I have been encouraging Love's truck stops to expand their charging stations. Currently they have a few locations in CA. A chain of truck stops like Love's would be ideal for chargers. They have clean restrooms, a little shopping, snacks, and fast food. Plus they are open 24/7. And have locations about every 100 miles along most highways.
Sounds perfect. I'm no expert, but I've read that those stops tend to make most of their money on the products they sell in the convenience store, rather than the gas people stop for. With the dwell time being longer for EV drivers, even if it's down to 15-20 minutes for the next gen models, there's greater potential to sell us stuff while we charge. An opportunity that will only grow as more electric models hit the road!
I hope they do. We have Love Wawa and Sheetz in Virginia. Only Wawa I only know of one so far to have Tesla superchargers. But electrify America is headquartered in Reston VA so I'm hoping for more chargers. They put out a statement not to long ago saying they would put more chargers at Walmart's and Kroger grocery stores. That's a great idea since that's where the people are. Also Lidil grocery in Richmond VA has Tesla charging so it won't be long b4 Wholefoods will have charging stations. The point is for shoppers to hangout and buy more than you planned for in the beginning.
1st Shell Recharge station video. What an amazing view back into history. So much wealth of efforts in time gone by to get us to where we are now. They seem to be lining up in lock step with several others, along with some brothers in big oil, to go for an earnest attempt at needed adjustments ahead of an impending transition. As sitting in the Walter from the Future chair, Shell now is in a need to find a path to viability forcing their hand at renewable fueling on the electron train instead of slow boating black gold around. Exciting times! Gotta get one of those OBD some time. Thx for the video. I enjoyed watching.
I think gas stations have several advantages. 24hr rest rooms, store, tire inflationband window cleaning supplies. Thx for the review. I too wish that they would install at least 150kW chargers or better.
A lot of the newer stations are primarily at partner locations with 24-hr access, like Walmart and Sheetz. The likes of Shell Recharge and Petro-Canada will have pretty much all the facilities you mention, but the lack of canopies and slower stations isn't great. Gas stations are geared to 10-15 minute stops, so the fastest equipment and basic quick conveniences need to be a focus moving forward. This is still early days for most networks, though, so the more stations the better at this stage.
Love to see "WALMART" be the first to have about 6+ charge stations @ EVERY STORE in USA near front or side of store to buy say a 1 hour Charge! Walmart knows the Customer will have an hour+ to shop during the charge & we will know that if you go to Walmart to shop there here will be charge stations too!
More DC fast charging the better! A bit disappointing that it's "merely" a 50kW but for a test location or proof of concept, it's great to have available.
Absolutely, I keep coming back to that in my opinion. They could have done more, but expanding DCFC infrastructure is the primary goal and this adds another player to the US market. I just hope they don't slow walk the roll out because they fear it will speed the transition to EVs.
In my state Shell stations are mostly outside the city along the major highway's. If they had chargers every 40 to 50 miles that would give people more options. Right now people have to go about 100 miles between electrify America stations going north. Everyone is wondering if shell is installing chargers nation wide , it doesn't look like we can find that out yet.
I did some digging but couldn't find anything resembling a roadmap for nationwide expansion of Shell Recharge. The UK version I mention in the video rolled out two years ago and there are now 35 charge locations over there. Expansion is likely in North America, but I doubt it will be outside the main EV markets and larger cities for the foreseeable future.
I like how simple these chargers are in terms of design. We have those GreenLots level 2 chargers in twinsburg, which are actually manufactured by EVBox, but they are simple and work. By the way, what is the app you are using to see battery temp?
I'm appreciating Greenlots more and more. They actually saved our bacon in PA on the way back from Ohio last April. The app is called Torque, the Pro edition. I think it's a one time fee of $5 and you do need the OBD reader as well, bit the info is good to have.
Glad it's working well there... did you find the pricing fair relative to other UK networks? When we were there over the summer, Polar was reasonably priced and reliable on the ZOE we rented. So was Ecotricity though, which I know others hate, so it might just be that we found the one upside of AC-only charging!
Worth noting that if you give your Bolt a few hard accelerations and regens before pulling in, you can raise the battery temp prior to charging. It costs you a few miles but the faster charge speed more than makes up for it.
Thanks for the suggestion. We gave this a test in an early video for the channel and never got it to work, at least on our 2017. Feedback from the Bolt EV community indicated that it wouldn't warm the battery up enough to signficiantly impact start up charge rate. Conversely, if you simply turn on the car and leave it, the batter heater will run until the car turns itself off (usually after 1 hour). The 2-2.5kW heater needs a while to get the whole pack up to a more agreeable temperature if it's far below freezing, but it can certainly help on mild winter days such as we have in Boston.
Here in CA, Shell, Chevron, and Loves seem to be installing chargers from multiple networks But it is still a rarity. Those old Aussie Tritium's do have their "Faults".
Good to hear. Yep, any station has the potential to go down as we know... the general feedback seems to be that the slow and steady 50kW stations (Tritium/Veefil, BTC Power, or otherwise) are less prone to complete outages than the newer high power units.
This is really cool - US gas stations picking up on EV charging wave! And to see two dispensers, and not one, is even better. Have they (Shell) laid out a plan to expand on this idea throughout the US? Plug and play EV - do you have a full 7kw charger where you live? I’m thinking that battery heater would have been enabled if you permitted some L2 charging into the Bolt before you left to go see this charger, and your starting rate would have then been higher than 18 kw? Thanks for taking us along!
I couldn't find anything about further stations or future cost, but they are rolling out the same brand quite quickly in Europe and I have to think they'll want to serve key US markets as well. If only for the PR value, I can envisage expansion along the coasts happening next year. We still only use the portable charger at home due to low weekly mileage and ample L2 public charging locally. I did precondition that morning and noted the battery heater going to work, but honestly thought 50F would be plenty warm enough. It got up to speed very quickly, but I can see more winter tests coming up. Thanks for the tip!
Currently I do not own an EV. I plan to purchase one as my next car and I'm debating between the Chevrolet Bolt and a Tesla. I live in SE Ohio just across the Ohio River from West Virginia. The site map says there are Shell recharging station at the Shell station in W.Va. I have not seen it yet, but I travel to Athens Ohio three or four times a week. I always look to see if anyone is charging at the charging station on East State St. I've watched this for about three months and have only seen two vehicles charging in that amount of time. My wife doctors at OSU hospital in Columbus, Ohio and in the parking garage where I park there are EV charging stations, enough to charge 10 cars at a time. The most I've ever seen at one time were two. Many times there has been none charging, and once there was just one. Is Ohio behind the rest of the world? Why are there not more EV's on the road? On our trips to Columbus I see several Tesla's on the road, maybe six or seven. I've only seen one Bolt on the road and that was in Athens. Where are all the EV's? Is Ohio living in the past? Where is all the excitement for EV's? Maybe it's the TAX on all EV's that is killing the sales of EV's. The state of Ohio TAX all EV owners $200 a year when they purchase their license plates. Plus the Insurance costs on an EV is out of sight. Something has to be done about these problems if we are ever going to go to more EV's on the American highways.
Thanks for the context. We have family in Cleveland, OH and it certainly seems to have been slower to embrace EVs than states further East, particularly NY, NJ, and MA. The tax doesn't help but it's unlikely to be a major factor in purchase decisions. More likely is the fact that Ohio isn't a ZEV state, which means it isn't a priority market for automakers other than Tesla. Some will be down to dealerships not trying hard to sell models, like Chevrolet with the Bolt EV until recently, while others simply don't make their all-electric options available there yet (Hyundai with the Kona Electric and upcoming IONIQ 5 springs to mind). For the opposite end of the spectrum, in MA we're seeing broad adoption of many different models and sound incentives to go electric, from the $2,500 state rebate on any EV under $50k to discounts on registration, charging equipment, and other areas of EV ownership. Insurance was the same for our Bolt EV as a gasoline vehicle here (that may change with the recent recall, but for the moment we're grand). This will inevitably filter through to other states, but for the moment it does set up hurdles for anyone considering an electric car in an area that punishes rather than rewards that decision.
Are you excited for the Ford Mach E reveal tomorrow ? They will be introducing that car in Europe and the US, and Europe is their initial target market, especially the UK and Germany.
@@plugandplayEV I'm considering saving up for one too, once my current car gets old. I really like the Mustang design, but an RWD only coupe is not practical for my needs. This SUV meets those needs well though.
@@adithyaramachandran7427 I'm impressed by Ford's focus on performance, above all else. They really seem to have a great package that's comparable to Tesla in terms of specs, but delivers the utility of a crossover/hatchback style. I'll only truly believe when I see test drives covering key areas like efficiency and charging, but the EPA verified range is a very promising start.
A cold battery affects range and affects speed of charge. Most people charge at home over night so it would not be an issue. Leave home in the morning with your full 80% charge and a preheated car and battery. When on the road charge as much as you really need. Charging above what you need is a waste of time because of the charge taper. Plug in, use the restroom, get a snack, unplug and go.
This is the Shell Recharge at Boston Logan in the video. There's also a Massport DCFC site nearby with several ChargePoint Tritium units, but it's in the rideshare waiting lot and Ive been hesitant to encroach on their territory to take a look!
Plug and Play EV o you didn’t mention that in the title. Might help to fix that. I thought it looked familiar lol. I used that one recently for my ioniq ev. Worked awesome. 20 minutes went from 15 miles Range to 85. And free!
@@myaccount__7269 Yeah, I only added it in the description and video intro... lacking space in the title! Reminds me I can add a lcoation tag to the video though, so I'll do that now thanks. Glad you successfully scored some juice there too!
Not at this time. It's free and the only one for the moment anyway, but will almost certainly be pay-per-use once more stations are installed. In the UK, they allow activation of Shell EV stations via credit card, app, or a dedicated Shell Recharge membership card. I expect they'll follow a similar model in North America.
Not the first shell fast recharge. With my other car (not my Bolt of course) I've used the shell station in Torrance CA which is a 2800kW (that's not a typo, it is 2.8MW) with no taper.
Gotcha. I had a quick browse of Mass. inventory on the local Toyota sites... they tried to sell me a Corolla! I'd love to get into a Mirai or Nexo and compare them to my EV experiences. Some day soon, I shall again venture further west than Ohio...
Interesting that they put their first one in at Logan. Good to see though. Look forward to more popping up. It's only a good thing to have more getting into the game. I must ask, with how much DCFC charging you do. You do have a Level 2 at home, right?
We actually don't, just the portable charger. Our weekly miles only amount to 150-200 and the local L2 infrastructure covers that by just plugging in during the normal routine (groceries, kids activities in town, etc.) Aside from the road trips, the DCFC is really just for this channel! That said, I expect we will get a home unit installed soon so the home is future proofed and we have options for visitors (Tesla Model 3 and Volt also in the he family).
You said that there wasn’t anywhere to eat or drink nearby. And yet there was a Starbucks right next to the charge station. There is no seating there? Never seen one like that.
I didn't describe it very well, I was trying to convey that there's no true sit down/service restaurant in that area. The Starbucks didn't have any seating itself, but the adjoining convenience store/market place had five or six tables to sit at. It wasn't anywhere I'd want to spend more than 20-30 minutes though, let alone the 45+ mins it will take on the 50kW units. To be fair, there were more seats outside that are shown briefly in the video of the building, but that's not going to be much fun for the next six months!
While I find the Starbucks lack of seating hugely disappointing the fact that other spots had a decent amount would imho make up for it. When you are desperate and have to plug in there is nothing worse than having to sit in your freezing vehicle while it charges. The fact that there is a spot at least where it’s warm is fine by me. Grab a coffee at Starbucks at sit in the seating area for an hour. I would honestly kill for something like that near me.
@@shtunot All very true. I sat in a cold Bolt EV on a road trip, dealership charging on a winter evening two Christmases ago, so I must be getting spoiled here!
@@plugandplayEV Oh, so you can't set the HVAC to a comfortable temperature in winter or summer and charge at the same time? Too bad, that really would make sitting for an hour torture if there is no place comfortable to eat nearby or you just don't want to spend money on restaurant meals every 2 hours on a high speed road trip. I was hoping I could set the A/C or heat to a nice temperature and watch downloaded Netflix content in relative comfort in the car without shivering or sweating at charging stops.
Indeed, costs are already comparable for many DC fast charging sites... freebies are increasingly rare. Oil companies won't control home charging, however, so most people will remain with charging far cheaper than gas stations ⚡👍
Really, I thought EVgo was on a bit of a tear in many areas of Virginia? Granted, a lot of their equipment is 50kW max, but the same is true of this site and Shell Recharge.
I see what they did there. Install the slowest charger you can find, place it in gas station and confirm everyone's greatest fears about driving an ev. So when gas customers see evs stuck there for an hour and a half to get 80% charge its the best anti-electric vehicle advertising that shell can buy.
Could well be... it's fair to be skeptical when oil rich barons are behind the brand. I'm tempted to swing by on every airport run I do, connect for 3 minutes as I pop to the restroom, then return and leave so it looks just like a gas stop to onlookers!
I have been encouraging Love's truck stops to expand their charging stations. Currently they have a few locations in CA.
A chain of truck stops like Love's would be ideal for chargers. They have clean restrooms, a little shopping, snacks, and fast food. Plus they are open 24/7. And have locations about every 100 miles along most highways.
Sounds perfect. I'm no expert, but I've read that those stops tend to make most of their money on the products they sell in the convenience store, rather than the gas people stop for. With the dwell time being longer for EV drivers, even if it's down to 15-20 minutes for the next gen models, there's greater potential to sell us stuff while we charge.
An opportunity that will only grow as more electric models hit the road!
@@plugandplayEV That is exactally the point I make when I talk to them. EV customers will be there longer and will therefore spend more money
usaverageguy in Atlantic Area the truck stops are mostly Pilot & TA America!
I hope they do. We have Love Wawa and Sheetz in Virginia. Only Wawa I only know of one so far to have Tesla superchargers. But electrify America is headquartered in Reston VA so I'm hoping for more chargers. They put out a statement not to long ago saying they would put more chargers at Walmart's and Kroger grocery stores. That's a great idea since that's where the people are. Also Lidil grocery in Richmond VA has Tesla charging so it won't be long b4 Wholefoods will have charging stations. The point is for shoppers to hangout and buy more than you planned for in the beginning.
Thanks. I hope Shell rolls these out all across N. America.
From your lips to their Royal Dutch ears 👍
1st Shell Recharge station video. What an amazing view back into history. So much wealth of efforts in time gone by to get us to where we are now. They seem to be lining up in lock step with several others, along with some brothers in big oil, to go for an earnest attempt at needed adjustments ahead of an impending transition. As sitting in the Walter from the Future chair, Shell now is in a need to find a path to viability forcing their hand at renewable fueling on the electron train instead of slow boating black gold around. Exciting times! Gotta get one of those OBD some time. Thx for the video. I enjoyed watching.
I think gas stations have several advantages. 24hr rest rooms, store, tire inflationband window cleaning supplies.
Thx for the review. I too wish that they would install at least 150kW chargers or better.
A lot of the newer stations are primarily at partner locations with 24-hr access, like Walmart and Sheetz. The likes of Shell Recharge and Petro-Canada will have pretty much all the facilities you mention, but the lack of canopies and slower stations isn't great. Gas stations are geared to 10-15 minute stops, so the fastest equipment and basic quick conveniences need to be a focus moving forward. This is still early days for most networks, though, so the more stations the better at this stage.
Love to see "WALMART" be the first to have about 6+ charge stations @ EVERY STORE in USA near front or side of store to buy say a 1 hour Charge! Walmart knows the Customer will have an hour+ to shop during the charge & we will know that if you go to Walmart to shop there here will be charge stations too!
More DC fast charging the better! A bit disappointing that it's "merely" a 50kW but for a test location or proof of concept, it's great to have available.
Absolutely, I keep coming back to that in my opinion. They could have done more, but expanding DCFC infrastructure is the primary goal and this adds another player to the US market. I just hope they don't slow walk the roll out because they fear it will speed the transition to EVs.
Plug and Play EV This might be revolutionary for DC fast charging in Shell and ChargePoint in America might cause sea shift!
In my state Shell stations are mostly outside the city along the major highway's. If they had chargers every 40 to 50 miles that would give people more options. Right now people have to go about 100 miles between electrify America stations going north. Everyone is wondering if shell is installing chargers nation wide , it doesn't look like we can find that out yet.
I did some digging but couldn't find anything resembling a roadmap for nationwide expansion of Shell Recharge. The UK version I mention in the video rolled out two years ago and there are now 35 charge locations over there. Expansion is likely in North America, but I doubt it will be outside the main EV markets and larger cities for the foreseeable future.
I like how simple these chargers are in terms of design. We have those GreenLots level 2 chargers in twinsburg, which are actually manufactured by EVBox, but they are simple and work. By the way, what is the app you are using to see battery temp?
I'm appreciating Greenlots more and more. They actually saved our bacon in PA on the way back from Ohio last April. The app is called Torque, the Pro edition. I think it's a one time fee of $5 and you do need the OBD reader as well, bit the info is good to have.
I used shell recharge in Swansea and it worked perfectly!! Shell and polar worked well in the uk
Glad it's working well there... did you find the pricing fair relative to other UK networks?
When we were there over the summer, Polar was reasonably priced and reliable on the ZOE we rented. So was Ecotricity though, which I know others hate, so it might just be that we found the one upside of AC-only charging!
Worth noting that if you give your Bolt a few hard accelerations and regens before pulling in, you can raise the battery temp prior to charging. It costs you a few miles but the faster charge speed more than makes up for it.
Thanks for the suggestion. We gave this a test in an early video for the channel and never got it to work, at least on our 2017. Feedback from the Bolt EV community indicated that it wouldn't warm the battery up enough to signficiantly impact start up charge rate.
Conversely, if you simply turn on the car and leave it, the batter heater will run until the car turns itself off (usually after 1 hour). The 2-2.5kW heater needs a while to get the whole pack up to a more agreeable temperature if it's far below freezing, but it can certainly help on mild winter days such as we have in Boston.
Here in CA, Shell, Chevron, and Loves seem to be installing chargers from multiple networks But it is still a rarity. Those old Aussie Tritium's do have their "Faults".
Good to hear. Yep, any station has the potential to go down as we know... the general feedback seems to be that the slow and steady 50kW stations (Tritium/Veefil, BTC Power, or otherwise) are less prone to complete outages than the newer high power units.
This is really cool - US gas stations picking up on EV charging wave! And to see two dispensers, and not one, is even better. Have they (Shell) laid out a plan to expand on this idea throughout the US? Plug and play EV - do you have a full 7kw charger where you live? I’m thinking that battery heater would have been enabled if you permitted some L2 charging into the Bolt before you left to go see this charger, and your starting rate would have then been higher than 18 kw? Thanks for taking us along!
I couldn't find anything about further stations or future cost, but they are rolling out the same brand quite quickly in Europe and I have to think they'll want to serve key US markets as well. If only for the PR value, I can envisage expansion along the coasts happening next year.
We still only use the portable charger at home due to low weekly mileage and ample L2 public charging locally. I did precondition that morning and noted the battery heater going to work, but honestly thought 50F would be plenty warm enough. It got up to speed very quickly, but I can see more winter tests coming up. Thanks for the tip!
Currently I do not own an EV. I plan to purchase one as my next car and I'm debating between the Chevrolet Bolt and a Tesla.
I live in SE Ohio just across the Ohio River from West Virginia. The site map says there are Shell recharging station at the Shell station in W.Va. I have not seen it yet, but I travel to Athens Ohio three or four times a week. I always look to see if anyone is charging at the charging station on East State St. I've watched this for about three months and have only seen two vehicles charging in that amount of time.
My wife doctors at OSU hospital in Columbus, Ohio and in the parking garage where I park there are EV charging stations, enough to charge 10 cars at a time. The most I've ever seen at one time were two. Many times there has been none charging, and once there was just one.
Is Ohio behind the rest of the world? Why are there not more EV's on the road? On our trips to Columbus I see several Tesla's on the road, maybe six or seven. I've only seen one Bolt on the road and that was in Athens. Where are all the EV's? Is Ohio living in the past? Where is all the excitement for EV's? Maybe it's the TAX on all EV's that is killing the sales of EV's. The state of Ohio TAX all EV owners $200 a year when they purchase their license plates. Plus the Insurance costs on an EV is out of sight.
Something has to be done about these problems if we are ever going to go to more EV's on the American highways.
Thanks for the context. We have family in Cleveland, OH and it certainly seems to have been slower to embrace EVs than states further East, particularly NY, NJ, and MA. The tax doesn't help but it's unlikely to be a major factor in purchase decisions. More likely is the fact that Ohio isn't a ZEV state, which means it isn't a priority market for automakers other than Tesla. Some will be down to dealerships not trying hard to sell models, like Chevrolet with the Bolt EV until recently, while others simply don't make their all-electric options available there yet (Hyundai with the Kona Electric and upcoming IONIQ 5 springs to mind).
For the opposite end of the spectrum, in MA we're seeing broad adoption of many different models and sound incentives to go electric, from the $2,500 state rebate on any EV under $50k to discounts on registration, charging equipment, and other areas of EV ownership. Insurance was the same for our Bolt EV as a gasoline vehicle here (that may change with the recent recall, but for the moment we're grand).
This will inevitably filter through to other states, but for the moment it does set up hurdles for anyone considering an electric car in an area that punishes rather than rewards that decision.
Are you excited for the Ford Mach E reveal tomorrow ? They will be introducing that car in Europe and the US, and Europe is their initial target market, especially the UK and Germany.
Very much so. My wife has given us the green light to add it to the post-Bolt EV shortlist, so it must be good!
@@plugandplayEV I'm considering saving up for one too, once my current car gets old. I really like the Mustang design, but an RWD only coupe is not practical for my needs. This SUV meets those needs well though.
@@adithyaramachandran7427 I'm impressed by Ford's focus on performance, above all else. They really seem to have a great package that's comparable to Tesla in terms of specs, but delivers the utility of a crossover/hatchback style. I'll only truly believe when I see test drives covering key areas like efficiency and charging, but the EPA verified range is a very promising start.
A cold battery affects range and affects speed of charge.
Most people charge at home over night so it would not be an issue.
Leave home in the morning with your full 80% charge and a preheated car and battery.
When on the road charge as much as you really need. Charging above what you need is a waste of time because of the charge taper. Plug in, use the restroom, get a snack, unplug and go.
Also one at Logan airport in Boston MA.
This is the Shell Recharge at Boston Logan in the video.
There's also a Massport DCFC site nearby with several ChargePoint Tritium units, but it's in the rideshare waiting lot and Ive been hesitant to encroach on their territory to take a look!
Plug and Play EV o you didn’t mention that in the title. Might help to fix that. I thought it looked familiar lol. I used that one recently for my ioniq ev. Worked awesome. 20 minutes went from 15 miles Range to 85. And free!
@@myaccount__7269 Yeah, I only added it in the description and video intro... lacking space in the title! Reminds me I can add a lcoation tag to the video though, so I'll do that now thanks. Glad you successfully scored some juice there too!
Can you use a Shell card at these station?
Not at this time. It's free and the only one for the moment anyway, but will almost certainly be pay-per-use once more stations are installed.
In the UK, they allow activation of Shell EV stations via credit card, app, or a dedicated Shell Recharge membership card. I expect they'll follow a similar model in North America.
Not the first shell fast recharge. With my other car (not my Bolt of course) I've used the shell station in Torrance CA which is a 2800kW (that's not a typo, it is 2.8MW) with no taper.
The Mirai?
@@plugandplayEV Indeed. 160kWh in < 5 minutes.
Gotcha. I had a quick browse of Mass. inventory on the local Toyota sites... they tried to sell me a Corolla! I'd love to get into a Mirai or Nexo and compare them to my EV experiences. Some day soon, I shall again venture further west than Ohio...
What's that app that gives you all that data?
Torque Pro. I think it was a one-time $5 fee for the pro upgrade, then something like $40-50 for the OBD2 dongle (very technical term 🙃)
Interesting that they put their first one in at Logan. Good to see though. Look forward to more popping up. It's only a good thing to have more getting into the game. I must ask, with how much DCFC charging you do. You do have a Level 2 at home, right?
We actually don't, just the portable charger. Our weekly miles only amount to 150-200 and the local L2 infrastructure covers that by just plugging in during the normal routine (groceries, kids activities in town, etc.) Aside from the road trips, the DCFC is really just for this channel!
That said, I expect we will get a home unit installed soon so the home is future proofed and we have options for visitors (Tesla Model 3 and Volt also in the he family).
What was your cost for charging at the shell? generally?
It's currently free at this solitary US site and they haven't announced any plans for expansion or pricing structure.
@@plugandplayEV Thanks!!!!!
@@stitch-xx2oo Any time 👍
You said that there wasn’t anywhere to eat or drink nearby. And yet there was a Starbucks right next to the charge station. There is no seating there? Never seen one like that.
I didn't describe it very well, I was trying to convey that there's no true sit down/service restaurant in that area. The Starbucks didn't have any seating itself, but the adjoining convenience store/market place had five or six tables to sit at. It wasn't anywhere I'd want to spend more than 20-30 minutes though, let alone the 45+ mins it will take on the 50kW units.
To be fair, there were more seats outside that are shown briefly in the video of the building, but that's not going to be much fun for the next six months!
While I find the Starbucks lack of seating hugely disappointing the fact that other spots had a decent amount would imho make up for it.
When you are desperate and have to plug in there is nothing worse than having to sit in your freezing vehicle while it charges. The fact that there is a spot at least where it’s warm is fine by me.
Grab a coffee at Starbucks at sit in the seating area for an hour.
I would honestly kill for something like that near me.
@@shtunot All very true. I sat in a cold Bolt EV on a road trip, dealership charging on a winter evening two Christmases ago, so I must be getting spoiled here!
@@plugandplayEV Oh, so you can't set the HVAC to a comfortable temperature in winter or summer and charge at the same time?
Too bad, that really would make sitting for an hour torture if there is no place comfortable to eat nearby or you just don't want to spend money on restaurant meals every 2 hours on a high speed road trip.
I was hoping I could set the A/C or heat to a nice temperature and watch downloaded Netflix content in relative comfort in the car without shivering or sweating at charging stops.
You will see the cost of charging e vechiel be the same as a gas once the oil companies control all the charging sites.
Indeed, costs are already comparable for many DC fast charging sites... freebies are increasingly rare. Oil companies won't control home charging, however, so most people will remain with charging far cheaper than gas stations ⚡👍
If you see charging stations like that in Virginia Beach, you need to wake up. You have fallen asleep and you're dreaming.
Really, I thought EVgo was on a bit of a tear in many areas of Virginia? Granted, a lot of their equipment is 50kW max, but the same is true of this site and Shell Recharge.
Why a lot of Brits in the U.S today?
Better coffee here.
is that a Danish accent ? :)
Danish? That's a new one for me! British, morphed and muddled by over a decade in NYC and Boston :-)
I see what they did there. Install the slowest charger you can find, place it in gas station and confirm everyone's greatest fears about driving an ev. So when gas customers see evs stuck there for an hour and a half to get 80% charge its the best anti-electric vehicle advertising that shell can buy.
Could well be... it's fair to be skeptical when oil rich barons are behind the brand. I'm tempted to swing by on every airport run I do, connect for 3 minutes as I pop to the restroom, then return and leave so it looks just like a gas stop to onlookers!