free blink charging ends spring 2012

[solardude]

An Update For Our Valued Blink Hosts

As a key member of our Blink commercial host community, you already know that the deployment of our commercial infrastructure is well under way. Thanks to you, Blink has the most robust network of chargers in the nation.

With every smart charger we install, we are learning more about the charging needs, habits, and behaviors of our shared customers. Very soon, Blink will be announcing a wide spectrum of service and support as we expand our network and introduce the Blink membership and pricing models. We will be introducing this inside information on memberships and pricing models to you, our preferred partner, before anyone else.

With competitive access fees, your Blink chargers will bring new patrons to your locations, provide revenue, and enhance your customer experience. As part of this effort, we are continually providing remote software updates to increase reliability and expand functionality of our Blink chargers, map, and mobile app. Free charging through the Blink Network will continue until early Spring of 2012 to get EV drivers on the road and headed in your direction.

We appreciate your support as we continue to prepare and implement our public launch to EV drivers across the nation. On behalf of all of us at Blink, we would like to express our thanks for your continued participation in the electric revolution. If you would like to discuss installing additional chargers, whether at your location or another within our EV Project target markets, we're equipped to meet your needs.

Please feel free to contact me directly by phone or email if you have any questions or comments.

Best regards,
Tom Jacobson, ECOtality Director of Sales

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

now if they could just get all the ones that are installed working and reliable... honestly, consumer confidence is lagging, warranted or not. As it's been explained to me many times, the network is, more than anything, about creating consumer confidence, encouraging people to use their cars to the fullest of their range. The impression that reliability is an issue with Blink Chargers seriously undermines the number one objective of building out the network. So far, I am reluctant to travel beyond what I can do from charging at home. I truly hope this quickly becomes a thing of the past and whatever the issues are or have been are resolved. For me to want to pay for this service, I will need assurance that I am supporting something worthy of my dollars. I need more assurance that my tax dollars have been efficiently used. So far, the Chargepoint Network has been more reliable... don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, but it just had to be said.

 

[Valdemar]

The only Blink charger I can use in a 50 mile radius is the one in my garage. But thanks for the update anyway.

 

[DarkStar]

Locally, Legacy Health has announced that starting next year, their Blink units will cost $1 per hour to charge. They have no additional parking fees. Given Blink's announcement, my guess is that might be the typical rate.

http://www.legacyhealth.org/body.cfm?id=17&action=detail&ref=583

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i have dozens around me and have never had a charging issue with any of them. had a charge point station not work but called it in and it was fixed the next time i was there.

but then again i rarely use public charging because my driving needs are modest. lately i plug into them to preheat the car. does wonders for my efficiency numbers!!

 

[EVDRIVER]

What a joke, there is not one in the SF area where the Blink headquarters is located. I would never support this company in any way.

 

[TRONZ]

I'll take a few free charges. Oooops, wait, they can't seem to send me an Access Card. Never mind.

 

[JimSouCal]

I'll take a few free charges. Oooops, wait, they can't seem to send me an Access Card. Never mind.

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know how much taxpayer money the on the BLINK company received--or how I would find out? I am disappointed as I'd love to take my LEAF to IKEA. Chargepoint sent a card right out. Issuing access cards is a mission critical basic function. :evil:

(Please don't take me as a guy that is against such things as government funding, but poorly structured grants without a performance incentive seem to result in BLINKy results).

Anyway, thanks. Just wait till you are paying and for some reason the EVSE and car don't charge, and you still get bills. My prediction. Want to be against me?

 

[Valdemar]

Somehow I got their card fairly quickly after applying for free charger under EV Project. Have yet to find a place where I can use it.

 

[highcountryrider]

I must agree. They need to get the Blink working reliably before proceeding. Last I
tried, the tall one at Fred Meyer/Benson is still not working.

now if they could just get all the ones that are installed working and reliable... honestly, consumer confidence is lagging, warranted or not. As it's been explained to me many times, the network is, more than anything, about creating consumer confidence, encouraging people to use their cars to the fullest of their range. The impression that reliability is an issue with Blink Chargers seriously undermines the number one objective of building out the network. So far, I am reluctant to travel beyond what I can do from charging at home. I truly hope this quickly becomes a thing of the past and whatever the issues are or have been are resolved. For me to want to pay for this service, I will need assurance that I am supporting something worthy of my dollars. I need more assurance that my tax dollars have been efficiently used. So far, the Chargepoint Network has been more reliable... don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, but it just had to be said.

 

[DarkStar]

I must agree. They need to get the Blink working reliably before proceeding. Last I tried, the tall one at Fred Meyer/Benson is still not working.

Well, this is kinda a strange one. The DC Quick Charger works fine, however Blink has chosen to only have it turned on when they're physically monitoring it (they state it's still "under testing").

Right now, there is a problem with the CHAdeMO connector causing the metal tab on the underside to be easily broken, even with normal use. Once the new connector is UL listed, it's supposed to be installed and Blink will leave the Quick Chargers on. Nobody knows when that will happen though...

 

[kovalb]

I do not understand. ECOtality gets a $100 million grant from the DOE and now wants us to pay for charging? This sounds like double dipping. :shock:

 

[ttweed]

I do not understand. ECOtality gets a $100 million grant from the DOE and now wants us to pay for charging? This sounds like double dipping. :shock:

Read up on the grant terms and you will understand the situation better. Government subsidies were available for installations of charging equipment and for collecting data on usage that will lead to appropriate commercial business models for EV charging infrastructure. The intent was never to subsidize EV charging forever, it was to jumpstart and develop a private, commercial charging infrastructure. We can't expect free charging forever, can we? There has been an end date proposed for "free" charging since the beginning of the project.

TT

 

[EricBayArea]

As another pointed out, in the Bay Area there are so few Blink public chargers. I have had a card since I took delivery of my car and have not used one public charger. The one in my garage has worked without fault thus far so no complaints.

In contrast, there are several FREE Coulomb chargers that I do use when I'm out and about on occasion. However, I have never driven somewhere and relied on a public charger to get home.

So for me it is a no-brainer if they start charging - I will continue to not use them because they are not available around me. And if they do become available, I'll continue to charge at home because it's not worth $1/hr.

On a side-note, I think that public EV chargers will become the new WiFi in coffee shops and restaurants; Some will start offering them for free at first. Then, others will try to make the cost back by charging a nominal fee. But once the businesses that charge realize that usage is so small and people are taking their business to places that offer it for free, they too will drop the fees. People who charge-up in public to get home is one thing, but for others that do not need to do that (the majority), paying such low rates at home over $1/hr is a no-brainer.

 

[ttweed]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know how much taxpayer money the on the BLINK company received--or how I would find out?

They have received ~$17M to date of a ~$100M contract. See the Recovery Act website for details.

TT

 

[ttweed]

As another pointed out, in the Bay Area there are so few Blink public chargers. I have had a card since I took delivery of my car and have not used one public charger. The one in my garage has worked without fault thus far so no complaints.

Ditto here, although being in San Diego, I would reverse the role Blink and Coloumb have played in my experience to date. There are very few Coulomb chargers here and quite a few Blink units.

In contrast, there are several FREE Coulomb chargers that I do use when I'm out and about on occasion.

Will they be free forever? AFAIK, the Chargepoint and Blink network business models are identical--it is up to the owner of the charging station to decide whether to charge for the service or not.

However, I have never driven somewhere and relied on a public charger to get home.

I have, and many people who want to stretch the range of their EV to increase its utility will.

People who charge-up in public to get home is one thing, but for others that do not need to do that (the majority), paying such low rates at home over $1/hr is a no-brainer.

"Need" is a relative term. Public charging is definitely going to be more expensive than charging at home, especially if you enjoy cheap TOU rates for electricity, but if it is still cheaper than gas and allows you to use the EV instead of an ICE for a trip outside the normal range of the EV, it will be useful for quite a few folks, if not the majority. When the element of inconvenience involved in the extended "time to charge" on L2 is neutralized by the availability of L3 fast chargers, I believe many more owners might be inclined to pay for the ability to vastly increase the range and utility of their electric vehicle on occasion. I would LOVE to be able to drive the Leaf to Las Vegas for a vacation, for instance, but until there is an L3 charging "corridor" on the Interstate 15 route, I am not going to try it.

Time will tell how this all shakes out.
TT

 

[Pipcecil]

I do hope their charging model accomodates a rate per kWh used versus per hour. We all know a Roadster, Leaf, and Focus EV will all use different power draws based on their components. It seems like a raw deal that a focus ev (or especially a roadster) will pay the same as leaf but can draw 2 times as much power (i.e. focus) or way more than 2 times (roadster...don't know what their onboard charger allows) and pay the same.

Just set a rate of kWh charged to be the fairest.

 

[harmsk]

I have used the Blink charger at two different Kohl's stores just to see if the Blink card worked. They both worked without any problems. $1/hour seems high unless I am also paying for parking.

 

[camasleaf]

Any information on the QC cost for charging?

 

[Randy]

I have used the Blink charger at two different Kohl's stores just to see if the Blink card worked. They both worked without any problems. $1/hour seems high unless I am also paying for parking.

Some host businesses will give it away as a promotion or to attract customers, but if their goal is to recover costs, then it will have to be priced higher than $1/hour. They have to share charging revenue with ECOtality, so the host business is not pocketing the entire amount. While the charger cost is subsidized by the Project, the installation cost is shared (depends on complexity) and the host pays for all electricity/demand charges. So it could easily be a few hundred $$$ per month (depending on utilization( if demand charges are involved...

How much would you charge if you were the host/business owner?