AEP, other utilities plan network for recharging electric vehicles

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Mon Mar 8, 2021, 04:07 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Charleston, West Virginia, Gazette-Mail

AEP, other utilities plan network for recharging electric vehicles

The Herald-Dispatch 2 hrs ago

American Electric Power and five other electric utilities plan to build a series of fast charging stations for electric vehicles in a plan stretching from northern Ohio and Tidewater Virginia to west Texas. It’s part of their efforts to promote the use of electric vehicles by making charging stations more available throughout their service territories.

The Electric Highway Coalition — made up of AEP, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy Corp., Southern Co. and the Tennessee Valley Authority — would allow EV drivers to have seamless travel across the region, according to a statement released last week.

According to the release, the Edison Electric Institute estimates 18 million EVs will be on U.S. roads by 2030. Earlier this year, General Motors announced it plans to make only battery-powered vehicles by 2035. On Tuesday, Volvo announced it will make only electric vehicles by 2030.

{snip}

Sites along major highway routes with easy highway access and amenities for travelers are being considered as coalition members work to determine final charging station locations. Charging stations will provide DC fast chargers that are capable of getting drivers back on the road in approximately 20-30 minutes.

{snip}

Read more: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/business/aep-other-utilities-plan-network-for-recharging-electric-vehicles/article_566e22b6-efdb-5c07-bd57-56b902c07281.html

---

This story is actually a few days old. Some papers ran it last Friday. It wasn't until today that the Charleston newspaper picked it up.

Forum hosts, do your magic. I can move this if you want.

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Good! I'm surprised that Tesla and other sellers of EVs (if any?) haven't set up charging stations

across the Country at least in the car dealerships, e.g., pay by credit card or such, stop and go type of charging stations (although this may not be workable, if more charging time is needed than most people are willing to wait for charging to complete/finish).

Or, at least get into a deal w/ a national chain of petrol stations to install charging stations. Right now, from what i see/hear, is that these charging stations are piece meal everywhere.

[lagomorph777]

2. Couldn't a charging station just ask your car for its account number, and skip the card fumbling?

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

3. Charging stations are scattered everywhere, and dozens of apps using their own payment

I suppose if you have an EV you just hunt around and try locally what works. Long trips are still not feasible for most people.

[Miguelito Loveless]

5. Depends on the car.

Quite easy with Tesla, more challenging for cars with CCS/CHAdeMO, but manageable in most places with some planning. New stations are being rolled out all the time.

I have been driving EVs for going on seven years daily, and it has not been an issue.

[Miguelito Loveless]

4. Tesla has a worldwide network

of Superchargers (around 1000 i the US alone) and the entire charging process is pretty seamless. You plug in, charge, and the either the amount is charged to your card on file, or if you are an owner of an early Tesla S/X, the charging is free.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. Do their chargers work on non-Teslas? nt

[Miguelito Loveless]

7. Unfortunately not, though that may change

Tesla offered its patents as open license and access to the network in exchange for contributions to expand and maintain it. Only Bollinger has expressed an interest. None of the legacy automakers would touch it. In the EU, Tesla added the CCS connector to its superchargers, so other vehicles can charge there, it is just matter of working out the billing. Tesla wants to do it seamlessly, the other automakers want to complicate it.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. This is where our Depts of Energy and Transportation have to step in.

They've created standards for gasoline and diesel pump nozzles, they should create standards for charging station plugs or other interfaces. I'd hate to pass gas station after gas station looking for one that could fuel a Chevy.

[Miguelito Loveless]

10. True, the reason Tesla has its own standard

is that the other two contenders at the time, CCS and CHAdeMO, did not deliver anywhere near the power Tesla needed to recharge a car in a reasonable amount of time (80% in 20 minutes). DC CCS was almost non-existent in the US, and CHAdeMO topped out at 50kW (compared to Tesla's 120kW, now 250kW).

Regulations in the EU got Tesla to add CCS in 2019 if memory serves. The problem is not insurmountable, the chargers can be retro-fitted, the issue is billing. Tesla treats all of its products the way Apple does, one ecosystem. Legacy automakers do NOT want to build a charging network, so they have left it to "third-party" companies to build the infrastructure. This has meant very high rates for consumers (in many cases the rates are actually higher than gasoline because "profits&quot . Tesla has stated it will only charge what is needed to maintain and expand the network.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Will they have power in Texas during blizzards?

[marie999]

11. Are our electric grids going to be able to handle it when most cars become electric?

[GB_RN]

12. This

This needs to be included in the infrastructure bill. Or at least modernizing (and cyber hardening) the grid and planning for it.