Blink and Ikea

[TRONZ]

i asked. they sent.

the fee at Ikea is $0 to park and charge.

Cool! I will burn candles, chant and send positive vibes to my mail box.

 

[Brightonuk]

Just one that's all just one in Florida I don't mean that there is only one in Florida I mean I just want one installed in Florida I really do think we seem to be the last state to get anything from buying an EV.
No Electric subsidy
No extra tax breaks
Limited charging stations
and still no cars
I am sure when December hits a few of us will be happy if and when we get the call, but damm I see other states embracing this concept and Florida just ignoring this movement.
The Leaf is not even on the Carpool lane eligibility list (The Volt is) I had to call and spend three days back and forth chasing departments before I got someone to listen.
(It should be on the list by months end)

Take a look at the "Blink Map" I believe Georgia is the nearest one to us

 

[ebill3]

South center Ikea has 4 L2, went in a few weeks back. Installations around here have been picking up quite a bit!

Is there an Ikea in South Center? Or, perhaps you mean the Renton store?

Bill

 

[ttweed]

Yep, the Blink app is showing the San Diego IKEA with three Blinks available, too.

Are these operational or just in planning/construction? Has anyone been down to see or use them yet?

TT

 

[Randy]

I drove by tbem this morning. They are in a really good spot to the left of the front door. They are clearly marked with many signs and even tbe curb is marked with grey paint and white lettering. I was on a Lowes run in my gas car and didn't stop to see if they worked. If they're on the Blink network I tend to think they're working...

 

[HighDesertDriver]

To me, the best thing about the IKEA store in LA is that it is at the junction of the 405 and 110--a perfect spot for many who may need a boost while the travel north or south.

This situation presents a basic problem, not just at IKEAs, but any business location that is convenient to travelers. For example, we live a bit over 50 downhill freeway miles from the Burbank IKEA where we shop a few times each year. Using the Leaf for this trip is possible, but only if we can find a charging spot is available when we arrive, and we do some extended shopping and enjoy a Swedish meatball lunch and go see a movie across the street. If the four spots are already filled with BEVs or plug-in hybrids, we're out of luck for a timely return home. What if some of those folks charging are I-5 travelers who have stopped in for several hours of convenient charging while enjoying lunch at IKEA or Chevy's across the street? Was that IKEA's intent? And what if an IKEA customer arrives and ours is the car plugged in while we are in a movie after our IKEA shopping trip?

I'm not trying to start a fire -- we're just glad to now have a Leaf for most of our driving -- and realize there are no easy answers until the number of available charge locations and types increase. Courtesy, consideration, and communication will have to serve the community for the foreseeable future. If we do give the trip to IKEA a try someday, we'll be sure to have our EAA contact placard in the window and hope to meet other EV drivers while there.

 

[thankyouOB]

To me, the best thing about the IKEA store in LA is that it is at the junction of the 405 and 110--a perfect spot for many who may need a boost while the travel north or south.

This situation presents a basic problem, not just at IKEAs, but any business location that is convenient to travelers.... What if some of those folks charging are I-5 travelers who have stopped in for several hours of convenient charging while enjoying lunch at IKEA or Chevy's across the street? Was that IKEA's intent? And what if an IKEA customer arrives and ours is the car plugged in while we are in a movie after our IKEA shopping trip?

I'm not trying to start a fire -- we're just glad to now have a Leaf for most of our driving -- and realize there are no easy answers until the number of available charge locations and types increase. Courtesy, consideration, and communication will have to serve the community for the foreseeable future.

Thank you for that thoughtful and forward-thinking (should I say forward-worrying?) reply. And yes, you cant count on chargers being OPEN when you pull up -- so it could mean you stay home or do, as you suggest, work out communication via courtesy cards with the EV community in your area.
Though what you say is all true, we have far too much whining RIGHT NOW about availability when there are so few EVs out in the street. How many EVs are there in all of CO today --- 3? Do you expect hundreds to serve just hundreds of cars. Not going to happen.
Get out and use the infrastructure and show the need and the demand.
There is no reason to build more EVSEs if there is no one using the existing EVSEs.

 

[Randy]

Lots of things will change with the charging network over the next several months, including the ability to make a reservation at a Blink charger using the network (and paying fees). So if you're going to make the trip, you'd be guaranteed a charging space if you reserve one. Don't know yet what that would cost or what the fee would be if you don't show up without cancelling...

All the networked EVSEs will have these features down the road...

 

[TRONZ]

Find myself at IKEA Costa Mesa tonight. They actually have FOUR Blinks installed not three. One is ADA in a HC stall right in front of the entrance. The other three are in the first stalls in the next row to the right. One in the cluster is off-line but the others appear ready to go. I was told by a manager that they are tied into the new PV array that's all over their roof now. If I had a Blink card I could be charging right now. Heavy sigh. Hopefully next time.

 

[JimSouCal]

If I had a Blink card I could be charging right now. Heavy sigh. Hopefully next time.

Applied for here. Not holding my breath given the rep. Lately, I go to IKEA often. We will see if I really wish for a chargepoint vendor...

 

[kevin672]

Yep, the Blink app is showing the San Diego IKEA with three Blinks available, too.

Are these operational or just in planning/construction? Has anyone been down to see or use them yet?

TT

To my great surprise, I found them working last night (11/13/11). I had to go to the hardware store and instead of going to the Home Depot down the street I decided to go to Lowe's to see if the IKEA chargers were functional like the Blink map said they were. Got 45 minutes of charge. Even though it wasn't installed by Lowe's, they'll be getting more of my business just so I can plug in while shopping. Bought frozen yogurt for the kids at IKEA too.

 

[EricBayArea]

...Even though it wasn't installed by Lowe's, they'll be getting more of my business just so I can plug in while shopping. Bought frozen yogurt for the kids at IKEA too.

Funny you mention this because I too find myself going to places that offer free charging over other places that do not. I have switched my coffee shop location of choice to do work at, to one near a free charger. I also shop at a Whole Foods that I normally wouldn't go to very often, because they too have a free charger.

Who knows, I may go to Ikea and Walgreens more once they get their chargers setup.

For the locations that charge $ for charging, I think they'll follow a similar path as coffee shops and wifi; They will want to initially charge customers to use it, but in the end, when they realize that much fewer people are going to them because competitors are offering it free-of-charge, they too will offer it at on cost to stay competitive.

 

[fooljoe]

Do blink stations not have a number you can call to initiate charging without the access card, as with Chargepoint? I just requested a card but was thinking about stopping by the Carson location for lunch today...

 

[TRONZ]

Do blink stations not have a number you can call to initiate charging without the access card, as with Chargepoint? I just requested a card but was thinking about stopping by the Carson location for lunch today...

I read the screen carefully and it looks like you need a card period. It did offer a number if you wanted to order one. On this note, I went into Customer Service/Reception to see if Blink/Ecotality gave them some access cards that people could borrow briefly to activate the units. The staff knew nothing about this but thought it was a great idea. Why would Blink install units but not give the property "owners" access cards just in case... who knows what???

 

[smkettner]

I had thought the handicap space Blink would just be a waste. I was proven wrong today as there was a minivan conversion plugged in

 

[popak]

Does anyone know if the IKEA Blink stations are available after-hours? I need to make a trip to LAX from Orange County and was thinking about stopping by at the IKEA Carson after they have closed. Shouldn't need it for the round trip, but this is my first long trip in the winter and I know the range is slightly lower, so the extra 5-10 miles may help.

 

[TRONZ]

Here is a shot of the IKEA Costa Meas setup. The fourth ADA accessible unit is just out of frame in the left side of the pic across the isle. The single unit on the left appears to be located to serve at least two spaces if not four (with charge sharing). The signage does say "EV Parking Only" for the three dedicated spaces shown. Still waiting on my Blink Access Card.

 

[fooljoe]

Does anyone know if the IKEA Blink stations are available after-hours? I need to make a trip to LAX from Orange County and was thinking about stopping by at the IKEA Carson after they have closed. Shouldn't need it for the round trip, but this is my first long trip in the winter and I know the range is slightly lower, so the extra 5-10 miles may help.

Could always try Carson Nissan as a backup. Power Nissan off Rosecrans has lots of EVSEs too, although I haven't ever tried after hours.

 

[popak]

Could always try Carson Nissan as a backup. Power Nissan off Rosecrans has lots of EVSEs too, although I haven't ever tried after hours.

Yeah, I was looking at Power Nissan initially. But they'll be closed by then and close off access.

I'll be heading to LAX around 9pm or later. I figured most of the dealers will be closed by then and, I suspect, all close off access to the EVSEs when they close anyway. So the IKEA location looks promising. The person who answered the phone there didn't seem to know and didn't even know that there were "electric car chargers" in the parking lot

 

[kevin672]

Do blink stations not have a number you can call to initiate charging without the access card, as with Chargepoint? I just requested a card but was thinking about stopping by the Carson location for lunch today...

This must be an attempt at humor. The ability to turn on a station remotely with a phone call would be a forward looking, feature rich device. EcoTality and Blink have won many awards for how pretty their stuff is, but I believe that's the only kind of awards they'll be winning.