San Francisco Bay Area Quick Chargers Recommended Locations

[GRA]

Are the L3 chargers at dealers going to be accessible 24/7? If not, the ability to use them during the commute or for limited touring won't exist.

 

[GRA]

I would also add Auburn or Colfax for folks heading up to Tahoe/Truckee (or somewhere midway between Sacramento & Tahoe).

Folks who live in those areas can also go the extra mile to identify likely locations within the parameters suggested by ElectricVehicle in the initial post.

off topic, but I suggested Pollock Pines long ago. http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2866" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

While I agree that Pollock Pines would be the best location at first glance, assuming the info in the chart here:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4295" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

is reasonably accurate, Pollock Pines may be out of range for anything but a brand-new, lightly-loaded Leaf in ideal temperature conditions. It's 57 miles from the 50/99 junction, but it's also 3955 ft. of elevation gain, so take 4 bars of range off the top. Add in allowances for at least a 10 mile reserve, (i.e. stay out of the Low/Very Low battery range), plus any combination of battery degradation, loss of capacity due to temperature other than 70 deg. F., HVAC use, a pax. or three and the amount of stuff that typically gets taken to Tahoe for a weekend, and you won't make it. I'd say Placerville (43 miles, 1835 ft. of climb) would be a more realistic choice. It's also a junction with SR49, and there are places to eat and look around.

Of course, for the same reasons noted above it's virtually impossible (especially with an 80% Q.C.) to make it from Placerville to the 50/89 jct. (54 miles, 5522 ft. gain) let alone S.L.T. without stopping to charge again, although the traffic speed drops considerably east of Riverton. You'd need _at least_ an hour's L2 charge in Kyburz (31 mi., 2262 ft. el. gain) or _maybe_ Twin Bridges (41.3 mi., 4257 ft. el. gain). Kyburz to Echo Summit is 17.7 mi., 3,300 ft. el. gain; Twin Bridges to the summit is 7.0 miles/1265 ft. el. gain. After the summit you've got about a 1100 foot descent, so you gain a little back.

For people coming back from the Lake, you'd want an L3 charger in South Lake Tahoe near the Y, or else near the 50/89 Luther Pass Junction. Chances are they'd have used up some of their overnight charge during the day, so would need to charge up before heading over the pass.

Are there any Leaf owners in the Sacto. area who could try the run to Placerville and/or Pollock Pines from around the 50/99 junction on a weekend morning at 55 or 60 mph, with an 80-90% charge and a reserve to represent more realistic operation?

 

[edatoakrun]

This thread is to discuss and reocommend good locations for Level 3 Quick Chargers (Nissan) / Level 3 Fast Chargers (CARB). Even the name for these changes depending on who you're talking with!

Things to consider in picking Quick Charge sites:
...3. Quick Chargers are expensive to install and operate.
The Quick Charge units start at $10,000 and go up to $50,000. Installation, even at a site that already has 3 phase power is likely to exceed $10,000 and more typically $15,000 to $30,000. So your small neighborhood espresso stand won't have the power or funding to support a Quick Charger. Think more along the lines of major park and ride lots, major malls, large business installations that have large facilities and power budgets with plenty of 3 phase power. Demand energy charges for a quick charger, because of the high peak energy (50kW) used by a quick charger will cost around $500 to $1300 per month (Using typical demand charges of $10 to $25/kW peak load). kWh Energy costs during the day time for a single Nissan LEAF Quick Charge of roughly 18 kWh AC (from the grid - or solar) will run from $2.88 to $18. ($0.16/kWh to $1.00/kWh) Yes, that's $1/kWh, during peak demand electricity costs can hit or exceed $1/kWh in a commercial setting. San Diego Gas and Electric being one example of the higher rates...

Related MNL threads
San Francisco Bay Area Quick Chargers Getting them sooner
How often would you use the Vacaville, CA Quick Charge?

I've been looking at PG&E tariff rate A1 and A6, “small general..”, and TOU service.

http://www.pge.com/tariffs/ERS.SHTML#ERS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They both seem to exempt from any demand charges, and are available to businesses with demand of under 200 kW, as defined by ”...Demand charges are calculated using the highest level of usage during a 15 minute period out of an entire billing cycle....”

http://sites.google.com/site/greenwrenco/san-francisco-bay-area-resources/understanding-demand-charges-on-your-business-pge-bill" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just spoke to a (seemingly) well informed PG&E rep, whom confirmed this.

So, am I missing something, or wouldn't the likely best location for a fast charger in PG&E territory, be at a (otherwise) relatively low kW demand business, located with easy access to a major freeway, that has, or could relatively easily, install capacity, to service several fast charge units, and still avoid being forced out of these no-demand-charge rates, by total use over 200 kW?

And I believe, from other threads, that at least some commercially available CHAdeMO chargers, do not require 3 phase, but can be supplied with 240V?

Aren't there probably several thousand mini-marts, fast food outlets, and coffee stands, in PG&E service territory, that could meet this criteria?

5:30 Edit did you see above, which I just highlighted in red?

NO demand charges at many PG&E locations?

 

[garygid]

Nissan seemed to indicate that, from their testing, using QC
as much as 6v times per day, as long as the battery Pack
does not get too warm, is just fine.

 

[garygid]

Intersections of freeways or major traffic corridors
should get strong consideration.

Some major intersections have been omitted
on the map shown.

Also, proximity to the freeway, and difficulty
(and time) to access are very important.

Traveling 5 miles (10 RT, perhaps 30 minutes in traffic)
off the freeway is not very helpful, right?