MA Clean Vehicle Project - $50k QC Deployment Awards

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Yeah, I'm mystified about the next Leaf. I believe the only things I've seen about it are rumors, and I don't have the patience to wade through the thread(s) about it. With such a worldwide base, perhaps Nissan does not feel they have to compete with a 200-mi Bolt.
 
Made a trip to Boston today, so stopped at Natick, Framingham, and Westboro plazas and no sign of any work being done. There is work on a stand alone Starbucks at Framingham, just as you pull in, but none of the construction guys knew anything about a charge station there. Sigh :|
 
DNAinaGoodWay said:
Made a trip to Boston today, so stopped at Natick, Framingham, and Westboro plazas and no sign of any work being done. There is work on a stand alone Starbucks at Framingham, just as you pull in, but none of the construction guys knew anything about a charge station there. Sigh :|

Yup! And I can confirm that none of the plazas between Exit 4 and Exit 13 show any signs of charger installation activity. Anything out west of Exit 4?
 
While I still see no sign of installation, I've found a little more information.

From: http://pluginsites.org/ev-fast-charging-coming-to-the-massachusetts-turnpike/

The 50kW DC Fast Chargers will support both CHAdeMO and SAE Combo connectors and are being installed by contractor, Voltrek, LLC of Andover, MA. The initial locations are planned for Framingham westbound, Natick eastbound, Charlton eastbound and westbound, Blandford westbound and Lee eastbound.

Also says free for the first six months and planned for expansion.
 
Inquired of the DOT, and got this in return:

In responding to your inquiry:

The final plans for Framingham and Natick were completed earlier this month and were followed by site visits to mark station and electrical infrastructure for dig-safe purposes.
Acquiring the equipment has taken a little longer than first anticipated because we are working on details that could see some equipment and services provided to MassDOT that will offset our construction and installation costs.
We are still hopeful we can have Framingham and Natick installed and operational in November. The two Lee stations are still on track for installation and activation this construction season. The Charlton sites may have to wait until next construction season as we await resources from National Grid.

Donald Pettey
 
Got an update today, another month at least:

I wanted to provide an update on our Natick & Framingham sites.

We should be starting site work this week with station delivery and installation in the first or second week of January.

The Department of Energy Resources is interested in partnering with us to have some kind of announcement/event. We’ll know more when we tighten our installation schedule.

Donald
 
Inquired about the markings and got this back:

You are very close, the “P” stands for Present. The F does indicate Future station locations. We are sizing the electrical service for at least three stations and we are running conduit under the sidewalk for those future stations.

The stations will be located at the edge of the curb line with bollards in the pavement to protect against damage. We hope this configuration does not significantly increase snow clearing responsibilities.

Donald
 
I wish the spots were further away from the buildings, to avoid the temptation other people might have to ICE them. :(
 
Well, so much for mid January for these first Pike stations. Went to see where they were at and there was no digging or construction, only a delivery of conduits and fittings that looked like they've been there for awhile.

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A quick response from Donald Pettey at MA DOT:

"Natick will start next week and may be completed by the end of the month. Utilty did not like Framingham trench design so that will have to be delayed until March.

Lee locations are on track for early February if weather continues to cooperate.

We are still waiting to hear back from utilty on Charlton sites."
 
Touched base with the MA DOER on the 8 QCs they requested proposals on, (not the 12 DOT ones for the Pike), and got this back:

"The stations under contract with DOER all need a Buy America waiver and this is a process that could take up to 6 months. We are working on finalizing the next round of funding but are exploring the option of perhaps changing the structure of funding."

Michelle Broussard
Alternative Transportation Program Coordinator
Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 1020, Boston, MA 02114
O: 617.626.7377

Not sure what she means by "next round of funding ". Maybe they have plans for even more QC, although at this rate, that'll be in the 2020's. I'll check.
 
Some progress on the MA Pike Natick rest area, conduits laid in and QC units are there in crates, although one is for the Framingham Plaza.

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Donald Pettey has this to say:

"The stations were delivered earlier this week.

We should know in about a week when the utilty can connect us to the transformer.

We may be able to start Framingham next week, we are finding that the ground conditions will support hand digging."
 
One of the crates had a packing order on it and that revealed what's coming and that NRG was the buyer. Donald tells me they will be free for about six months until all the installs are in. NRG is pretty good about monitoring Plugshare comments and responding to equipment failures quickly. The DOT isn't divulging its fee structure yet.

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Haven't heard back from the DOER about their 8 yet, but the 12 DOT ones are accounted for like this:

"Besides these for Natick and Framingham, we’ll be working on Lee east & west in a few weeks.
Charlton east & west we are waiting on the utility.

The other six sites are being constructed under a separate contract, yet to be awarded. There was a delay in some of the approvals because there is federal highway funds involved.
Those six sites: Lexington I-95 NB, Newton I-95 SB, Bridgewater Route 24 NB & SB, Plymouth Route 3 Exit 5, Barnstable Route 6 Exit 6. All are service plaza locations."

So, Blandford will not make it into this round, they decide Lee got more usage and was easier to wire. But I'm told they hope to get VW to install there, and the other Pike plazas as part of their settlement.
 
OK, so here's the list from the DOER. The first six are the same as the last six of the DOT because they're involved in the funding, but then there are 10 more! One or two of those may not make it through the whole process, but that means like 20-22 new QC, with plans for more in a few more years. Not bad for such a small state. That should put us over 50 QCs at least.

Bridgewater rt 24 NB service plaza
Bridgewater rt 24 SB service plaza
Plymouth rt 3 exit 5 service plaza
Barnstable rt 6 exit 6 service plaza
Lexington I-95 NB service plaza
Newton I-95 SB service plaza

The Westfield State location will be at 577 Western Ave Westfield, MA. 01085.

The Roxbury CC EVCS will be at 1234 Columbus Ave. Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120.

The Hurley-Lindemann EVCS will be at 19 Staniford Street Boston, MA 02114.

The Holyoke CC EVCS will be at 303 Homestead Ave. Holyoke MA 01040.

The Berkshire CC EVCS will be at 1350 West Street Pittsfield, MA 01201

The Springfield Technical CC EVCS will be at 1 Armory Street Springfield, MA 01105

Hannafords Supermarket at 777 Rogers St., Lowell, MA 01852

Hannafords Supermarket at 193 Boston Post Rd., Marlborough, MA 01752

The Fairfield Inn at 35 Clarks Rd., Amesbury, MA 01913

Westfield Gas and Electric, 21 Southampton Road, Westfield
 
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