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Are Public Charging Stations Really Needed for EV Deployment?

 
1,307 views Jul 30, 2010
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There's been a lot of discussion and consideration given to the topic of public charging stations for electric vehicles. The old "chicken verses egg" conundrum is called to mind as auto makers and politicians seem to fumble around without really knowing what to do and where to allocate funds.

Will people buy electric cars without a complex network of public charging points available? Why should we invest in these charging stations if there really are aren't any electric cars on the roads yet? Shouldn't we wait to see if the public actually buys these cars before we spend tens of millions of dollars to make sure they can charge them?

Public Charging Station for electric cars, courtesy Mitsubishi Motors

Public Charging Station for electric cars, courtesy Mitsubishi Motors

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These are all legitimate questions and I know why people are asking them. There is a tremendous amount of optimism for the upcoming wave of battery electric vehicles and supporters want to make sure we get it right.

The problem is, there is no consensus on just how to do it.

Some want to spend a lot of money on a select few markets to build out a complex network of public charging stations to use as an example and to help the rapid deployment of EV's in those specific markets. Some think it's better to concentrate on quick charge level 3 chargers on major highways and interstates. Others think we should install chargers as the demand increases and analyize market by market based on the number of EV sales there.

Mini E electric vehicle - battery charge gauge shows charge and range falling, percent by percent

Mini E electric vehicle - battery charge gauge shows charge and range falling, percent by percent

Enlarge Photo

However, the one thing I don't see a lot of is input from people that actually have real life EV experience. Wouldn't you think it would make sense to ask actual EV owners what they think of public charging and how they would or wouldn't use them if they were available? I think many people might be surprised what we have to say.

I have been driving a MINI-E for the past 13 months now and have had the opportunity to talk to many other EV owners & lessees. Most agree they really aren't compromised by the lack of public charging stations.

I'm not saying we wouldn't use them if they were available, just that for the most part they aren't absolutely necessary for EV deployment.

I have 36,000 miles on my MINI-E after 13 months of use and I have never used a public charging station. The reason I haven't is because there are none in New Jersey and I've done just fine without them.

Would I have used them if they were here? Probably, but the lack of them hasn't prevented me from using the car as my daily transportation one bit.

By far the majority of charging will take place at home and overnight. I would venture to guess as much as 75-80% of charging will be at home. After that I think the most important 2nd charge point would be at your place of work. I installed a charger myself at my job and my car charges while I work. This allows me leave work with a fully charged car every day in case I need to go somewhere before I return home.

nissan_100317338_s.jpgEnlarge Photo

What may be overlooked is allowing private enterprise pick up much of the tab. I'm sure businesses like McDonald's and Wal-Mart will be quick to install chargers themselves as they will want to have a "captured customer" while they charge their car up. Shopping malls will install them as will movie theaters and other shopping destinations. All of these locations need to be considered before public funds are allocated and possibly wasted.

All I'm saying is there are people out there with lots of experience living with an EV and I think it would be a shame if they weren't tapped to offer their perspective on how, where and how many charging stations are needed. I'm sure we can do more while spending less if the right questions are asked and the right people are involved.

EVs aren't for everybody so we shouldn't focus on trying to make them work for the percentage of the population that really shouldn't be driving them. Until we have EV's with ranges that stretch into the hundreds of miles they simply won't work for some folks and no amount of charge stations will make that change.

However there are plenty of people that a 100-mile BEV would fit perfectly into their lifestyle and these people will probably use public charging a lot less than many people think.





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Comments (27)

  1. By Jerry Posted: 7/30/2010 5:16am PDT

    I would agree that we may not need as many public charging stations as many people might thing. However having them out there will help to ease the concern that you might get stranded somewhere. It might be the difference in deciding to buy a LEAF or not.Most people have no experience with electric cars and don't have the insight that Tom has with them.
     
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  2. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 7/30/2010 5:23am PDT

    Let me reframe the question a little differently. If the goal is to stimulate EV adoption, how is money best spent.
    Take, for example, the $100,000,000 grant to Ecotality for putting in charging stations. That seems great, but perhaps that money would be better spent on helping people purchase EVs. Let's say that an additional $5000 was given to people buying an electric car. That would support the purchase of 20,000 cars. Perhaps that is money better spent.
    On the other hand, it would need to be done in such a way that the money didn't end up causing a price increase in EVs. A tricky thing to do.
    Personally, I would like to stimulate EV Use, not purchase. I wish this was a way to incentivise people to drive more EV miles.
     
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  3. By ev enthusiast Posted: 7/30/2010 7:15am PDT

    exactly what i have been saying - "range anxiety" exists in the minds of the unfamiliar. if we are smart, our only system will be for trucking and vacationers.
    by far the biggest drawback is the price. but that will come down when supply goes up.
    we dont want too many cars out on the road, first year. cuz i guarantee you there will be unforeseen problems with the cars.
    these problems will need to be addressed and fixed for the next year.
    evs will kill gas cars in fairly short order. we dont need to try to "accellerate" it. not everything is about speed - it is about quality.
     
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  4. By Anthony Posted: 7/30/2010 9:45am PDT

    Excellent points! I think the best approach would be to install a few here and there in shopping districts and monitor their usage closely and slowly increase the numbers of them as demand calls for it. That way we won't waste too much money before we really understand where they are needed.
     
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  5. By DC Posted: 7/30/2010 12:03pm PDT

    Strictly speaking, they are not required, at least not intially. I am quite certain the Oil-trusts that created the ICE-auto companies didnt have to listen to people complain that gas-burners couldnt be "deployed" unless large national chains of gas-stations with ATMs, Big-gulps and lottery terminals had to exist before-hand did they? No, they did not, in case the EV's the need to power EV's outside of the home is far less. EV's dont require "fuel stations" or there attached C-stores in the sense we have been conditioned to think of as necesarry. Regardless of pro-oil shills say, setting up networks of charging stations will entail far less cost than building thousands of gas stations has. Of course, that is what the oil shills fear the most. That people will realize that gas-stations are largely irrelevant in an electrified transport system. For another example, the lack of Cell towers did not slow or inhibit the spread of Cell phone adaption in any meaningful way, the wide-spread lack of public charging stations also, would not slow the adapation of EV;s either, If they were only being mass-produced and sold of course, which they (still) are not...
     
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  6. By James Posted: 7/31/2010 6:02pm PDT

    Most people do not understand how many miles they drive a day and therefore will have “range anxiety”. Public battery charging stations strategically placed in the majority of US cities will be necessary until battery technology develops. Charging stations will need to be installed along all of the US interstates and they will need to be maintained long term for the EV’s to go mainstream. Also, the only way commercial trucking companies can convert to electrically powered rigs if there is a network of charging stations along US highways and interstates.
     
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  7. By Shawn Posted: 7/31/2010 7:19pm PDT

    I Completely disagree James. Nobody's even beginning to talk about long distance commercial trucking converting to EV's at this time. People aren't going to need to stop and recharge their cars, if they do then they shouldn't buy an EV. There are literally millions of people that can live perfectly fine with a 100mile BEV for now until battery technology gets better and ranges increase which won't take more than a few years. It would be nice to have a few public chargers here and thee in shopping districts, but nothing more than that is needed at this time to begin to introduce these cars into mainstream. If you consistently need to drive more than 100 miles, a BEV isn't for you. Public chargers won't change that.
     
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  8. fb_1685653980 avatar Rob Hicks Posted: 7/31/2010 8:54pm PDT

    While I agree that we need to find alternatives to oil powered transportation, I do not agree with ev enthusiast that "evs will kill gas cars in fairly short order". Several of you have talked about "range anxiety". Unlike most drivers, I know how many miles I drive to work and know my mpg. If EVs and BEVs are the wave of the future, why is there the need for Govenment rebates to help defray the cost of purchase? Henry Ford did not get rebates from the Government to help customers buy his cars. Put the cars out there and let the market create the demand. Cell phones are a great example. As more were put into the public's hands, the technology advanced and the cost went down. Smith Electric Vechiles makes a delivery truck that gets 100 miles to a charge. Companies like Kenworth and others are making hybrid trucks but it will be some time before you will see a big shift in commercial trucking going electric. Also more effective power generation and delivery systems need to be created, not by the Government, but by private industries that will also create long term job growth. For me, the jury is still out on EVs.
     
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  9. By James Posted: 7/31/2010 9:11pm PDT

    Rob – unfortunately the auto industry has not been willing to offer EV’s without pressure from the government. The market demand has been there for a long…..long time but there just has not been any product available. Your examples are evidence of this. Why is it startup companies and making EV’s and converting conventional cars to EV’s way before the major auto industry?
     
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  10. By James Posted: 7/31/2010 9:16pm PDT

    Shawn - Nobody's even beginning to talk about long distance commercial trucking converting to EV's at this time. Right…but they should be talking about it or at least hybrids.
     
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  11. By ev enthusiast Posted: 7/31/2010 9:47pm PDT

    hi rob,
    the market has been there for a long time. big oil has prevented it (with help from gm).
    and the growth of evs could occur just as you stated. the govt rebates will make it occur much more quickly.
    right now, we have snowflakes forming at the top of the mountain. once it gets to the bottom, it will be an avalanche.
    giving customers rebates will get that snowball rolling much faster. but we also want to be able to control that growth, to some degree.
    we want to do things correctly. we are gonna need to fix mistakes that we wont know about until people start driving them.
    what is occurring now is perfect, for this first year. enough vehicles to get a good test run, but not so many that we are inundated with problem vehicles.
    commercial evs will occur much sooner than you might think. and i have already stated that this is the only place we need to have a charging infrastructure.
    so whatever we do now for cars should be put in such that we can use it for trucking later on.
     
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  12. By ev enthusiast Posted: 7/31/2010 9:56pm PDT

    absolutely james,
    i have followed the ev industry for 20 years. the coda was around before the leaf. but as you said, it is a start-up company. one of the reasons this company interests me is that i have followed it for awhile.
    once evs were more obvious, then the bigger companies are all trying to jump in. nissan was smart enough to jump in headfirst. it wasnt 6 months ago that gm and toyota were naysaying the evs, and gonna stick to hybrids.
    well there is rumor that there will be a bev volt very soon, and toyota and tesla are possibly doing something. we shall see how much is talk and how much is action.
    i think i am being very conservative when i give new gas cars 10 years of life left. it may be less. i sincerely doubt that it is more.
    gosh, 10 years is an eternity for improvements and maturation of the bev industry. 10 years from now who in the heck is gonna use new car money for an obsolete technology ?
    the bevs will hit just as big as personal computers, ipods, and cell phones.
     
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  13. By Charles Posted: 8/1/2010 8:59am PDT

    Rob:
    The reason the government should subsidize EV's is really to give them a level playing field. We already subsidize oil by spending trillions of dollars around the globe to protect our supply.
    We are fighting two wars right now to help keep the oil flowing our way as cheaply as possible. Subsidizing the initial cost of EV's and helping to build out a charging infrastructure will help to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, keep some of our energy dollars here in our economy and employ Americans, even if it's "dirty" coal, it's better than Saudi Arabian oil.
     
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  14. fb_1685653980 avatar Rob Hicks Posted: 8/1/2010 9:54am PDT

    I find this discussion refreshing. James, startup companies will always be ahead of the mainsteam in the marketplace. The reason is due to the "niche factor". EVs are a form of that. Anybody remember a computer company called Comodore? I read and here alot about "foreign oil". We would not need as much or any foreign oil if we allowed companies to drill for oil that is availiable here. I am seeing that we maybe tying ourselves to a reliance to "foreign battery power" since most of the all EVs that I have looked at use batteries that are made in China. I know there are a couple of US companies making batteries for EVs. It is like we are trading one dependency for another. Also James, I would encourage you to look at what Kenworth, Peterbilt and Freightliner trucks are doing in the way of hybrid trucks. I believe Coca-Cola is using hybrids in it local delivery fleet in Atlanta. EV enthusiast, you are correct when you write of making sure that EVs are done right. Fix the problems quickly when they come up. Prove that they are reliable and may not be for everyone.(Kinda like ED medications, lol). When EVs ranges and reliability increase, then the general public will give EVs more support. Until then, hybrids may be the near term answer to moving towards energy indepencence.
     
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  15. By B-Man Posted: 8/1/2010 8:35pm PDT

    I hope that EV battery technology improves quickly and ranges get longer and longer. Until ranges on one charge increase by about 250%, I'm gonna remain an innocent bystander in this game.
     
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  16. By ev enthusiast Posted: 8/1/2010 9:15pm PDT

    that would be an increase of 250 miles. adding the current 100 miles, you are talking about a charge that will take you 350 miles. that wont happen for a long time. i would say that you are looking at 10 years or more.
    all products are sold with the same mechanism - they give you whatever is needed in order to get you to buy again.
    the increases in range will probably occur in 25 mpg, or so.
    so if 100 the first year, 125 the second, 150 the third, etc.
    each one of those incremental ranges will bring in a new flood of buyers who will be moving from gas to bev.
    but dont pigeon hole yourself too much by what you think now. people's perceptions of bevs will change dramatically as the years go on.
    this range anxiety is only a manufactured fear, for the most part.
     
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  17. By ev enthusiast Posted: 8/1/2010 9:21pm PDT

    before making a change, people tend to concentrate on what something cant do. look at all the positives.
    lets play the reverse logic, and we are going from bev to gas. why people would be yelling bloody murder - i am not gonna have a contraption with 5 times as many parts to break. i am not gonna have a contraption that costs me 10 times as much in fuel consumption. i am not gonna have a contraption that i have to stop somewhere to get fuel, when i can take care of it now, while sitting in my easy chair. etc. etc.
    for the average joe, these first bevs are already more advantageous than their gas counterparts, when we look at all the pluses and minuses.
     
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  18. By Jerry Posted: 8/2/2010 7:39am PDT

    B-Man, you're going to be waiting for a while for a pure BEV. Maybe a Volt is for you if you really want to drive electric but want such a long range. I drive about 24,000 miles per year and a few months ago I started recording my daily driving by resetting my trip odo every night and recording it. Only 4 times in about 100 days did I drive over 100 miles. 2 of the times it was under 120 and the two others it was in the 130's. The best thing is three of those days I really didn't need to drive that far, I was really just cruising around for a good portion of the miles. The one time I did need to drive that far I did 138 miles but the car was parked for about 4 hours in a parking lot during the day so if there was a public charger there I could have made it work without a problem.
     
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  19. By  Robert Posted: 8/2/2010 1:50pm PDT

    Tom,
    You have the advantage of owning your own business, and being able to install a second charger. I also drove the MINI E for 12 months, but gave it back. I'm moving and my one way commute will be around 50 miles, too close to make without a recharge. So I'll be getting a Chevy Volt, I'd still like to charge it at work too, but its been very difficult trying to get a charger installation approved, or even 110 outlets in the parking lot. What I'm being told is ask us again when you actually have the car, not a good option if I was buying an all electric car. There really needs to be an incentive for buisnesses to install chargers for their Employees.
    Next to work, chargers at Malls seems like the best place to me.
     
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  20. By  Tom Posted: 8/2/2010 2:20pm PDT

    Hi Robert,
    Yes, you are correct that I had the advantage of not having to ask permission to charge at work. However I did use the car for over 5 months with only my home charger so I could have certainly continued just fine as I was. I do think employers will get on board with this once the cars are available. Most people don't even realize that there will be electric cars for sale in only a few months. It won't cost much and the companies can get very good PR by installing a few in their parking lots for supporting green transportation. I think the malls will put them in rather quickly. They need to give customers every reason possible to come to their stores. Companies like McDonalds & Costco are already installing them at trial locations, just wait till there are Volts and Leafs on the roads, others will follow. I think private enterprise will be quick to install these in their parking areas, they will generate revenue as well as capture a customer for a while as their car charges. The longer people are in stores, the more money they spend there, that's already been proven.
     
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  21. By Jimza Skeptic Posted: 8/3/2010 3:50am PDT

    Personally, I think the "EV Eggs" hatch first. With no mother hen, it scavenge food (Electricity) from anywhere it can. Some of the little EV Chicks die from starvation, while others flourish. Just like Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest. Then as the EV-Chick mature and more and more are roving around the countryside, a farmer comes along and sees that he can increase the chicken population and make money by doing so. This farmer, turns out to be a factory farmer, but he is the best farmer to the EV chickens and helps grow big, thrive and become part of the daily U.S. transportation diet. Believe it or not, probably the best company handle laying out a network of charging systems is.... GASP!... Walmart. At the end of the day, someone needs to make money at this because there is no way tax money for charging stations is going to satisfy the everyday needs. Like it or not, Walmart knows how to make money and has the resources to implement a plan.
     
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  22. By B-Man Posted: 8/4/2010 6:57pm PDT

    Good idea for Wal*Mart, actually. They should install the heavy-duty 30 minute chargers and charge people a buck to charge up while they're inside shopping. Great idea and yes, Wal*Mart does have the resources available to implement this. Watch them be amongst the first to do it.
     
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  23. By Laurel Posted: 8/16/2010 1:25pm PDT

    The fact that our nation has only one quick charge public charging station up and running is a crying shame (see link to article below.) We need to get ready! Yes we do absolutely need public charging stations and fast ones and way more of them! A few high speed charging stations in my area (Sacramento, CA) is the deciding factor upon whether I can function with a Nissan Leaf.
    Nation's first public quick-charge station opens up in Portland, OR [w/video]
    http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/nations-first-public-quick-charge-station-opens-up-in-portland/
     
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  24. By  Tom M Posted: 8/18/2010 7:15am PDT

    Laurel,
    If high speed charging stations is the deciding factor upon whether you can function with a Nissan Leaf I would argue that you should not buy one then. I am a big supporter of EV's and want nothing more than to see as many people as possible buy them, but not if their lifestyle doesn't fit the range of the car. High speed charging stations will be good for occasional use but not for frequent use as they will undoubtedly reduce the life of the battery pack on the LEAF. If you don't think that the 100 mile range will satisfy 90% of you r driving needs and you don't have another car to use or want to rent a car for longer trips then as much as I hate to say it the LEAF is a poor choice for you. It's going to take a while before there are plentiful, convenient public charging stations. I would recommend early adopters should count on their home based charger for virtually all their charging needs for the immediate future.
     
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  25. By Laurel Posted: 8/18/2010 6:36pm PDT

    Part I: I appreciate your comments Tom. You are probably right. While the desire may be there on my part, the technology may not be. I would need to drive from my home in the foothills down into Sacramento maybe 2 times per week, a 100+ mile round trip plus errand mileage, putting me just beyond the range of the Leaf.
    The technology is getting oh so close though. And is the limiting factor really the technology in the car or just the infrastructure? Referencing the following two articles:
    Details on Nissan Leaf battery pack, including how recharging speed affects battery life.
    http://green.autoblog.com/2010/05/27/details-on-nissan-leaf-battery-pack-including-how-recharging-sp/2#comments
    Will DC fast charging harm electric car batteries?
    http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20011094-48.html
     
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  26. By Laurel Posted: 8/18/2010 6:37pm PDT

    Part II: It sounds like we are expected to have reduced battery function, down to 70% by the end of 8 years or 100,000 miles if we engage in regular fast charging. (so that would actually be 80% charged on a fast charge, so 80% of 70% roughly or down to a 56 mile range on the return trip back up the hill?) It also depends upon what is defined as "frequent use" (some are saying it is 2 or 3 fast charges per day); and what kind of usage would void the warranty? What kind of fast charging usage does the warranty cover? Does anyone know yet? The other option, in lieu of not being able to lease the battery, is to just lease the entire vehicle. I'm not sure how the numbers work out on that idea. Then the huge problem of the lack of availability of fast charging stations remains. However, I do get the feeling that this is going to change quite quickly; just not quickly enough for me to jump in yet. Much thanks to the rest of you who are able to be early adopters who will pave the way for the rest of us! I don't think I will have to wait long.'
     
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  27. By  Wheego Dealer Posted: 8/19/2010 1:04pm PDT

    I think that "range anxiety" is a very real factor when people are considering Electric vehicles. I agree with Tom - that someone with Laurel's situation shouldn't consider a 100-mile-range car because the public charging stations ought to be a "back up plan" rather than a standard day-to-day plan.
    But I know a lot of people in the Atlanta area, where I live, are concerned about the weird days, rather than the daily commute days. What happens with a 100-mile range EV on the day the kid is sent home sick from school? Suddenly, there's an unexpected trip home from work, to the school, perhaps to the doctor and the pharmacy. When do you plug in? What happens when you run out of juice? This is similar to the arguments people have against carpooling or transit, and there are always, always ways around it. But I do think more EV charging stations would alleviate a lot of the "what if..." kinds of concerns potential customers might have.
     
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