Electrify America Network

[LeftieBiker]

That assumes that anyone who didn't have some mandatory reason to go to Buffalo in the winter would opt to do so.

Because Buffalo is warmer than Saranac Lake?

[GetOffYourGas]

I don't disagree that it's possible. I just think it's highly ambitious, and unlikely.

But to your point, Herkimer NY was built out during the winter. When I stopped through in late December to check out the progress, there were two men working on it. It was 20F and snowing at the time. It was also about 7pm. That single data point suggests to me that EA is serious about getting thing done. Of course, they only have so much control of the situation. As of MLK weekend, the installation was done, but still not connected to the grid. I have no idea whether they are waiting on inspections or just waiting for National Grid to complete their end of the deal.

BTW, now that Cheektowaga is open, you could shuffle off to Buffalo (and return) in your Bolt any time you want. That assumes that anyone who didn't have some mandatory reason to go to Buffalo in the winter would opt to do so. Once they open Albany you'll be freed from your BEV straightjacket both east and west, although Herkimer would make things easier, and also allow you to sing along with the following: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcNJ2RMOd3U

Buffalo isn't much of a destination, but Niagara Falls is not far away from it. In fact, I went to Niagara Falls and back last November in my Bolt. There is an "I Love NY" Welcome Center with 100A QCs between Buffalo and Niagara. The new Cheektowaga EA station makes the trip easier because 1) it can charge my car at full power and 2) it's closer to home (thus less charging into the battery taper).

As for east-bound, EVGo has a decent presence in Albany already. I have used them countless times to access points east of Syracuse. Herkimer makes the return trip much easier for the same two reasons given above.

As it stands, Syracuse is in the middle of a huge QC desert. Those travelling between Albany and Buffalo in a non-Tesla EV are in for a lot of L2 charging. Fortunately for me, I'm less than 150 miles from a QC in either direction already. For the rest, EA cannot finish fast enough.

[GRA]

Buffalo isn't much of a destination, but Niagara Falls is not far away from it. In fact, I went to Niagara Falls and back last November in my Bolt. <snip>

That was about the only reason I could think of for anyone to opt to visit the area in the winter, especially recently when they were partly frozen.

[GRA]

Dunnigan, CA (I-5 N. of the I-5/505 Jct.) is open, making 16 for the month and 106 total. This opens up a fair amount of I-5 north of Sacramento, but needs Willows, Yreka and hopefully sites in Red Bluff or Redding (Walmarts in both) and Mt. Shasta to access the northern part of the state, plus southern Oregon.

[JeffN]

More status from EA today. All 484 Cycle 1 sites have now been identified and acquired and all are scheduled to be complete by the end of this year. A few dozen new Cycle 2 sites should also be open by the end of 2019 which should push the total open sites past 500 by year’s end.

https://electricrevs.com/2019/02/13/ele ... d-of-year/

[GetOffYourGas]

All 484 locations planned as part of its first 30-month investment cycle have now been identified and secured.

Beyond the 105 sites open now, another 127 are under active construction with 42 of those completed but waiting to be energized by utilities. A further 73 sites have approved permits and are schedule for construction. The remaining 179 of the total 484 sites are still in the design and engineering stage.

Somebody help me parse this. The first statement implies that the locations have been "secured", but the second part implies that permits have not been approved. What does it mean for a location to be "secured" if permits haven't been approved? Without a permit, isn't the location still technically up in the air?

I wish EA provided some more real-time status. I would love to know the actual status of specific stations, rather than just an aggregate number.

[roussir]

I would guess "secured" means that the legal/tenant arrangements with parcel owner have been made, while the permit may have a status of "not applied for" or "under review by jurisdiction".

[LeftieBiker]

I would guess "secured" means that the legal/tenant arrangements with parcel owner have been made, while the permit may have a status of "not applied for" or "under review by jurisdiction".

That's my guess as well.

[GetOffYourGas]

I would guess "secured" means that the legal/tenant arrangements with parcel owner have been made, while the permit may have a status of "not applied for" or "under review by jurisdiction".

Thanks. That makes sense.

[GRA]

Although I don't consider it practical use, by my count opening of another 6 stations would allow the first transcontinental drives using only EA QCs. assuming max. spacing of 200 miles/leg, they would need the following sites to open to allow travel between the east coast from about Philadelphia southwards to W. Palm Beach, to Seattle or Portland (sites listed with an * are already identified as "Coming soon" by EA, with the specific location secured): Hermiston*, OR or Chubbuck*, ID; Salt Lake City*, UT; somewhere between Helper and Green River, UT; Grand Junction*, CO; Frisco*, CO; Geneseo*, Il.

Pooler, Ga is the key QC on the SE coast, and it can be reached from north and south over a wide area. From Pooler, you can travel through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and either Indiana or Illinois by a variety of routes. From either Bloomington, Rockford or Woodridge, IL, you need a QC around Davenport (Geneseo) to shorten the leg to Williamsburg, IL below 200 miles [Note, there's a non-EA QC in Burlington, IA that could be used to connect Bloomington-Williamsburg now]. From there, it's a straight shot via QCs along I-80/76 to Denver, then west and north to SLC and either Portland/Seattle via I-84/82/90, or Seattle via I-15/90.

Adding another site in Ohio at either Huber Heights* (I-70/75 N. of Dayton) or Columbus*, OH, and another at either Girard*, OH (I-80 north of Youngstown) or else in Pennsylvania on I-70 somewhere between Washington and Somerset will allow much more direct access to the east coast from NYC to Washington. Three more around Columbia, MO; Independence*, MO, and Salina, KS, will complete I-70 from STL to Denver.

An additional two out west, around Wendover, UT and Reno, NV will allow direct access to Northern CA via I-80 from SLC. A further half dozen or so will also allow access to Southern California via I-70/I-15, and completing I-10 end to end will take 8-10 more. I-40 west of OKC will need another 10-12.

These are the minimum required QCs to make such trips possible, but until they increase the density so that max. leg lengths are no more than about 140 miles I don't consider them practical, and it won't be until they've reached their final goal of 70 mile avg./120 mile max. leg spacing that such trips will be easy and routine. At the rate they're going, though, I expect the first transcontinental route will be available by the start of summer; spanning the Rockies will likely be the key holdup.