MA Clean Vehicle Project - $50k QC Deployment Awards

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

DNAinaGoodWay

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2012
Messages
2,774
Location
Central Massachusetts
I've received an update from the MA DOER on the upcoming deployment of DCQC across the state.

Follow the link in this email to the first RFQ for applications for up to $50k reimbursement for QC installs. There's a lot of red tape and hoops to jump, but if you know of a firm or municipality that might be interested, please forward the link. The plan is for dual SAE Combo/CHAdeMO stations to be publically available for 15 years, lots more details in the link. A $50k award should help the business model get started.

The other 12 Linda mentions are Nissan donations I believe, not sure if they'll have combo, but every Pike rest stop should be covered. The map at the end of the pdf shows the preferred sites.
Here's the email:

Still doing site planning and load calculations for 12 FC to be located at highway rest areas and a request for proposals is out for 8 more:

http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/doer/procurement/clean-vehicle-project3-fast-chargingpon-ene-2015-013.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2015 is the year!

Linda J. Benevides
MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
100 Cambridge Street Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 626-1197
(617) 626-1181 (fax)
 
Hmm...

Will believe them when they are there. I wonder what payment networks will be used - hope they can be done such that they are utilized yet reasonably profitable for whoever owns them so they will be maintained etc.

I could see using that one that appears to be on the Mass Pike between 495 and 128 if it is accessible. We have a once-weekly trip that goes past there that is right on the edge of our range during warm weather - expect a 'small boost' in winter may make it workable then too....

E.
 
I hear ya. The state takes sooo long to get it done, but they are progressing. The 12 DOT site should be done next year, that's all the rest areas on the Pike for starters. The 8 award winners have a year from approval to install.
 
Any word on cost to use those pike rest area locations?

I wonder if perhaps the Pike locations are least likely to be blocked by someone charging for hours on end (unless an employee of the rest stop uses it). Not really the sort of place many like to hang out - and paying a toll to get there may deter things (pay $3 in tolls to save $2 in electric costs....).

When it comes to public charging infrastructure, I really do believe that DCFCs are the way to go. IF reliable they can extend the range of BEVs quite a bit with minimal inconvenience.
 
Slow1 said:
Any word on cost to use those pike rest area locations?

Don't know, but I'll ask. FWIW, the one at UMass Amherst charges $5/hr, prorated by the second, $1 minimum, but one at Big Y Market in Greenfield is free, so who knows? I'll ask Linda, but it may be too early to tell yet.
 
I would hazard to guess it may depend on who owns the stations and their individual motivation for providing the service. I wonder who is the 'owner' of the pike rest areas and why they would provide the power etc.

In any case I'm happy to see them. I'd be glad to pay a fair (even slightly premium) rate to use one that is well placed for me (convenient, reliable, accessible). Key here being the reliably factor - if blocked/broken/fully utilized the value falls very quickly as I don't see using one unless I had to - and if it isn't really there for me I'm in trouble! I hope that reality is part of the installation/maintenance plan for these units.
 
No reply on possible price structures. Probably too early for that, but I think a reasonable cost, similar to UMass would help with maintenance. I have raised all the usual issue with them, and I'm told maintenance service is part of the contract language. I believe MADOT operates the rest areas. The state is motivated to reduce emissions and put more evs on the road. Feel free to contact Linda with comments or questions. The more feedback she gets, the better our odds of getting usable stations.
 
In the map at the end of the link, it looks like several rest areas are marked in green as "Existing Fast Charging Stations". Does this mean they are actually in existence or just funded to be completed? I am unaware of any QCs at rest areas on the Mass Pike. I assume the state is not marking private QCs -- like the ones at Nissan dealers, right?
 
The map does appear to have existing QC's on it - including the Nissan dealerships. I couldn't zoom in to see exactly where each of their green markers are, but the only DCQC near me is at the Nissan dealership and I do see a marker about at about the right spot on 495.
 
Slow1 said:
The map does appear to have existing QC's on it - including the Nissan dealerships. I couldn't zoom in to see exactly where each of their green markers are, but the only DCQC near me is at the Nissan dealership and I do see a marker about at about the right spot on 495.

I was wondering about that. It look like they have a green marker south of Worcester...about where Bertera Nissan is in Auburn. I also think that I see a marker on top of Marlboro Nissan.
 
The map could be better. All the green markers are existing Nissan QC, plus the UMass and Big Y, Greenfield ones. They missed the two Comfort Inns, but Plugshare will always be more up to date.

The red markers indicate general areas where they'd prefer to locate one of the 8 QCs to be awarded under this PONs. Trying to get a good distribution across the state apparently.

Not marked, are the 12 MADOT QCs that will be at highway rest areas, not sure which ones, as there are more than 12 shown here: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/MapsDataandReports/Maps/MassDOTRestAreas.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not hard to find 12 with food and facilities. I assume all the Pike ones, plus 128, but they're not releasing that info yet.

I've started shopping the PONs around to possible interested parties. Please share the link.
 
I just realized that the way the rest areas are, they would need two for each 'area' - one for east and one for west bound traffic. So, effectively only 6 spots could be covered with 12 units.... I suppose they could make folks turn around and go back for the charger but that is rather inefficient when you may have to travel 20 miles to turn around by time you get back to where you were intending to go.... Not like it is easy to pull a u-turn on the pike eh?
 
This is exciting news!

Our 2012 LEAF lease is getting close to being up and my only real complaint is the 3.3kW charging at level 2 (couples with the lack of CHADEMO infrastructure) Really not worth turning it in over that.

Living in far Western Mass, I see the Blandford pike rest area, Great Barrington and probably the Berkshire Mall on (or a little north) as "needed" locations. This would make all the difference in usability. (And avoid that tricky additional Brusa charger idea)
 
Hi listless. If you know of a business or municipality in any of those non-pike areas that might be interested, please forward the link to them. Target areas get preference. They wont release the tenative rest area list to me yet, but I' hope for Blandford at least.
 
Back
Top