These Are The Charging Stations I Want! Visiting The Circle K DC Fast Charge Test Location
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- Circle K coming in hot to the US charging scene
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#EV #Charging #DCFC - Авто та транспорт
Kyle - start gigging charging sites for not putting a roof over chargers. We could see 20 gas pumps under a well-lit roof in your background. Those cars are only there for 5 minutes, and they get to get out of the rain. I was standing in a flash flood in OK in an inch of water pouring along the Walmart parking lot in front of the EA chargers holding a 350 KW cable thinking there'd be nothing left but my shoes. Start pushing these guys to get the EV chargers out of the weather, and (hey) maybe under some SOLAR PANELS!!!!!
This makes too much sense, I doubt they’ll solar roof any stations anytime soon lol.
I think it's less important for EV charging since you won't be standing there as long as to fill a gas tank
Unless you're shooting a UA-cam video
I believe a lot of it has to do with the property owner. Many sites are on leases and these structures may not be allowed in some cases. Personally, I would like to see existing gas stations converted to ev charging.
@@suunrazeI disagree. Imagine a hailstorm hits while you’re stuck charging and your car is completely exposed
Funny to see Branden Flasch "Lurking" in the background.
One advantage of having Circle K chargers at Circle K sites is the manager of the site will get feedback in real time as to whether there is a problem...
Yes! We need less apps and more tap to pay or plug and charge! We also need more covered chargers and pull-through charging.
Nice work Circle K - the people who design these sites are doing great to make this the best experience possible! Wish there were more Circle K in Western / Upstate NYS, Vermont and Massachusetts!
I love the first 30 seconds of each of these videos simply because I am wondering what part of the world he teleported to next. I'm seriously wondering if Kyle is, in fact, a collective mycelial network that spans most of the US and Europe, and that's how he can be in California one day and then Charlotte the next, lol.
Finally starting to see some real movements and improvement in the US charging scene! Looking forward to seeing Kempower enter the market!
I have not fast charged much, but Kempower works every time, I always look for them here in Norway.
Apple Pay is even slicker using an Apple Watch! 3:34
6%, more than 1 out of 20 new vehicles sold are electric, which is 3x the rate it was in 2020, just 2 years ago. Now maybe some chargers weren't that busy, but I've heard a lot of chatter about busy chargers breaking, and not getting repaired quickly. Chargers need to be available, make money, and they need to work reliably. We are way past the"OG Baker electric", the golf carts of the "oil shocks", and even the 75 mile first gen lithium based EVs. Tesla is great, but not everything is a Tesla. Somebody with 250 mile range and 100kw charging should not struggle to get around.
@@fjalics In Norway we are now at 80% of all new cars. We have broken chargers to, but that is most of the old once, Kempower and circle K chargers almost always works. And there is a fast charger for every 10-15 miles nowadays in Norway. I never really been to a charging queue, it happen once but I just drow to the next place.
@@stianthomassen6693 but Norway is also alot smaller than the us not as many miles to cover with charging
This is what’s needed at every circle K, Wawa, Bucee’s, loves, and any other American super gas station where you can get everything you need on the road. You haven’t lived if you haven’t been to bucee’s restroom.
I love that you say size the charger for the location. My rule of thumb has always been that it should be able to charge 50% of the battery pack size in the amount of time a typical person spends at that same location not in an electric car. So in a shopping center, a 30-60kW might be fine if people spend 1-2 hours there anyway. But at a C-Store where people spend 15-20 minutes usually, a 350kW would be better. Restaurants also make a 50kW make sense. 11.5kW for charging at offices.
Also 50 kw at shopping malls! And level 2 at zoos and amusement parks.
Definitely going to zip over there with the Rivian to check this out every so often. This is how chargers should be.
OOOoooohhh I kkkknnnooowww... LMAo!
Glad to hear you're coming to Atlanta Kyle. Please be as critical as possible with ATL's state of charging. Thanks for all you do!
Nice work Brandon on this station. Hilarious to see you dodging the camera!
When did Brandon become so camera shy? Is Anna chasing him away so Kyle hogs the spotlight?
@@afr1952 He is the Secret guest, although not sure why considering his truck was right there, not much of a secret
I very much much appreciate the TALL red bollards they upt in front of the pumps. Too many others are too short to see from inside the car. CRUNCH!
Glad to see circle k in the EV game !! I used the Wawa and Sheetz Tesla chargers
In the Midwest, Casey's, Kum & Go, and Sheetz are putting in chargers too. Biggest benefit, the windshield cleaning station and garbage cans! Two minor things that I miss when traveling in my ID4.
Great video! Coming back from a recent trip on the US East Coast (NY/NJ) and having to deal with "too" many charging companies , I do hope that soon more and more Circle-Ks will offer us the same charging and snack experience you showed up so well in your video! 🙂 - Greetings from Laval, Quebec, Canada home of the headquarters of Alimentation Couche-Tard and owner of Circle-K around the world since 2003 !
I know there are those who don't like having to use apps to charge and they have their reasons. However, as you demonstrated at the end of the video, it's a great way to help track your public charging and perhaps business receipts. Thanks for all that you do and God bless 🤓
I would love it if QuikTrip started adding chargers too. It’ll happen eventually I’m sure
That Power electronics unit looks like the ones Francis energy uses at their Nevada MO location
There is one location in Denver, CO that has chargers!
They need to start thinking about pull through stations for those who pull trailers with their EV's. Also, shelter from the elements is rare at any charging station.
Yep. Got wet today supercharging.
Couche-Tarde the parent company of Circle K has started installing chargers in Quebec (Couche Tard) and Eastern Ontario (OnTheRun, -ESSO Gas) in 2022. There are some Circle K installs in New York and Ohio. Same hardware split 180 kW.
Great to see you here in Rock Hill/Ft. Mill! Great to see these going in.
Their production site like this in NH is great. Was a life saver when I picked up my Rivian and was waiting on the electrician to install my charger. The charger was 140kw and the pizza was a decent lunch while waiting the 20 mins to charge
Buc-ee is building a new travel stop near by.
Buc-ee’s is an EXPERIENCE 😳
Where? I am in Columbia so this would be very exciting.
And Buc-ees has a deal with Tesla for superchargers. It is the BEST!
@@southerntesla wrong part of the country.
I appreciate you mentioning this is the test site. I had signed up for a Circle K charge account when I got my Ioniq last year, only to then check the map and see there was only 1 DCFC, in Rock Hill. It didn’t make any sense until realizing it’s a test site.
These charger’s definitely need a canopy , maybe with solar panels on the roof as others have suggested. Not only would it keep you dry and out of the summer sun, it would provide solar for the charge site and keep the cables a bit cooler and out of direct sunlight. However, it does make me wonder if the end game is to convert some if not all the gas pumps to electric and bingo the canopy is already in place!
Yes! I've been wondering why there wasn't cover anywhere yet the "gas" pumps have them. Like they're superior LOL
@@thankyoupagemagic8484gas is superior as it’s cheaper, faster, mire convenient. You would need the canopy to be 10x larger unless you want a line to wait wasting energy, due to the time it takes to charge.
Lets hope they get some in Virginia too. This is so far the best example for a charging stop that I see in the US. Btw @plugshare doesn’t have filter for Circle K yet. 🤔
I LOVE the simplicity of charging here!
Love's truck stops is adding a few locations in IL. Really glad to see locations that already offer good bathrooms and stores adding charging.
So much knowledge. Love your channel. Has made my first EV experience much easier.
Even the availability of trash cans and windshield washing stations is great to have at these stations. 👍
Yes. I have had to go to a gas station after charging to clean windows and sispose of trash. I started carrying paper towels and window cleaner.
you have the truck we configured.....awesome
Circle K needs to sponsor Kyle on a tour of their sites to test and talk up their charging locations. they can call it the Circle the Country tour or something.
Sheeeeeet, I love those chargers here in Sweden!
I know your "go to" channel😉
This is not a relationship this is a businesship they have lol 😅
Great to see others are finally joining the EV revolution, more fast chargers for everyone!
Man, that’s a good looking truck.
The easy tap to pay, is just like getting gas... use your card.. takes 5 seconds.. done.
Those scanner checkout stations are great.. Especially if you have just a few items.. You can scan the bar code on the item also.
It's super handy for when you need just a drink or to pay cash for your gas, and someone is taking forever at the actual register buying cigarettes or Lotto tickets..
We have had them out here in the Southwest for a while. Circle K has really nice locations, they are usually clean, and have a nice selection of snacks and even some hot foods, Hot dogs, and Pizza.
It's been awesome to see the DCFC growth in the Charlotte area since I got a leaf back in 2015. We have went from 2 DCFC up to like 30+ now in the metro area.
Thank you Circle K. I will be looking for your stations.
That's a nice set up. A new Circle K going in here in my town in NW Florida. Hopefully it will have these nice EV chargers. There are not many fast chargers in our area. Kyle is so right about many chargers are in crap locations... no they need to be in a convenient location.
13:47 In Poland, we have a kind of autonomous store where you enter via an app, take what you need, and leave. It automatically charges you through the app. At one location so far (I believe, maybe more now) there's also a robot making hot-dogs
Oversized, walk-in vending machine ;)
Amazon has stores like this in the US.
First, the robots take our hot dog maker jobs. Next thing you know, they invent time travel, come back from the future, and hunt you and your unborn kids down 🤖
Matt, what city? I’ll be in Poland in May. Thx!
@@3WordsTV In almost any major city, most of them are in Warsaw and Poznan. There are about 50 of them around the country so far, so with some luck, you'll be able to find them. Look for "Zabka nano"
That upstairs window behind him at 4:00 is like the ones in Amsterdam but with a forklift instead of a segs worker.
lol. Hi Branden! You’re doing awesome work. 💪👍
The reason we don’t have good charging is because Americans just hate EVs. Not because EVs are not good we just don’t like change. Hopefully Circle K keeps rolling these stations out and be able to profit well on the all EV future. It is happening wether people like it or not.
We got Petro Canada 350kW chargers installed by Petro Canada in their gas stations in Canada. When they work, it's exactly how you describe it - super convenient to charge at a place that sells and serves food and beverages.
I charged my EV6 at that exact station in Rock Hill. I struggled to get started. Had to download app, fill in all data, supply a card, and finally after one false start, I got it to work, after 20 minutes. Once started it did charge at a good rate, so that much is accurate from my experience.
This is a great step in the right direction. That's as simple as fueling an ICE. That's what I've been waiting for.
I will visit the one in New Bern when it opens in east NC, right now it says coming soon.
ATD !!! What a great compagny !! Found in Montreal !!
I do like fast charging. I do like credit card reading (or apple pay or whatever) Only thing it needs is a canopy and pull through parking.
Just want to put it out there. I am in Asheville, NC.
If you need an EV in the area for testing I’d be glad to lend one of mine.
2022 Rivian R1T
2023 Tesla 3 RWD (LFP)
2023 Tesla Y Performance
Absolutely agree with this set up. Add chargers or replace gas pumps with electric chargers. Now you can go in and spend money in the store. Crazy how many Tesla chargers are way out in a parking lot and very sketchy to walk to the nearest store. BTW have not been to a Circle K since I bought my Tesla Model 3 five years ago. While I will never buy pizza from a gas station, unless it is a Wawa, I would buy coffee, etc.
With gas pumps you'll have to pull them all out and the local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction, i.e. city or county) will probably require everything associated with the fueling system pulled out. You can't have these chargers within 25' of a gas pump. And I would assume that the AHJ would say that would included the length of the charging cable. So the difference would be the 25' plus the cable length to the charger.
now this is something i ve been waiting in norway 👌 (tap card & go) 🤩
Late to this but the circle k right down the street are installing these. Didn’t even know circle k had charging so pretty cool to see.
This is great news! I always stop at gas stations to use the convenience stores and restrooms on medium to long trips. Time to invest in that Tesla CCS adapter.
Putting in a lot of these in MN. Loved it when I tried it out.
I like having to wait a long time for it to charge up 😊
Good to hear - Thanks Kyle👍⚡️⚡️
This is cool, thanks for the review. Great to see one of the fueling station companies actually figuring things out. Having owned a volt and then tesla's its hard to explain to family and friends the importance of the charging network and the experience involved.
Awesome! They even have one in Boone, NC, in the middle of nowhere. Amazing for road tripping/hiking/camping in that area.
Great town!
Awesome Thank You
Great video!
This is great news. I was disappointed by 7-11's efforts since they are only 90kW - but Circle K is really surprising in a good way. Great work!
definitely agree about the amenities at these locations. Give me an overhead cover so I'm not soaked in a thunderstorm trying to charge my car, have a restroom within 500 ft, some drinks/snacks, and trash/recycling. I have been to more than 20 stations for my Tesla Model 3, where a single garbage can was the only option, and it was over-flowing at 100% of them. I think we can do better.
Great video Sir.
Kyle, the charging limit on chargers has to do with the available current from the grid at that point. The size of the cable isn't the controlling factor but is sized to match the output capacity based on availability of power at that station
Here in Florida it's WaWa and Buckee's that are putting in the Tesla chargers. Would be great to see more convenience store charging setups.
The power sharing is usually not limited by software, but by the power delivery modules of the charger. For example Alpitronic that I use a lot has 75kW modules, so the split is done in these increments only (75/150/225/300kW). Quite clear as they have 75, 150 and 300kW chargers.
If that ABB has 90kW modules, you get just 90/90 split, if it's 45kW, it would be more adaptable. I remember one of your videos with some company that hat 20kW bricks which I loved for this exact reason 🙂
Neither Alpitronic nor ABB do full mesh, they can only ever split half/half. No matter what modules are in. (ABB Terra 360 does full mesh)
With my Lightning, charging just begins. No tap or anything. The charger communicates with the Ford app and bill through the app. Haven't had to deal with alternate payment yet (4 months and 6k miles of owning)👍👍 But so exciting to see more infrastructure!!!
I'd love to see more gas stations follow suit! I want to see them at every Loves, Pilot, Bucee's etc! Seems a no brainer to have them at travel stops/truck stops/rest areas!
This is great to see companies jumping into the game!
I wonder if UA-cam were a thing when gasoline service stations started…would Out of Spec Reviews be explaining how the pumps worked, how fast they were, breaking down all of the equipment, pointing down the location of the storage tanks… Have in my head an old sepia film with Kyle in a dapper outfit explaining all of this!
😆That would be an awesome video episode.
Naww ev all the way , diff channel
Would there be films of people trying to insert a nozzle into a horse?
🥴😖
There wasn't UA-cam or Out of Spec, but I can see a reporter writing an article and someone reading it a month later.
1910. There were short films. Before, you filled up a can with a spout, then poured it in.
That’s a nice Rivian there.
Indeed 😀
Are these ABB Terra 184 units now able to charge 2 vehicles at the same time? A few weeks ago i was at a Terra 124 with an EV6 plugged in. Had to wait, until the Kia was finished.
I also was on one of these Power Electronics chargers (very rare in Europe). It was very quiet, but the touchscreen wasn't that responsive and the cable management was already broken.
@@automatix5 yes, 2 vehicles can charge at once
@@brandenflasch Thanks. Must be old software then.
11:25 although that "second" car would have to be CHAdeMO only, as its one of each handle on that single charger there.
Dual CCS will be more common
This experience looks fantastic especially with the added benefits of the connivence store attached! Focusing on hardware how do you feel about ABB being a major player for this to become a reality in the USA given the rocky history with EA in the past? Do you think that’s something that we can put behind them with previous hardware generations (and software)
Circle K, good on you👍
ABB is leading the charge behind the scenes on all of these chargers be it the new 7-Eleven, Circle K, She’ll, Electrify America. Great chargers
Circle k... Hmm it's happening. Electric charger at every gas station.
Yes that's how it needs to be just roll up swipe your credit card charge up and go I don't want to create a app for every single kind of charger or every brand out there.
Another awesome video! Getting my R1T soon and moving to CO in August - perhaps I'll run into you at a charger sometime in the future. Keep up the great work.
I love this 180kw ABB charger, it should be the industry standard.
It makes so many things right!
- long spring loaded cable
- connectors in the front, at low height easy accessible to short and handicapped people. Also easy for those in a wheelchair.
- the same applies to the screen and payment machine.
- No apps and no create account hassle
- decent charging rates.
- easy, quickly and simple.
To be perfect it only needs to also allow payment by cash in the cashier and also allows to insert phone number to receive notifications.
Hi to Brandon. Circle K is good news!!
Thank you for this review. I had no idea these were coming. Just checked my local area and we are getting 2 different sites so that’s awesome!
Nice video!
So this is the background of BF. 👍
Thank you Kyle for your nice words for a Canadian owned company ;-)
Good, lets see some covered parking at those chargers, trash cans, windshield washing supplies etc. I couldn't agree more. The real money isn't made on gasoline or charging, it is in the convenience store that the money is made. This should be a no brainer. They will need to have some pull throughs for the towing and large vehicle applications. Convenient just off highway easy access sites would be fantastic. They should offer an option to "pay inside" at the charger so you can go in buy everything you need inside and pay in whatever payment method you want including cash.
Wasn't there a video where Brandon mentioned he worked for Circle K in the 'charging EV divison'
I'm going to guess so since you can see Brandon dodging the camera in the later portions of the video and he knew exactly what was up with the cable on the charger and he's an EE.
I went there about a week ago in my model 3 out of curiosity!
You missed a good talking point though with a site owning the equipment. They have a vested interest in making sure that their charges are online and working and that people are using them. If it's a lease like most places they don't care as much if it's not working because they get paid no matter what.
I use circle k between Charleston wv to Charlotte nc and I’ve been doing it with mostly circle k
Thanks for the site visit, Kyle! One thing to note about the EVgo sites going in at Pilot/Flying J is that those chargers are under EVgo's "eXtend" program, meaning they are really just the billing, connectivity, and technical support. Pilot actually owns the hardware that is being installed.
Excellent review. The future of the charging business.
Great review and awesome information, as always from Kyle. It's great to see Branden's Rivian again, and to briefly see Branden ducking the camera LOL. Nice work guys!!
Nice collection of pollen on that frunk!
I don't get why they don't make EV charging stations like gas stations. Where you pull up along side of it. Michigan we get rain all summer long and snow/wind in the winter. Not having the stations covered is miserable.
I appreciate this information. It's very disappointing to charge our Ioniq 5 at random places, especially because its navigation won't direct us to them before we leave on a trip unlike our Tesla, which obviously has far easier to use Superchargers. The lack of integrated nav/charging is a real annoyance. Besides its superior charging systems, the Tesla's cable and port design is so much lighter and easier to use than the Hyundai's (and all other cars, for that matter) that I wish companies would have coopted Tesla's system. I've had to help people at charging stations when they had trouble lifting and inserting the CCS connection to their car as it's unwieldy and not light.
Or those giant chademo chargers for a leaf.
Good to see expectations at circle K locations that are open 24x7
I'm starting to see the up-and-coming Freewire DCFC chargers at AM/PM gas stations in my area (Pacific NW).
Yes - I live in the Pacific Northwest and tried one out last week. It was extremely nice to be able to just hop right off I-5, plug in, charge, and get out. I was able to pay just like Kyle did, by simply tapping a credit card on the card reader - no wasting time downloading and configuring apps. Much better than driving through a busy WalMart parking lot to charge at a nearby EA, and also cheaper ($0.35/kWh vs. $0.48/kWh).
The only downsides of the freewire charger I visited is that the power is limited to 75 kW and it can only charge two vehicles at a time. When I went, neither were an issue - the site was empty, and I drive a Bolt, which can't go much beyond 50 kW anyway. But, I could definitely see this site becoming chronically full as drivers start figuring it out, and being forced to go back to the EA WalMart to avoid waiting in line.
Also worth noting, many people assume that when a Bolt plugs into a charger, it's going to be stuck there for 45 minutes, but that doesn't have to be the case. In my case, I just needed a few extra kWh so I could make it home with 12% rather than 2%, which would be too dangerous. The entire charging session took all of just 10 minutes, most of which was spent using the restroom, which I'd be doing anyway in a gas car.
Love the tesla chargers at Bucees, now if we could get at least one DCFC at every circle K or a competitors gas stations here in the PNW id be happy. I see more and more Kia and VW EV's around every day here.
Those Circle K self checkouts have been around for a while now and I love them. Often I walk into one of their stores just to grab something to drink and there's a long line at the registers. It's great bypassing the line, quickly purchasing my drink, and walking out. 😊
the one by my house just had them installed. They are great!
My wife encountered a line in a Circle K today, and saw this little kiosk next to the pay counter ( no mention by the clerk). So she walked over and tried to use it to purchase the 3 or 4 items she had. Per the instructions, she simply needed to space out what she was buying when setting them down, and the automated scanners picked up everything via “seeing” what she had laid down on the scan table. She was done in seconds with no rescans required.