New Chargepoint EVSE at Costco

[TomT]

Even if they never install ANY EVSEs, I'll still reward them for everything else they do by shopping there whenever possible!

If you care about the EV movement and are not an ornery cranky bitter person you'll reward Costco for coming around and installing EVSEs by being a Costco member and purchasing everything at Costco.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-06/costco-ceo-craig-jelinek-leads-the-cheapest-happiest-company-in-the-world

More reasons to not shop there...

In other thread someone mentioned that the City, Costco and the manufacturer are in a disagreement about something and that's why it is taking so long for these to be turned up.

I read the article and I don't any reasons why I should not shop there? I guess I am opposed to the forces that have eliminated the middle class. When Reagan eliminated import tariffs, super cheap Chinese imports completed destroyed most of America's Manufacturing Industry. We no longer could provide a product that people were willing to pay for. Tariffs had protected America by making imported products only slightly cheaper than American products. That was no more. The result? Walmart explodes, the Dollar Store is invented and the average American without a college education lost tens of millions of middle class wage jobs.

ABC News (or maybe CBS?) had a segment on "American Made" where a family was challenged to completely furnish their home with American made products and they failed because there are several things we simply don't produce any more. Best they could do is an American Distributor of foreign made products.

So now, the bulk of Americans work in the retail and service industries making 55% of what is considered a "livable" wage. 2 income earners in a household can barely tread water today. They wont buy a house (anymore....before the bubble they did only to lose the house later) or have decent savings (average value of a 401K? $29,000) for their later years and keep in mind that this started in the early 80's so if you were 30 then, expect a major financial impact of dozens of elderly hitting the streets broke and unemployed in the next 10-15 years.

So when an retailer provides "factory level" wages to its employees, I will gladly support them because to do so is to support my community. Walmart? I can easily live without them.

 

[TomT]

+1

Costco is a company to be both congratulated and emulated!

So when an retailer provides "factory level" wages to its employees, I will gladly support them because to do so is to support my community. Walmart? I can easily live without them.

 

[QueenBee]

http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-06/costco-ceo-craig-jelinek-leads-the-cheapest-happiest-company-in-the-world

More reasons to not shop there...

I read the article and I don't any reasons why I should not shop there?

Sorry, my sarcasm was not clear at all. Was just being as silly as the other(s) who refuse to shop at Costco because some random store manager(s) didn't know anything about the progress EVs were making

 

[smkettner]

I imagine the test location just has a question about electric code compliance to meet city requirements.
Not shop at Costco? Does everyone think you just push a button and these charging stations pop out of the ground?
Takes a bit of time in the corporate world. Have some patience already.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-06/costco-ceo-craig-jelinek-leads-the-cheapest-happiest-company-in-the-world

More reasons to not shop there...

I read the article and I don't any reasons why I should not shop there?

Sorry, my sarcasm was not clear at all. Was just being as silly as the other(s) who refuse to shop at Costco because some random store manager(s) didn't know anything about the progress EVs were making

oh ok, I got ya. I was surprised to hear you felt that way and should have known better

 

[QueenBee]

oh ok, I got ya. I was surprised to hear you felt that way and should have known better

Yeah, my fault. I'm a diehard Costco fan.

So I heard that they are building a parking garage at their corporate office in Issaquah, WA and will be including EVSEs in it.

I think if I could have directed the public L2 EVSE government money I would have focussed it on public/private parking lots for employees who are commuting. I think that would have had the most impact on the actual EV owners and maybe society in general.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

wiWith You 100% On That. Ecotality Is Trying To Create A Long Term Revenue Stream And I Think They Should Put Out A Bank Of 120 Volt Chargers Xesigned For Commuters And Company Parking Lots And Billed Them Ejther By.The Day Or By.Themonth. Right Now We Have Dozens Of L2s Sitting Idle Because People Dont Want To Pay 8+$ A Day To Get A Few Hours Of Charge.

oh ok, I got ya. I was surprised to hear you felt that way and should have known better

Yeah, my fault. I'm a diehard Costco fan.

So I heard that they are building a parking garage at their corporate office in Issaquah, WA and will be including EVSEs in it.

I think if I could have directed the public L2 EVSE government money I would have focussed it on public/private parking lots for employees who are commuting. I think that would have had the most impact on the actual EV owners and maybe society in general.

 

[ERG4ALL]

When Reagan eliminated import tariffs, super cheap Chinese imports completed destroyed most of America's Manufacturing Industry.

Right on Dave! I read the book "Death by China" by Autry and Navarro and is it ever an eye opener. The wage scale differential is only one small part of a much greater force at work. Made in the U.S.A. manufacturing gave lots of jobs to people who would never become college graduate professionals. We need those jobs and most are gone.

 

[Ingineer]

Are you sure it's plasma and not LCD? Modern LED LCDs are more in the neighborhood of 50 watts not 500 watts.

They likely use special outdoor LCD sets with very high lumen ouput (~5000 nits). They start at 500 watts on up for a 47". For example, this one uses LED backlighting, but still averages 600w with 920w maximum!

-Phil

 

[QueenBee]

Are you sure it's plasma and not LCD? Modern LED LCDs are more in the neighborhood of 50 watts not 500 watts.

They likely use special outdoor LCD sets with very high lumen ouput (~5000 nits). They start at 500 watts on up for a 47". For example, this one uses LED backlighting, but still averages 600w with 920w maximum!

-Phil

Wow, good point, that would make sense. I don't think I want to know what one of those TVs cost. 500*24*365/1000= 4380 kwh a year, more electricity than I consume driving the LEAF.

That's compared to say a Samsung UN46F6350AF 46" Class LED 6350 Series TV that uses 52 watts typically and up to 128 watts. Apparently they can get away with not listing brightness though but it certainly doesn't compare.
http://www.samsung.com/us/video/tvs/UN46F6350AFXZA-specs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just don't get why it couldn't have been motion activated.

 

[Luft]

Right on Dave! I read the book "Death by China" by Autry and Navarro and is it ever an eye opener. The wage scale differential is only one small part of a much greater force at work. Made in the U.S.A. manufacturing gave lots of jobs to people who would never become college graduate professionals. We need those jobs and most are gone.

I'm reading that book now. I haven't got very far into it yet but so far it feels like about 60% fear mongering. The author's are pointing out admittedly bad behavior but ascribing it to the big bad commies rather than to the capitalist-like entrepreneurs.

It's kind of a bait and switch. Yes, I find it egregious that anyone would produce cheap unsafe products and sell them to unsuspecting customers (the bait) but it's not the communist leaders telling the Chinese businessmen to do that (the switch). Rather it's capitalist greed coupled with unregulated industries.

The same thing would happen in this country if we deregulated everything. And our businessmen want to deregulate everything so guess what's going to happen if they succeed in doing that.

Anyway, I have a pretty open mind and my opinion of the book may change by the time I finish it.

 

[Ingineer]

Wow, good point, that would make sense. I don't think I want to know what one of those TVs cost. 500*24*365/1000= 4380 kwh a year, more electricity than I consume driving the LEAF.

That's compared to say a Samsung UN46F6350AF 46" Class LED 6350 Series TV that uses 52 watts typically and up to 128 watts. Apparently they can get away with not listing brightness though but it certainly doesn't compare.
http://www.samsung.com/us/video/tvs/UN46F6350AFXZA-specs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just don't get why it couldn't have been motion activated.

Don't even ask them to add any more software to that behemoth! It's already very unstable!

I think many of them are already equipped with motion-activated fail. :lol:

-Phil

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I'm reading that book now. I haven't got very far into it yet but so far it feels like about 60% fear mongering. The author's are pointing out admittedly bad behavior but ascribing it to the big bad commies rather than to the capitalist-like entrepreneurs.

China has been busted dozens of times for dangerous shortcuts, products, chemicals, etc. well, actually not busted since they don't really get in trouble over anything they dump over here. We catch them, they stop (most of the times) and they move on without repercussion.

might as well be doing it on purpose because that is exactly what they are doing. Sorry you feel the book is fear mongering but what else can one do to educate a naive, uninformed public?

 

[Luft]

I'm reading that book now. I haven't got very far into it yet but so far it feels like about 60% fear mongering. The author's are pointing out admittedly bad behavior but ascribing it to the big bad commies rather than to the capitalist-like entrepreneurs.

China has been busted dozens of times for dangerous shortcuts, products, chemicals, etc. well, actually not busted since they don't really get in trouble over anything they dump over here. We catch them, they stop (most of the times) and they move on without repercussion.

might as well be doing it on purpose because that is exactly what they are doing. Sorry you feel the book is fear mongering but what else can one do to educate a naive, uninformed public?

I don't feel the book is 100% fear mongering and I agree that what they are doing is unacceptable. I want to finish the book before commenting further.

 

[coolfilmaker]

This site is fully operational, but good luck getting to the chargers with the ICEing that takes place.

One guy today said that his girlfriend working for an environmental firm entitled them to use the one remaining spot to park their pickup.

 

[smkettner]

^^^^^

Is there proper signage yet?
Typical of no sign, no penalty, no morals, no integrity.

 

[coolfilmaker]

There are signs that say electric vehicle charging station.

 

[timhebb]

Cost of charging?

 

[mbender]

Sorry you feel the book is fear mongering but what else can one do to educate a naive, uninformed public?

No opinion about this book (that I just learned of), but how about educating without fear?

I think we end up with things like the Patriot Act when we "educate" by fear-mongering. The "lizard brain", as some refer to it, is too susceptible to poor/incomplete reasoning and intentional abuse.

[ Just an observation, no offense intended. ]