Phoenix metro-area

[myleaf]

Saw a black leaf at the Phx airport this morning. Terminal 4, level 7 West End.
I also found the 2 blink chargers in terminal 4, level 4, east end.

 

[GerryAZ]

I passed an APS silver Leaf going north on I-17 near the 101 this afternoon so APS has at least one in their vehicle fleet.

Has anyone used the chargers at Terminal 4? It would be nice to gain a little range for errands when picking someone up at the airport.

I received license renewal notices for both HOV lane vehicles today: 2002 motorcycle $56.80 + $19.00 for emissions test for a total cost of $75.80 for one year. 2011 LEAF one year $20.16, two years $29.91, or five years $51.21 total cost.

Gerry

 

[jspearman]

I've used the terminal 4 charger a few times. There's often a red Leaf parked there, and once I met Dr. Blink, the guy who repairs the Blink chargers as he was working on one of the two chargers. The tag on his Leaf said DRBLINK, if I remember right

Are there any chargers besides Ecotality's, or is Blink the only game in town? Sorry if this question has been asked and answered before.

 

[kovalb]

Are there any chargers besides Ecotality's, or is Blink the only game in town?

I know of one Chargepoint charging station at Bookman's on Country Club in Mesa. Otherwise in Phoenix I only know of Blinks.

Regarding the charging stations at terminal 4 at Skyharbor, are they inside where you have to pay for parking? Usually we use the cell phone lot when picking someone up from the airport - no need to pay for parking.

 

[GerryAZ]

I just checked Chargepoint's web site and saw Bookmans in Mesa along with a couple of sites in Tucson. So far, nearly all of the public chargers in Phoenix are Blinks. Maybe Chargepoint will add some in the future.

The Blinks at Terminal 4 are on Level 4 of the parking garage so you must pay for parking to use them. As I was typing this reply, it occurred to me that the cell phone lot would be an ideal location for a quick charger (if there is sufficient power capacity nearby). The lot is always accessible and drivers are required to stay with their cars. Since the airport is centrally located, a QC there would open up the possibility of driving from one side of the city to the other and back.

Gerry

 

[LEAFfan]

Bookmans told me that they are going to pull the ChargePoints, and replace them with Blinks.

 

[skippycoyote]

I am in the process of getting an EVSE installed at my home through ECOtality. I just got my LEAF last Thursday. Yesterday I had the misfortune of driving from far East Mesa to Ahwatukee on a partial charge and counting on charging at the Tempe Ikea. However, I did not have a Blink card. Does anybody know if you get a Blink card when you get your EVSE installed, or if you just need to sign up for a membership online? I wound up catching a brief charge at the dealership and another one at Bookmans (called the toll free ChargePoint # and had them unlock it) so I could get home, but my husband was very frustrated. He went from saying, "I actually kind of like this car." to "I hate how this car works." by the end of the evening. :-(

 

[EdmondLeaf]

With one charging public station in whole OK you should consider yourself very lucky to have access to many. So far I never run of power. we know we have to relay on each othe,r so plug share really works great here

I am in the process of getting an EVSE installed at my home through ECOtality. I just got my LEAF last Thursday. Yesterday I had the misfortune of driving from far East Mesa to Ahwatukee on a partial charge and counting on charging at the Tempe Ikea. However, I did not have a Blink card. Does anybody know if you get a Blink card when you get your EVSE installed, or if you just need to sign up for a membership online? I wound up catching a brief charge at the dealership and another one at Bookmans (called the toll free ChargePoint # and had them unlock it) so I could get home, but my husband was very frustrated. He went from saying, "I actually kind of like this car." to "I hate how this car works." by the end of the evening. :-(

 

[turbo2ltr]

Sign up for your card here:
https://www.blinknetwork.com/membership.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And I second checking out http://www.plugshare.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

 

[skippycoyote]

Is there any way to get a Blink key card without having to sign up for a membership? I created a guest account, which said it would give me access to the stations, but when I try to get a card it says you must have a membership. I don't like the idea of giving any company my credit card info.

 

[turbo2ltr]

Then you are out of luck. They are in business to make money. It might be free for now, but it's understood it won't be for long.

 

[kovalb]

I signed up for the premium Blink membership while it is still free. ECOtality has been trying to change to a fee for service business model but have not yet been able to do so. Hopefully they won't.

I wouldn't pay for public charging unless I was desperate. I can charge at night, at home, for about $0.065/kWh using SRP's time of use plan. I believe any fee for service public charging would fail. It would be used too infrequently for it to pay off. IMHO the best business model is to use public charge stations to get customers in your doors. EV customers have great demographics... meaning they have money in their pockets.

 

[skippycoyote]

I signed up for the premium Blink membership while it is still free. ECOtality has been trying to change to a fee for service business model but have not yet been able to do so. Hopefully they won't.

I wouldn't pay for public charging unless I was desperate. I can charge at night, at home, for about $0.065/kWh using SRP's time of use plan. I believe any fee for service public charging would fail. It would be used too infrequently for it to pay off. IMHO the best business model is to use public charge stations to get customers in your doors. EV customers have great demographics... meaning they have money in their pockets.

I am currently trickle charging at home (EVSE should be installed on Monday), which is more than enough for my 24 mile round trip commute. I would just like to be able to charge at public locations if I decided to go into Phoenix or something. I'm part of a charity costuming group that is pretty active in the downtown and "BFE" parts of the valley. I guess some stations in WA and CA are already charging for use. But, many of the stations here in the Valley are being supplied with electricity from businesses (Monti's, Bookmans), so it probably is a business venture. However, I am one of the few that doesn't fit the typical EV demographics. I have just enough money in my pockets to get by

 

[Herm]

IMHO the best business model is to use public charge stations to get customers in your doors. EV customers have great demographics... meaning they have money in their pockets.

they are just not willing to spend it

 

[leafkabob]

Last summer my battery temperature gauge went from 6 bars to 7 and pretty much stayed there for the rest of the summer. Unfortunately I didn't note exactly when that happened. This year I am watching more closely. So far my gauge still shows 6 bars.

Is anyone seeing 7 yet? After it hit 7 last summer did anyone see it go back down prior to September? Just curious.

 

[turbo2ltr]

I don't watch it that closely, but I'm definitely see 7 nearly every day.

 

[SilverLeaf]

My LEAF's sitting comfortably in my garage, fully charged with 6 bars on the temp gauge

 

[Volusiano]

I'm seeing 7 bars temperature all the times already this summer when I'm out and about. Of course sitting inside the garage overnight charged up to 80% would show 6 bars.

Also, for the last few months now, my 80% charge has consistently been showing 9 bars only instead of 10 bars. Even after charging a few more minutes to get to 10 bar display, after a few hours sitting in the garage, it goes back down to 9 bars again without any driving.

 

[leafkabob]

I drove 20 miles to Scottsdale a couple of hours ago. 6 bars for the entire trip. Approx. 107 F outside. Got 7 bars about halfway home. 109F according to the dash thermometer. Otherwise, this is only the second time I've seen 7 bars this summer.

 

[LEAFfan]

Is anyone seeing 7 yet?

I have frequently seen 7 bars because it always goes to seven when I'm QCing. I've never seen 8 in over a year even with QCing in the hot summer temps.