Gas Stations Installing Fast Chargers

AB4EJ said:

Green Car Reports talks about gas stations starting to install fast charging stations:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news...gers-and-gas-stations-a-match-made-in-indiana

... as being "sheer irony."

I don't know about that; it seems only logical to me. Most gas stations make little or nothing on the gas they sell - they make their money on convenience store sales. So charging stations would seem to increase their business, especially since persons doing charging usually have 20 to 30 minutes to kill (time enough to eat a bucket of chicken). Even better is when someone else pays for the installation of the charging station and the electricity! Sounds like a classic win-win.

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As a start, it may be worth noting that the Effingham, IL supercharger is at a gas station.

And with the additional time to charge, gas stations should start considering some remodeling, providing sit-down areas to eat, read a paper, etc.

Superior, MT supercharger is at a Gas/food market combination as well. I can't comment on the quality of the amenities since I haven't visited it yet.

John

Sheetz is a Pennsylvania-based chain of gas stations/convenience stores/restaurants.

They also offer CHAdeMO at a few sites now. Last week, I had a sandwich at this Sheetz | (Plugshare) while my car drew ~38 kW. This allowed me to save time between the Somerset, PA and Edison, NJ Superchargers.

With one CHAdeMO stop in Mechanicsburg, it's 290 miles, whereas it's 345 miles via the pure Supercharger route that passes through Maryland.

RiverBrick said:

Sheetz is a Pennsylvania-based chain of gas stations/convenience stores/restaurants.

They also offer CHAdeMO at a few sites now. Last week, I had a sandwich at this Sheetz | (Plugshare) while my car drew ~38 kW. This allowed me to save time between the Somerset, PA and Edison, NJ Superchargers. With one CHAdeMO stop in Mechanicsburg, it's 290 miles, whereas it's 345 miles via the pure Supercharger route that passes through Maryland.

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I think I'm going to be glad I have the CHAdeMO adapter now, though my spouse thinks I was nuts to buy it...

It makes complete sense to me:

-Energy for transport is energy, whatever the form.
-I think they are being smart by future-proofing
-Just think how convenient it would be if all gas stations had fast chargers! Better yet, free SCs!

RiverBrick said:

Sheetz is a Pennsylvania-based chain of gas stations/convenience stores/restaurants.

They also offer CHAdeMO at a few sites now. Last week, I had a sandwich at this Sheetz | (Plugshare) while my car drew ~38 kW. This allowed me to save time between the Somerset, PA and Edison, NJ Superchargers.

With one CHAdeMO stop in Mechanicsburg, it's 290 miles, whereas it's 345 miles via the pure Supercharger route that passes through Maryland.

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Yes I have ordered a CHAdeMO for use at the Sheetz in PA as well, especially up toward State College, where the trout fishing is spectacular, and the Tesla Supercharger buildout is woefully lacking and/or behind schedule.

We need a Super Charger in Harrisburg, and Williamsport, PA.

JakeP said:

Yes I have ordered a CHAdeMO for use at the Sheetz in PA as well, especially up toward State College, where the trout fishing is spectacular, and the Tesla Supercharger buildout is woefully lacking and/or behind schedule.

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Yes, really looking forward to SCs on the i-80 corridor. Hopefully that CHAdeMO in state college is working for our trip out to Pittsburgh in May.

SabrToothSqrl said:

We need a Super Charger in Harrisburg, and Williamsport, PA.

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And Erie!

CHG-ON said:

It makes complete sense to me:

-Energy for transport is energy, whatever the form.
-I think they are being smart by future-proofing
-Just think how convenient it would be if all gas stations had fast chargers! Better yet, free SCs!

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I've got to believe that it's coming within the next 5 years. The obvious place to start is with local governments providing an incentive or a requirement, that all new "super-pumper" stations (think 20 or more gas pumps) as well as new interstate truck stops, have EV charging. Eventually one of the major players will see the competitive advantage to this and adopt it as part of their construction standards - then all others will follow suit. Most truck stops and super-pumpers already have the electric service, so it's just a matter of providing the proper incentives. I can't wait!

Where did you buy the adapter? Gearshop still has it coming soon with no button to add to cart.
thanks

ThosEM said:

I think I'm going to be glad I have the CHAdeMO adapter now, though my spouse thinks I was nuts to buy it...

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yoyo said:

Where did you buy the adapter? Gearshop still has it coming soon with no button to add to cart.

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Keep checking—they are shipping, but I think they've built up an order backlog.

Gas stations are places I would never go to or hang out if it wasn't for the need to fill up my car. They sell nothing but terrible, overpriced and unhealthy food. They are mostly dirty and not inviting. I really don't want to spend time there. Their stores are designed to shot when you have 2 minutes to spend. They usually have very limited or no parking spaces.

EV charging stations require very little. Very little underground work, they can be built at any existing parking lot. EV charging stations are much better located at strip malls where you have a few businesses and retailers already, where you have plenty of parking already, where you have commercial power already.

yoyo said:

Where did you buy the adapter? Gearshop still has it coming soon with no button to add to cart.
thanks

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I was directed to send a request to get on the waitlist at this address:

[email protected]


Got my adapter but no model S yet

John

David99 said:

Gas stations are places I would never go to or hang out if it wasn't for the need to fill up my car. They sell nothing but terrible, overpriced and unhealthy food. They are mostly dirty and not inviting. I really don't want to spend time there. Their stores are designed to shot when you have 2 minutes to spend. They usually have very limited or no parking spaces.

EV charging stations require very little. Very little underground work, they can be built at any existing parking lot. EV charging stations are much better located at strip malls where you have a few businesses and retailers already, where you have plenty of parking already, where you have commercial power already.

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EV stations can also be indoors. Handy in the cold. Bringing a new meaning to drive-in. The spa e efficiency is pretty good, as Tesla sites show. I sometimes look at my local gas station, which has 4 pumps, and think about the Tesla spaces it could have. If you say a 60 battery charges 3mi/min, co servatively, and then say that 3% of miles are Supercharged, then you could say it's like a gas car filling at 100mi/min. Not a good rate compared to efficient gas cars. But, now imagine a gas station were like Supercharger sites. Say for every 10 spots you could have Superchargers in 1 spot, a transformer in another, and 8 stalls. I think my local gas station could have 12 spots at least and then it could serve 300mi/min, per current gas pump.

I wonder how often they will change the price to charge at the gas stations *rolls eyes at the twice a day changes*.

Gas station owners make very little on gas, pennies. However the volume of turnover is high (5-10) min per pump. In order for gas stations to make money on FAST chargers they will initially need to make at least $5 per charge. They currently only make about $1 out of every $50 of gas sold and charging is 5-10 times slower than filling up. They will also make out on not having to pay EPA costs etc. 75% of gas station profit comes from the convenience store (aka snacks, beer, trinkets). They'll be no love lost when they go all charging as the longer people hang around the more they'll sell .

It'll be a slow transition as EV's become more mainstream, but it's a coming.