Expanding EV charging in Yosemite

[cwerdna]

I can't find that Bolt topic on the Bridgeport EA station. Can you provide a direct link.

Maybe https://mynissanleaf.com/search.php?keywords=bridgeport&t=18907&sf=msgonly?

 

[GRA]

^^^ The first two of those are probably the most critical re charging. You can read the whole sequence back and forth starting here: https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=18907&start=2280#p591874

and going through to my last post on Friday the 16th. Much of it has to do with my impressions of the Bolt.

 

[GRA]

EA site "Coming soon" in Buck Meadows on 120: https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=25212&p=593382#p593382

Once it and the 2DS/1L2 (2 x Dual-Standard QC & 1 L2) CP site in Groveland open, added to the existing 1DS/1L2 CP QC at Rush Creek Lodge there'll be three QC sites on HWY 120 in a 20 mile stretch, which is the kind of density/redundancy needed to guarantee charging is reasonably convenient and reliable. I expect the EA site will be 3CCS/1DS/0L2, but will check the next time I go up if it hasn't opened yet.

 

[GRA]

Plugshare is showing the Chargepoint QC site in Groveland on 120 is now online, and the first check-in was yesterday, by a Mach-E no less. It's not showing yet on CP's app.

Prices are no bargain:

Level 2 Charging

Energy
12am - 4pm $0.30/kWh
4pm - 9pm $0.35/kWh
9pm - 12am $0.30/kWh

Station Parking
While charging - $1.25/hr
When not charging (After 15 mins grace period) - $5.00/hr


DC Fast Charging

Energy
12am - 4pm $0.30/kWh
4pm - 9pm $0.40/kWh
9pm - 12am $0.30/kWh

Station Parking
While charging - $0.05/min
When not charging (After 15 mins grace period) - $0.20/min

The vast majority of (50kW) QC'ing at this site will be at peak rates, as most people will be heading up and many will be returning during that period. You'll be effectively paying $0.47/kWh and up during peak hours. I have no idea how they'll charge for parking, as entrance to the lot (at the library) was unrestricted when I went by last.

Still, despite the high prices this site is much needed, and once the EA site 11 miles east in Buck Meadows also opens there'll be much needed redundancy on this route, for those traveling to and across Yosemite. There's also the single CP CCS&CHA (+1 L2) at Rush Cr. Lodge further east just outside the park boundary, but judging by the check-ins finding either of those both working and available is unlikely, so I wouldn't count on them.

The EA site in Oakhurst on 41 also opened this month, so that will help people entering or leaving via the south entrance. Now we just need them somewhere in the Mariposa-El Portal stretch, and Lee Vining to provide cover along all the entrance routes.

 

[danrjones]

47 cents is high, but it's not that high.

My home rate from 2pm to 8pm was like 45 cents. But I believe it went up and our new summer rate will be 60 cents per kWh from 2pm to 8pm.

Good thing I have solar.

 

[GRA]

^^^ They're all more expensive than buying gas, even here in the Bay Area with the highest average gas prices in the country.

 

[GRA]

Got an EA text alert yesterday that the EA site in Buck Meadows is now open, and it so shows on Plugshare! Standard 3 CCS & 1 CCS/CHAdeMO. I'm guessing two of the CCS are 350kW, but haven't been buy yet to confirm.

This and the CP site in Groveland for redundancy are the most critical sites in the country for me. I just wish that there was a dual instead of single (CCS/CHAdeMO) DCFC at Rush Creek Lodge, as I either have to backtrack 11 miles from Buck Meadows to Groveland if I can't activate the chargers at the EA site, or else stop at Groveland and use the EA site as backup, which is more expensive in both money and time (Groveland, 50kW). Single chargers just can't be planned on.

 

[GRA]

I've used chargers at both the Groveland CP and Buck Meadows EA sites, haven't tried the Rush Creek Lodge chargers as I expect them to be occupied by guests. Had some issues at Buck Meadows the first time (couldn't tap my phone, site not showing on the app map so couldn't activate it that way), but was able to get it activated remotely by CS after about 15 minutes. I used it once since then and the app worked. Tapping my phone has never worked at any EA site, so I suspect my phone, a fairly low-end model, lacks whatever capability is needed.

Took a couple of trips along 120/Tioga Rd. over to Lee Vining the past couple of weeks, so was able to check out the two EVSEs installed at the old gas station site in Tuolumne Meadows. You can't use them this year as they're using the site for parking/staging construction equipment as the road and campground are being upgraded, but currently there are a pair of Clipper Creek HCS-40R ('R' for "Ruggedized") on the east side of the lot, closest to the store/cafe'. I don't know if they're shared or not. I've been told by a park representative that they hope to add two more. I'd hope that they'd go with HCS-50s rather than 40s, as cars with bigger packs can benefit, as would sharing, and I think the transformer on site can handle 3 of them (six shared).

In emails with the relevant person in Yosemite I was told that these sites and all the rest in Yosemite were currently free, although this one had the Liberty Hydra charging keypad like the earlier sites, before Rivian offered to make them free through Adopt-a-Charger.

I strongly recommended that they should be pay, to prevent hogging and help pay for maintenance. I was told they do have the ability to add payment later if needed, although they had problems with the Liberty system's activation when they were using that. Payment has to be easy and reliable for the general consumer to trust public charging for BEVs, and as we all know that's often not the case.

Prior to my most recent trip I also sent an email to the Tioga Gas Mart/Whoa Nellie Deli in Lee Vining, pointing put the need for L2 or better DCFCs there. Got an email back saying they'd been trying to get charging for two years, and that they were currently waiting for an engineering firm in Mammoth to finish their planning and/or permitting work. They suggested I contact the firm, so I sent them an email but haven't heard back. Emails being easy to ignore, I'll probably follow that up with a letter in a bit.

I'm also trying to get EVSEs at Badger Pass, hopefully easily re-locatable to Tuolumne Meadows and vice-versa, so the chargers in both places don't sit idle six months of the year (summer at Badger, winter at Tuolumne). I sent an email to the Yosemite Conservancy, as they seem to be the main in-park agency involved in this, and offered to pay for two and possibly more EVSEs/pedestals, if they handled the wiring, installation etc. I may not have sent it to the right place as I've yet to hear back, so will try sending it again to someone else specifically involved with donations, and hopefully will get a response. If so I'll report how things go.

 

[cwerdna]

Tapping my phone has never worked at any EA site, so I suspect my phone, a fairly low-end model, lacks whatever capability is needed.

See my other reply. If your phone is an Motorola e6, https://www.motorola.com/us/smartphones-moto-e6/p?skuId=334 says it lacks NFC, so yes, it lacks what's needed.

 

[paulgipe]

Tapping my phone has never worked at any EA site, so I suspect my phone, a fairly low-end model, lacks whatever capability is needed.

See my other reply. If your phone is an Motorola e6, https://www.motorola.com/us/smartphones-moto-e6/p?skuId=334 says it lacks NFC, so yes, it lacks what's needed.

Yes, NFC is not standard on low-end models. I now from experience buying cheaper phones.

However, I use it when I can. EVgo doesn't use it. But now EVgo does plug and charge so I don't need it there. At a recent EA session at Coso Junction it wouldn't work so I had to do the app and swipe. NFC is much easier--when it works.

Paul

 

[paulgipe]

Prior to my most recent trip I also sent an email to the Tioga Gas Mart/Whoa Nellie Deli in Lee Vining, pointing put the need for L2 or better DCFCs there. Got an email back saying they'd been trying to get charging for two years, and that they were currently waiting for an engineering firm in Mammoth to finish their planning and/or permitting work. They suggested I contact the firm, so I sent them an email but haven't heard back. Emails being easy to ignore, I'll probably follow that up with a letter in a bit.

Thanks Guy. That's much needed. Mein Gott is that place busy. A DCFC would be ideal but anything would be better than nothing. They must pump an enormous amount of gas there.

I didn't see the kiosks at the old gas station in Toulumne Meadows but there was too much heavy vehicle activity for me to pull in. There was also fresh oil or asphalt too.

We hope they get the tent cabins open next year. It's been three years now.

Paul

 

[GRA]

I pulled into the T. Mdws. store parking lot the first time to look at them, but was able to pull into the old gas station lot the last time as it was mostly empty, and had a better look.

At the very least I hope they get the road finished this year. Sitting for 15-30 minutes waiting for the next convoy past the one-lane section is pretty tedious, especially on the way home. And then you get stuck in a line behind someone determined to drive 32 in a 45 mile zone who won't pull over under any circumstances, ignoring the 12 cars stacked up behind them, and this after having already waited until after 4 to enter if you don't have a reservation (this year you need one just to enter the park between 6-4 even if you're only driving through, owing to the roadwork). BEV passing ability helps, but that's a band-aid.

 

[GRA]

Semi-related, and concerning for anyone who's ever eaten at the Deli and wants it to stay just the way it is:

The best gas station food you’ll ever have is at the Mobil in the Eastern Sierra After 27 years, this beloved gas station in the Eastern Sierra is listed to sell for $16.5 million

https://www.sfgate.com/travel/artic...-station-ahi-17478154.php?ipid=exco-read-more

 

[paulgipe]

They need that station and the restaurant. Not much in that area. Lee Vining is pretty limited. We ate at the deli a couple times while staying in Lee Vining.

Paul

 

[GRA]

On my recent trip into Yosemite Valley in a Bolt EUV (see https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=627475#p627475), I charged at free L2s at Yosemite Lodge, in both locations. No activation required, just plug in. There are four EVSEs in each location, mounted two per pedestal. While these Rivian EVSEs have stickers on the side saying they are capable of 208V/48A, the ones here all seem to be limited to 32A, as the display on the units says max. power is 6.7kW, presumably rounding up from 6.656kW (208 x 32).

The L2 in the Yosemite Village Store parking lot has been unavailable for some time due to construction. While it's possible to get to it with a little effort, it's non-operational. The screen is powered up but it displays a message saying it's unavailable, and it didn't charge when I plugged in to test it.

I didn't check out the J1772s at the Ahwanee. There used to be just a single 16A J1172 there IIRR (plus a Tesla dest. EVSE) , but apparently there are now a pair of Rivians. Although they're listed as 10kW on Plugshare, I suspect they're actually 32A like the others, as 10kW is the nominal max. rating of all the Rivian EVSEs (208 x 48 = 9.984kW). OTOH several check-ins say 8kW, so possibly these are capable of 40A (8.32kW, but when you enter your max. charge rate on Plugshare it ignores everything to the right of the decimal, so 6.7 kW gets shown as 6kW, and 8.3kW would show as 8kW).