fast chargers. Greenlane Charging Centre in Colton, CA 92324, USA is a commercial electric vehicle charging centre that services electric trucks along Interstate 10, which is one of the country's busiest highways. It's home to 41 chargers, mainly for trucks, and while I was there, I witnessed multiple truck drivers pull up, decouple their trailer, put their truck on charge, and then swap to another fully-charged truck before reconnecting their trailer and continuing with their journey. Even that blew me away, but I was here to charge my Cadillac. What I found was a seamless and fast experience that felt exactly like visiting a petrol station. While my Cadillac VISTIQ couldn't make the most of the ultra-fast 400 kW chargers, even the 180 kW of power that I was putting into the large 102 kWh battery meant that I could charge from 10-80% in under 30 minutes. Winner! If I had been there with a Hyundai Ioniq 6 or Porsche Taycan, I could've charged at 350 kW and left there in around 20 minutes. It's the future of EVs that we had all been promised. Greenlane Charging Centre | Image: Ben McKimm The only real negative was the cost. You pay for the convenience, and with a cost of $0.59 per kWh, I was charged the equivalent of AUD$80 to charge the car, which is not far off the cost of refuelling a car in California. Still, it was an experience that left me wondering how different life could be here in Australia if we had charging locations like this, and the energy to supply them. So what's happening here in Australia to bring us closer to that perfect EV future? The NSW Government recently committed $199 million to help co-fund the installation of chargers with private operators. However, it's unclear how many of these new chargers are the much-needed ultra-fast DC units like those I experienced in California. We only know four things for sure: The new chargers will be installed every 5km along Sydney's major commuter corridors Every 100km along major highways in NSW, on average Within 5km of residential areas with limited off-street parking, and In or near commuter car parks and other Transport for NSW-owned land. It's more likely that the chargers being installed are medium-speed 50 kW DC units that can charge an EV in closer to 2 hours. If they're not, they're likely slower AC chargers like those that the local government keeps trying to attach to telephone poles (even though you'd have to sit there for 10 hours to charge a car at one). However, I'd love to be proven wrong! For now, it still sucks to charge an EV in Australia, but the Greenlane Charging Centre in Colton, California gave me hope that where there's a will, there's a way when it comes to the future of EVs.
CBC
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
How these condo dwellers got EV charging in their buildings
One of the biggest perks of owning an EV is waking up to a fully charged car every morning and never having to go to a gas station — that is, if you have at-home charging. Before Lucian Oboroceanu got EV chargers installed in his Toronto condo building, keeping his car charged was a pain. "I had to go around the city to find [a] charger and it was very difficult," he recalled. In a recent survey of 16,000 Canadian EV drivers by CAA and PlugShare, 85 per cent of respondents in single-family homes had access to home charging, compared to 62 per cent of those in multi-family buildings. In that survey, only 20 per cent of EV owners lived in a multi-family building, even though about a third of Canadians live in this kind of housing. Oboroceanu soon learned he wasn't the only person in his 350-unit building who was concerned about the lack of charging — several neighbours brought it up at the board's general meeting. One was trying to sell his unit and kept getting questions about the availability of EV charging from prospective buyers. As board treasurer, Oboroceanu decided to address the problem. Two years later, EV chargers are installed in the personal parking spots of anyone in the building who wants one, including his own. Retrofitting condo buildings with EV chargers can pose a challenge, as Oboroceanu learned. CBC News spoke with him and several other condo owners who succeeded, and learned what they did to make it work. Why getting charging into older condos is hard Joanna Kyriazis, public affairs director for the think-tank Clean Energy Canada, said it typically costs about $1,500 to install a Level 2 charger in a single-family home, but it can be far more to retrofit a multi-family building. (It's much cheaper in a new building.) That's because installation can be complex and involve expensive drilling and long-distance wiring through multiple levels of parking. When Oboroceanu first looked into what it would take to get charging for 10 cars in his condo building, he was shocked to learn it would cost $50,000 — a no-go. Some buildings also have limited electrical capacity. Peter Luff of Kanata, Ont., a suburb of Ottawa, calculated that to have charging capacity for all eight condo units, his building could only install Level 1 charging rather than the faster Level 2 charging that can fill an empty battery overnight. The good news is that Level 1 is often fast enough for many drivers, including Luff. Kyriazis said electrical capacity is often not an issue, thanks to technology that can monitor and optimize charging, but people may not know about those solutions. One final issue: How will EV owners pay for charging and the electricity they use? "There's not a standard way of doing this yet," said Kyriazis. Systems that manage charging and payment often require network connectivity, which can also add to infrastructure costs. Do your research While all these can be challenging, Oboroceanu, Luff and Kyriazis have some advice for success. Surveying one's building, residents and government subsidies are good places to start. Luff contacted the local electrical utility and nearby buildings that already had charging to get information. So did Dave Wong of Vancouver, B.C., who lives in a 36-storey highrise with 132 units. He learned from neighbours about federal and provincial programs that when stacked together with a subsidy from B.C. Hydro could defer almost all costs. He also got the names of four local vendors and quotes for different possible configurations. Finally, he hand-delivered surveys to every unit in his building to find out how many people had EVs, and how many planned to buy one in the next five years. Educate neighbours and build allies Cara Clairman, president and CEO of Plug'n Drive, an EV advocacy group, said getting neighbours on board is important, as a condo board will need to approve EV charging first. Wong and Luff both provided information about EVs and EV uptake to their neighbours. For example, Wong noted in his survey that B.C. will require 100 per cent of new vehicle sales to be zero emissions by 2035, increasing the future demand for EV charging. They argued that potential buyers will want EV charging in their building — something Oroboceanu's neighbours were already finding in 2023. Wong also argued that it would be cheaper to retrofit the whole building at once, especially since subsidies were available at the time. WATCH | Road to EV adoption: Why experts think the future is still electric Road to EV adoption: Why experts think the future is still electric 9 months ago Duration 5:47 Recent headlines have suggested that consumers are losing interest in electric vehicles, but a closer look at the trends tells a different story. CBC's Nisha Patel breaks down where we're at in the EV transition and why experts say the future is still electric. Keep your building's needs in mind Through his survey, Wong learned there were only five EV owners in his building. (He didn't even have one himself.) So instead of installing a charger in every spot, the building just wired every spot to be EV-ready at a cost of $1,000 per unit (with subsidies), with the option to add a Level 2 charger for $3,500. To Wong's surprise, 20 people did that. Luff went with Level 1 charging. His board learned that Ontario would allow the project to be paid for from the condo's reserve fund "so there was no problem in coming up with the money." He also kept payments simple, buying $40 electricity meters for all the new outlets. Residents pay bills based on the reading each month. The one disadvantage, he said, is that the system is "totally reliant on you being honest." That likely wouldn't work for a large building like Oboroceanu's. His research on local vendors in Toronto eventually brought him to Smart EV Systems, which offered a package with no upfront cost to install an electrical panel serving up to 10 EV chargers. He rents his charger and pays for the electricity monthly. Kyriazis said hiring companies like that can be a good solution, as they take care of many of the complexities. But she said she has heard mixed reviews on the payment schemes, which can cost more in the long run. So far, though, Oboroceanu is pleased with the result — so pleased that he's recommending the service to some of the 150 buildings he manages through Newton-Trelawney Property Management. For those looking to get EV charging in their own buildings, Plug'n Drive and Clean Energy Canada are working on a new guide that they hope to release in the fall.
Time Business News
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time Business News
Addressing Common Myths and Misconceptions About EV Charging
As electric vehicles (EVs) gain traction, distorted perceptions about EV charging remain a hindrance to mass adoption. Misinformation among prospective EV-buyers creates a sense of anxiety concerning charging availability, costs, and convenience. However, with significant improvements in charging infrastructure some would argue that electric vehicles have never been so practical and accessible. In this article, we are going to dispel some myths surrounding EV charging, clarify major misconceptions, and offer facts with regard to cheaper charger options that would have made owning an electric vehicle easier than most consider. The most common misconception is that charging stations are pretty far away from congregating points, making it hard for the driver to identify charging areas. If that was a nay-saying concern during the early days of electric cars, charging networks have massively grown from there. The Reality: The U.S. has more than 160,000 public charging stations with new stations being added every day. Most EV owners may be charging at home, thus charging very rarely on public stations. An app like PlugShare also allows drivers to pinpoint nearby stations with real-time availability. EVs grow within the confines of their charging infrastructure, making charging an EV on the go easier than ever. Somewhat improperly, it is a cause for consideration that charging EV takes some hours, making road trips nasty. While charging time may differ depending on the type of charger, newer technology has cut back waiting times massively. The Reality: Level 1 Chargers (household outlets): Takes a longer time but good for charging overnight. Level 2 Chargers (common home and public stations): Charge 25-30 miles per hour. DC Fast Chargers (on highways/commercials): Charge 80% of the battery in 20-45 minutes. New ultra-rapid technologies lower that time to just 10-15 minutes. During day trips, EVs are mostly charged at home, meaning waking up with the vehicle fully charged and without any waiting. Some people believe that charging an EV costs about the same as gassing up a conventional car but is surprisingly lower than gasoline expenses. The Reality: On average, the cost to fill up the electric vehicle in the home base by charging would be around $6-$12 based on the company's electricity rate and the size of the battery. Free public chargers are available at many shopping center, hotel, and workplace locations. Commonly, for all levels, fast charging of EVs is cheaper as compared to the cost of operating the gas car with respect to fuel consumed. The cost for installation of home chargers is now being reduced by state incentives and rebates. Such a shift would gradually, save thousands of dollars from fuel. Some individuals interested in owning an EV are uncertain about installing a home charger, thinking that it's a difficult and pricey endeavor. The Reality: Level 1 Charger installation is unnecessary-the device can just be plugged into a house electrical outlet. Level 2 Chargers (providing faster home charging) range in price from approximately $500 to $2,000, installed. Many states, utilities, and the federal government offer rebates and tax credits to offset installation costs. Affordable EV chargers such as ApexChargers make at-home charging accessible to a larger number of drivers. make at-home charging accessible to a larger number of drivers. Once installed, a home charger is a one-time investment that pays off in greater comfort and cost savings over time. Frequent charging or fast charging damages the batteries of an EV, leading to a reduction in lifespan, as some think. The Reality: Batteries for modern electric vehicles are engineered to last long, remaining intact for anywhere between 8 and 15 years or even more. BMS is the term for battery management systems which prevent overheating as well as overcharging. Fast charging is considered to be safe for occasional use, although most manufacturers recommend that Level 2 charging would meet daily driving needs instead. Low-an age or a mile warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles are provided for most of the EV battery lifetimes. Proper charging habits and improvements in battery technology will increase the lifespan of batteries tremendously. It's a common concern: EVs overburdening the power grid and causing frequent blackouts. Reality: Utilities are improving their infrastructures to provide for the adoption of EVs. Smart charging strategies such as load balancing and off-peak charging provide efficient allocation of electricity demands. Most EV chargers are getting charged at night when the demand for electricity is at its lowest. Solar and wind are increasingly being integrated with EV charging stations. Electric vehicles, instead of straining the grid, will increase the need for smarter energy management and increased investment in clean energy. Some tenants and apartment-dwellers assume they cannot own an EV because there is no access to a private charger. The Reality: Many cities and property owners are installing EV chargers in apartment complexes and workplaces. Public charging infrastructure is still in the business of making charging accessible without a garage at home. Portable EV chargers and shared charging stations allow multi-unit residents to charge conveniently. Of course, it is possible to own an electric vehicle without a home charger, with public and shared charging options on the rise. Transitioning from gasoline to electric vehicles is happening rapidly, and clearing up such misinformation is critical if more drivers are to look past their noses. Accessible charging for electric vehicles is now cheaper, more convenient, and even more cost-effective than many believe. With trusted providers like ApexCharger already having access to reliable and affordable EV chargers, making the switch now is easier than ever. The more electric vehicles that hit the road, the more charging infrastructure will improve and new technology will make owning electric vehicles even easier than it already is. Don't let an outdated myth hold you back-they are the vehicle for the future, and the future is already here. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
7 Lesser Known Free EV Charging Options
Electric vehicles have become more mainstream -- more than one in five new passenger cars sold last year was an EV or plug-in hybrid. But the perks awarded to early adopters are slowly disappearing. Case in point: Tesla stopped providing unlimited free Supercharging with new models a couple of years ago (the company offers some charging perks during sales). EV drivers are also losing another avenue of free charging with the conversion of Volta's network of ad-supported chargers into paid ones, after the company was acquired by Shell. While it's cheaper than filling a gas tank, paid public charging is a cost per kilowatt hour. Free options still exists, but these no-fee charging options are likely to shrink over time. "As more and more people are adopting electric vehicles, free charging perks will slowly subside, and it will be a charge for charge," said Grant Gold, director of real estate solutions at EV Connect. We asked industry experts the little known ways you can still find 100% free public charging stations. Here's how: A few years ago, several retailers, including Macy's and Kroger, announced that they would be adding free charging locations at select stores. Those programs, mainly backed by Volta, are now disappearing. One company still offering free charging is Cinemark. A representative for the movie theater chain confirmed that 160 free EV charging stations are available at select locations. The representative recommended using apps such as PlugShare to find these chargers, or calling your local theater. At one point, Tesla and other charging infrastructure companies struck deals with hotel chains to install chargers at select locations, and hotels offered guests the ability to charge for free. Now, however, hotels are installing their own charging infrastructure, and are hence less generous. "As newer installations start to outnumber the previous Tesla Destination chargers, I would estimate that maybe 30% of hotels with EV chargers still provide free charging," said Tony Booth, founder and CEO at Stay-N-Charge, an EV charging service provider focusing on the hospitality industry. "Most are moving to a charge-per-use model if they own them, or allowing other companies to install the chargers, in which case they have no control over pricing." Booth recommends anyone seeking out free charging perks at hotels to check in with full-service brands such as Marriott, Hilton or Intercontinental. "The higher the room rate, the more likely you will get free charging," Booth said. "Either way, the driver still somewhat pays for it either with higher room rates or by paying for the charge itself." Check ahead before making a reservation, or visit charging map services such as PlugShare, ChargeFinder or ChargeHub to view the status of area stations. Many colleges have EV charging on campus. Some make it free for students, professors and staff and, on some campuses, even visitors. Santa Clara University and the University of Florida, for example, provide free charging in partnership with ChargePoint. Typically, there are restrictions: The University of Florida, for example, enforces a four-hour time limit, and you must have a university parking sticker if you're charging before 4:30 p.m. There are more than 140 chargers available at national parks across the country, according to Kampgrounds of America. Some are free, including six Level 2 charging stations at the Oasis at Death Valley in California, which are powered by the resort's onsite solar field. You can find a map of EV charging stations in the National Park System. Adopt a Charger, a nonprofit organization that aims to accelerate the adoption of EVs, teams up with various sponsors to install free chargers at parks, museums and rest areas. See a list of its chargers here. Certain municipalities also offer free EV charging. For example, Westchester County in New York installed 25 charging stations at the County Center's South Parking Lot available to use at no cost to event attendees, mass transit commuters, Bicycle Sunday participants and visitors to the Bronx River Parkway Reservation walk and bike trail. Volta offered an interesting model to EV owners: watch ads, and get 30 minutes of free Level 2 charging. However, this program will soon disappear after Shell acquired the company in 2023. "Shell Recharge is in the process of implementing payments across the network, including Level 2 (L2) chargers," said a representative of Shell's US media relations team. "Paid charging sessions help enable Shell Recharge to provide a better experience for drivers by supporting ongoing network maintenance that improves charger reliability and convenience." The representative added that requiring pay for charging as well as enabling idle fees will discourage squatting at the more than 4,000 Shell Recharge stations across the US to allow more people to use them. EV drivers still have time to enjoy free charging, though it's not clear for how much longer. "At this time, we are working through the phaseout timeline to ensure a consistent experience for all customers, but yes, customers can charge for free at stations where payments have not been enabled," the representative said. There are hundreds of libraries, museums, government offices, nonprofits and private businesses that offer free EV charging. Charging map services such as PlugShare, ChargeFinder or ChargeHub show stations across the country, with a setting for free chargers. Just go to the filters and find the option for free charging. You can also get information on how many minutes you can charge, at what level, the status of the station and more. Since much of this info is primarily crowdsourced, you may want to double-check its accuracy. While Tesla may no longer offer unlimited free Supercharging with new models, other automakers still provide free charging packages to customers. Below is a table that rounds up many of the offers, most of which are through Electrify America and EVgo. Model Offer Network ACURA ZDX 60 kWh included from Electrify America; Option for $750 EVgo charging credit Electrify America, EVgo 2024 Audi e-tron Q8, SQ8, GT/RS and Sportback versions Free unlimited DC charging for two years Electrify America 2025 Audi Q4 e-tron, e-tron and etron S and Sportback versions 250 kWh of free charging for two years Electrify America 2023 Audi e-tron GT/RS e-tron GT Free unlimited charging for three years Electrify America 2025 Audi Q6 One year of complimentary charging energy Electrify America BMW i4, i5, and iX 1,000 kWh of complimentary charging Electrify America BMW i7 2,000 kWh of complimentary charging Electrify America Cadillac Lyriq Free charging for two years if buyer doesn't choose a home installation credit EVgo Genesis Electrified G80, GV70 and GV60 Free unlimited DC charging for the first 30 minutes or Level 2 charging for the first 60 minutes for three years. Electrify America Honda Prologue Up to $750 EVgo credit if buyer doesn't choose installation credit, plus 60 kWh Electrify America charge allowance EVgo, Electrify America Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 Free unlimited DC charging for the first 30 minutes for two years. Electrify America Hyundai IONIQ and Kona Electric 250 kWh of free charging Electrify America Kia EV6 and EV9 1,000 kWh of free charging for three years Electrify America Kia Niro EV 500 kWh of free charging for three years Electrify America Mercedes-Benz EQB, EQE, EQE SUV, EQS and EQS SUV Free unlimited DC charging for the first 30 minutes for two years Electrify America Porsche Macan, Taycan Complimentary DC Fast charging sessions for the first 30 minutes, or 60 minutes for AC Level 2 charging, for one year Electrify America Toyota bZ4X Free unlimited DC charging for one year at any EVgo station EVgo Volkswagen ID.4, Three years to use 500 kWh of complimentary charging Electrify America Read on: 12 Places That Offer EV Charging While You Shop
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Free electric vehicle charging available to visitors at 30 SC state parks
Mountain bikers at Paris Mountain State Park near Greenville. (Provided by SC Parks, Recreation and Tourism) COLUMBIA — Electric vehicle drivers can charge up for free at 30 of South Carolina's 47 state parks. The park charging network is the result of a pair of programs: a partnership between the state parks department and the state's utility watchdog that brought chargers to three parks in 2020 and a larger effort started in late 2022 by Rivian. The electric vehicle maker installed EV chargers in the parks free of charge, according to Duane Parrish, director of the state's department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Park visitors must pay an admission fee but otherwise the chargers are free to use on a first-come, first-served basis. The state picks up the tab for the electricity costs. The free chargers are part of an effort to increase charging availability in the state. South Carolina remains 31st in the nation and next to last in the Southeast when it comes to the number of fast chargers per capita, according to the most recent report issued by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. The stations at South Carolina's parks are powerful enough to add about 25 miles of range per hour of charging, allowing people to spend time at the park and return to a recharged car. Having the chargers in the parks can also give visitors more peace of mind that they won't run out of power when visiting some of the state's more remote recreation spots. Most parks have two charging spaces, but the busiest destinations have four. The chargers work with all electric vehicles, not just Rivian's. However, because the chargers are hardwired into the parks' existing power connection, the state has not tracked how frequently electric vehicle driver have used the stations since Rivian finished installing them in 2023. 'According to the feedback we hear at our sites, park visitors who use the stations are grateful they are there, and they enjoy hiking or taking in the scenery while they charge,' Parrish told the SC Daily Gazette on Thursday. Online reviews left on platforms for electric vehicle drivers, such as PlugShare, do provide some insight. SC needs more electric vehicle charges. One state senator wants limits on who pays for them. 'Awesome! Right by the ranger station and boat ramp. Ranger said they're popular — someone's charging here nearly every day,' a Ford Lightning truck driver wrote in April 2024 while using the charger at Devils Fork State Park on the shores of Lake Jocassee in the Upstate. She was one of 21 users to leave a review. 'Great that SC state parks have these! Charging overnight after pulling my camper here!' a Rivian driver wrote in March 2024 while visiting Poinsett State Park near Sumter. 'I went on a short hike and returned to a fully charged car!' a Fiat driver visiting Table Rock State Park in the Upstate wrote in August 2024. 'On a sunny day you can walk the beach. If it's not so nice out, there's also a cute little gift shop,' a Nissan driver visiting Huntington Beach State Park along the Grand Strand wrote in January 2023. She was one of 59 people to leave a review. Other popular parks, such as Paris Mountain in Greenville and Charles Towne Landing in Charleston had between 23 and 68 reviews from users. The stations are not without their issues. Common complaints included non-electric vehicles blocking the charging spaces or the chargers being out of order. 'All new assets come with maintenance and upkeep, so occasionally the stations have to close for repairs — some of which can be done by park staff, but occasionally may require outside technical expertise,' Parrish said. 'Overall, they have been a nice amenity to offer park users that require minimal effort and expense on our end.'
