smkettner
Well-known member
If we must pay such a price then I expect better equipment. EVSE should be 50 to 80 amps rated. OK not all cars need this yet but should be available at those prices. Better user interface also.
Sad that what little competition exists is undermined. I'm also an eVgo subscriber, paying them $15/month to not have to worry about where or when I drive, in lieu of paying Nissan $5,000 for a new battery. But once subscribed to one network the incremental cost to use that network is low or zero, compared to a high cost to pay a competing network's a la carte prices. So second movers can't get a toehold in the market.Pipcecil said:It just means I won't use Blink stations anymore nor will I go out of my way to frequent places that have them either. It's not worth it unless I really need it. But since NRG eVgo has a bunch of QCs around I already pay for, I would rather fuel up there instead of using the blink at the actual place I am at. Sad.
Pipcecil said:The range I got back (~25 miles) was the equivalent of a 18 mpg vehicle. My father-in-laws big truck doesn't even get that bad of mileage. When it cost more to fuel my EV than a truck it makes me think someone didn't think this pricing all the way through.
Pipcecil said:nor will I go out of my way to frequent places that have them either.
I'm aware of it, and for apartments on their own meters that may work. Just as an example of the issues some may face, in my case I share a meter with the main house and utilities are included in my rent, so I'd have to pay for a new service and meter, or else pay considerably more on my rent based on some estimate. Not going to happen.mbender said:GRA said:They won't, and unless public L2 costs less than gas, people living in apartments with no charging available (like me) will stick with gas.Not sure how well-known this is, the details, and/or when it will go into effect, but just before adjourning for the summer, the California legislature passed a bill allowing renters to have chargers installed in their complex(es) if they want one.leafo said:Too bad for me, as I live in an apartment...
It hasn't been signed by Brown yet, but I suspect he will.
lkkms2 said:One thing Blink could do better is let us know when they have upgraded a location. I think I will give them a call about that tomorrow.
I haven't looked at the Blink map for many months, since it always reported as in service a great many stations that were actually broken. Have they started providing accurate information?JPWhite said:The Blink map online or in the mobile app tells you the billing structure for each location. So essentially they have informed us of locations where the new scheme is in force.
walterbays said:I haven't looked at the Blink map for many months, since it always reported as in service a great many stations that were actually broken. Have they started providing accurate information?JPWhite said:The Blink map online or in the mobile app tells you the billing structure for each location. So essentially they have informed us of locations where the new scheme is in force.
pkulak said:walterbays said:I haven't looked at the Blink map for many months, since it always reported as in service a great many stations that were actually broken. Have they started providing accurate information?JPWhite said:The Blink map online or in the mobile app tells you the billing structure for each location. So essentially they have informed us of locations where the new scheme is in force.
It has seemed accurate to me lately. As in, most say they are inoperable on the map.
As I mentioned above, at least at my local chargers they seem to have made considerable improvements in reliability - for the first 9-10 months there always seemed to be one or two out of order, and sometimes as many as five. Course, it took considerable nagging by me and possibly others to get them to come out and fix the units that were inop, but considering how few were ever needed at the same time maybe it made short-term financial sense, if not doing anything for their reputation.JPWhite said:pkulak said:It has seemed accurate to me lately. As in, most say they are inoperable on the map.
Blink / Carcharging have clearly made some back-end improvements. The dashboard for instance renders much more quickly, station status tends to be updated quickly.
However the state of units in the field, (although initially improved after the purchase of Blink by Carcharging), has deteriorated once again, with units going un-serviced 2+ months after a case being established/acknowledged by customer support. They don't seem to send out maintenance crews very often or at all from what I can tell.
Judging by their financial losses and poor field maintenance, they are looking very much like Blink did before they declared bankruptcy. Maybe Car-charging can generate some private funding to keep them going where Ecotality couldn't.
Reflecting on what initially looks like a suicidal pricing structure, I've come to the conclusion they may not be as crazy as it first appears they are. One thing that may save them is "no charge to charge". It maybe that revenues from individual members may not be their primary focus anymore. CarCharging maybe raising prices to get more money faster, mostly out of the Nissan "no charge to charge" program. They may be able to shore up their balance sheet in the short term and sellout before they implode. No charge to charge could keep them limping along for 2+ years.
JPWhite said:Reflecting on what initially looks like a suicidal pricing structure, I've come to the conclusion they may not be as crazy as it first appears they are. One thing that may save them is "no charge to charge". It maybe that revenues from individual members may not be their primary focus anymore. CarCharging maybe raising prices to get more money faster, mostly out of the Nissan "no charge to charge" program. They may be able to shore up their balance sheet in the short term and sellout before they implode. No charge to charge could keep them limping along for 2+ years.
mkjayakumar said:I am quite disappointed at those who complain the new higher pricing structure. Given that 90%+ of our charging happens at home at low prices, why would this occasional, convenience charging at a higher - gasoline equivalent - prices are such a burden ?
Flip this over and imagine a situation where gasoline is pumped to your car in your garage overnight for $0.70/gallon and you only pay $3.50 when you drive long distances. Would any of us complain about that?
Pipcecil said:Not to mention, charging stations are being utilized as an air quality benefit, especially during conformity approvals with FHWA for non-attainment areas. We use the infrastructure (as well as most metro areas now) as a program to reduce air pollution. If less people are using then stations, FHWA might not allow the use of it or give us less weight for air quality benefits when using it. This will cost governments more money as we will have to find other programs to reduce air pollution. Trust me, my work (transportation government - an MPO) is very worried about this. More money for air quality conformity plans means either more money need (via taxes or fees) or, more likely less roadway improvements over the next 25 year horizon. This is not a joke. CarCharging is mucking things up more than they know. We are already doing analysis on how much less charging will occur, how this will amount to alternative ICE cars being used or PHEVs opting for gas versus charging.
mkjayakumar said:I am quite disappointed at those who complain the new higher pricing structure. Given that 90%+ of our charging happens at home at low prices, why would this occasional, convenience charging at a higher - gasoline equivalent - prices are such a burden ?
mkjayakumar said:I am quite disappointed at those who complain the new higher pricing structure. Given that 90%+ of our charging happens at home at low prices, why would this occasional, convenience charging at a higher - gasoline equivalent - prices are such a burden ?
Flip this over and imagine a situation where gasoline is pumped to your car in your garage overnight for $0.70/gallon and you only pay $3.50 when you drive long distances. Would any of us complain about that?
Slow1 said:I wonder how many folks 'charge' merely to get the parking benefit as it is (seems that would be the case for many PIP drivers...).
JPWhite said:Slow1 said:I wonder how many folks 'charge' merely to get the parking benefit as it is (seems that would be the case for many PIP drivers...).
Funny you should mention that. I met a Volt driver who was plugging up recently. I told him the station he was about to use had a fault and he may want to move over to the next available space. Nah... he said, I really just wanted the parking space. Apparently moving his car over a space after he'd got out was too much trouble.
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