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CCS Fast Charging in Richmond, VA? Yeah... no.

1/29/2020

By Zack Hurst, 2016 Chevy Spark EV

The state of the charging infrastructure isn't getting better... it's getting worse.

They say hindsight is 20/20. Maybe, I should've foreseen a day like this back at the end of last may when I bought this Chevy Spark EV. Maybe, I should have bought a car more suited to my driving habits? Maybe both.

My first experience with the CCS DC Fast Chargers in Richmond occurred when we were test buying our first Chevy Spark through Carvana. Never having charged an EV before, I was actually excited when I pulled up to the charger for the first time. I downloaded the appropriate app, created an account, and plugged in... but nothing happened. I tried again... nothing. I called the phone number on the charger and talked with the customer service person who walked me through a few test procedures before I gave up.

On to the next closest DCFC. No luck. I had the same experience at the next two chargers, I assumed the car was broken (after all, how could FOUR chargers be broken??) and exchanged it with Carvana for a different Chevy Spark EV. I took the new car to a different charger and it worked! Later that week, I took the car I knew worked properly to the other chargers and confirmed that they were indeed broken. All 4 of them. Over the last 8 months I've learned to charge at only 2 or 3 fast chargers that work with my car in the area.

The state of CCS DC Fast Chargers in Richmond, VA

Then today happened.

With 8 miles of range left, I headed for a reliable DCFC closest to me that I last used a couple of days ago. Plugged in, and... nothing. It didn’t even recognize that I was plugged in. Crap. Ok, fine. Time to go to the only other conveniently located DCFC and use that one. However, it was 16mi away and I wouldn't be able to get there without using a LVL2 Charger in between. I get there, and there are plug-in hybrids in every stall, plugged in. Ok... off to the next LVL2. Now I have 2mi left.

Charged at 3.3kW (the max for the Chevy Spark EV) until I had enough range to get to the other working DCFC I use regularly.

I pulled up to see an electrician parked in the spot. I kindly asked if I could use the parking space to charge. “You’re not going to be able to do that, the charger is being serviced right now.” I had very little range left, but was able to plug into a wall outlet and use 110v (slowest way to charge) to get enough to go to the next closest DCFC.

Which... worked! So I'm plugged in and charging while writing this. And while relieved, I find that I'm VERY frustrated with this experience. Granted, most people wouldn't have this kind of problem... why? Well, most people don't drive more than 120mi in a day (on average) with a car that has a 82mi EPA rated range. Most people don't drive more than 40mi a day.

So I definitely have the WRONG CAR for my driving habits, but I still feel like there should be something done about the failing infrastructure in the area.

Many of the broken DCFC have been down for months, or even more than a year. When this happens, where else can we go to get these precious electrons in a timely manner? While EV Resource is planning on building out the LVL2 charging network (because that too is severely lacking), I'm starting to think we should look at DCFC too.

End rant.

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Proposed EV Legislation in Virginia

1/27/2020

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The Commonwealth of Virginia has some proposed legislation to help push adoption of EVs forwards. As a Virginia small business in the EV space, we encourage you to ask your representatives to support the following legislation:

HB 717 - Electric vehicle rebate program. (Delegate Reid)

Establishes a rebate program for the purchase of certain zero-emissions vehicles. Individuals who purchase certain new or used vehicles would be eligible for a rebate of up to $4,500. The program would expire on July 1, 2027.

Read the full bill here

SB 911 - Penalty for EV Parking Violators (Senator Hashmi)

Prohibits a person from parking a vehicle not capable of receiving an electric charge in a space reserved for charging electric vehicles. A violation is subject to a civil penalty of $500, and the vehicle may be towed or impounded.

Read the full bill here

HB 75 - Dominion Energy electric school bus pilot program. (Delegate Kory)

Authorizes Dominion Energy to implement a pilot program under which it will deploy electric school buses in participating school divisions in its service territory. The initial phase of the pilot program is limited to the deployment of 50 electric school buses at a cost of up to $13.5 million. In each of the five years thereafter, the pilot program may be expanded by up to 200 additional electric school buses at a cost of up to $54 million per year. The pilot program provides that the utility may use vehicle-to-grid technology to access electricity in the storage batteries of the electric school buses when they are not in use. The duration of the pilot program shall not exceed 10 years, though the utility may petition the State Corporation Commission to make it permanent. Program costs, including the incremental cost of the electric school buses, are recoverable through the utility's base rates.

Read the full bill here

HB 1414 - Omnibus Transportation Bill (Delegate Filler-Corn)

Amends numerous law related to transportation funds, revenue sources, construction, and safety programs.

The bill adopts numerous structural changes to the transportation funding system in the Commonwealth. Most transportation revenues are directed to a new Commonwealth Transportation Fund and the existing Highway Maintenance and Operating Fund. Funds are then disbursed, based on codified formulas, to subfunds established to meet the varying transportation needs of different modes of transportation. The bill contains transitional provisions phasing in the new funding structure over a period of four years.

The existing gas tax based on a percentage of the wholesale price of gasoline and diesel fuel is converted to a cents-per-gallon tax. A rate of $0.282 per gallon of gasoline will be phased in over three years, and then indexed every year thereafter. The regional gas tax will be converted to a rate of $0.076 per gallon of gasoline.

Registration fees for motor vehicles will be lowered. The Department of Motor Vehicles will implement a Highway Use Fee for alternative fuel and fuel efficient vehicles. Alternatively, a person whose vehicles would be subject to this new fee may elect to instead enroll in a mileage-based user fee program to be developed by the Department.

Read the full bill here

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Tesla Model S Performance Test Drive

1/25/2020

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0-60 in OMG!

For a "car guy", it was an experience of a lifetime.

I've driven fast cars. I've owned a few really quick vehicles... nothing compares (and I do mean NOTHING) to the Tesla Model S. It's rated at 0-60 in 2.4 seconds, but it's really closer to 0-60 in OMG.

I don't think that feeling would ever get old. Sadly though, it was only a test drive and I did have to return the car.

Check out the video below!

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CCS Fast Charging in Richmond, VA? Yeah... no.

The state of the charging infrastructure isn't getting better... it's getting worse.

Then today happened.

Proposed EV Legislation in Virginia

HB 717 - Electric vehicle rebate program. (Delegate Reid)

SB 911 - Penalty for EV Parking Violators (Senator Hashmi)

HB 75 - Dominion Energy electric school bus pilot program. (Delegate Kory)

HB 1414 - Omnibus Transportation Bill (Delegate Filler-Corn)

Tesla Model S Performance Test Drive

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