Petition to have Costco reinstall charging stations

Chris TX · May 10, 2015

Many years ago, our beloved Costco actually installed several paddle type chargers that were compatible with the likes of the GM EV1. We all know how that story ended and Costco was forever soured on EVs. Times have changed and the EV landscape looks much brighter. One of my fellow Volt owners has started a petition to inform Costco that it's time to reevaluate EV charging stations at their retail stores.

Petition Â· Provide members with the ability to charge their electric vehicles while shopping at Costco Â· Change.org

I highly recommend putting somewhere in the notes something to the effect of "for the love of Jibbers Crabst, please do not partner with Blink!"

SabrToothSqrl · May 10, 2015

I think you'd have better luck encouraging them to offer destination charging, without a "petition". Speak to their PR people and let them know Tesla options.

Praise jibbers.

RDoc · May 10, 2015

But would they be very useful to Tesla owners? I generally spend less than an hour at Costco, so I might get 15 miles of range added, maybe?

I don't see the point of Level 2 chargers for Teslas other than at Inns, cocktail bars, museums, beach parking, etc. where the visit is going to be at least 3 hours.

Chris TX · May 10, 2015

RDoc said:
But would they be very useful to Tesla owners? I generally spend less than an hour at Costco, so I might get 15 miles of range added, maybe?

I don't see the point of Level 2 chargers for Teslas other than at Inns, cocktail bars, museums, beach parking, etc. where the visit is going to be at least 3 hours.

It's really for all EVs and PHEVs. If this is an available perk for being a Costco member, it at least evangelizes vehicle charging. If I'm spending an hour there, why not get an hour's worth of charging? Costco can even do a joint go to market with the charging provider and their car buying service. Hell, they might even get some kind of tax credits/rebates in some states!

TexasEV · May 11, 2015

The Costco in Gypsum, CO is listed in the destination charging program, with one HPWC at 40A. I agree with RDoc, it doesn't make much sense at a location where people are usually in and out in an hour or less, unless there is something unique about that location we don't know about. There must be better destinations in that area for a day trip.

wycolo · May 11, 2015

The Gypsum charger was the result of the personal efforts of one (well known) EV pioneer from Vail CO and that CostCo simply yielded to his greater will and resource $$.

If you apply similar pressure at a single point somewhere and pay for it all, success may well be yours.
--

TEG · May 11, 2015

The Costco near me is super busy. The lot is basically always full with people swarming trying to find a spot. If there were EV reserved spaces again, they would likely get constantly ICEd.
The old EVSEs they used to have (that were removed) were shared with the tire shop staging area so the tire shop had resorted to leaving cars with new tires there when they done mounting them.
I think they were never happy with the arrangement of EV reserved spots, and could well object if corporate suggested that they put EVSEs back in again.

nwdiver · Jun 5, 2015

We're almost to our goal! Please sign :smile:

https://www.change.org/p/craig-peal...twitter&utm_campaign=share_twitter_responsive

No2DinosaurFuel · Jun 5, 2015

RDoc said:
But would they be very useful to Tesla owners? I generally spend less than an hour at Costco, so I might get 15 miles of range added, maybe?

I don't see the point of Level 2 chargers for Teslas other than at Inns, cocktail bars, museums, beach parking, etc. where the visit is going to be at least 3 hours.

Wow which Costco are you going to? For me, it's at least 1 hour if not more. I think one time I was there for 3 hours. Slowly but surely, Costco has gotten more and more congested. IMO, I think the OP's idea is a very fine idea regardless of how long the wait. However, I still think those who use the charging port should be respectful and move their car when they are done and not block someone else who needs it. What they should do is install EV charging with 80A so people with dual charger can get up to 60 miles in 1 hour.

gavine · Jun 5, 2015

RDoc said:
I don't see the point of Level 2 chargers for Teslas other than at Inns, cocktail bars, museums, beach parking, etc. where the visit is going to be at least 3 hours.

I think golf courses are the perfect spot for chargers. Plenty of time to charge and it would attract players from all over. Free advertising on Plugshare too. I emailed my local golf course recommending that they install one but they never responded. They have a large solar farm there too.

AudubonB · Jun 5, 2015

Thank you for bringing attention to this petition. I signed it and included the following message - I forgot to tell them to sprint, don't run, away from Blink!

Message to Costco:
I've been a member since 1994; based on our Reward Rebate we spend each year handsomely more than $25,000 at Costco; COST has been a significant part of our investment portfolio for over a quarter century.
The benefits to Costco of attracting EV owners are manifold: they tend to be higher-spending customers; if offering HPWCs then Tesla Motors has a program to supply the hardware at no cost to the merchant; the temptation to the customer to "Charge Just That Little Bit More" ineluctably leads to the customer thereupon also spending more time in aisles - leading to more impulse purchasing of the higher-margin goodies as is the demonstrated use of such time; the marketing benefits of being able to demonstrate support of sustainable programs, among others.

Therefore, from a BUSINESS point of view, from a CUSTOMER point of view, from a SHAREHOLDER point of view and from a CONCERNED CITIZEN point of view I most wholeheartedly endorse this proposition and urge management to pursue it most vigorously.

When I signed the petition mid-day Friday, they then needed just 28 more signatories to reach the 1,500 required level.

I FORGOT also to plead with Costco that if they were to accede to this request, then please to perform such steps as painting the charging slots green and to designate them as CHARGING sites, and not as PARKING sites....something which I ever am beating the drum regarding Tesla and its SpC slots.....if anyone else signs this position I urge you to consider adding just such points.

TexasEV · Jun 5, 2015

No2DinosaurFuel said:
Wow which Costco are you going to? For me, it's at least 1 hour if not more. I think one time I was there for 3 hours. Slowly but surely, Costco has gotten more and more congested. IMO, I think the OP's idea is a very fine idea regardless of how long the wait. However, I still think those who use the charging port should be respectful and move their car when they are done and not block someone else who needs it. What they should do is install EV charging with 80A so people with dual charger can get up to 60 miles in 1 hour.

But the point people were trying to make is that the range of the Tesla means owners don't need to charge for an hour at Costco or other local stores, whether it's to get 18 miles (J1772 30A) or 58 miles (80A and dual chargers, more realistically 50 miles if it's 208V commercial power). That's what distinguishes it from Leaf, i3, etc. is that local charging isn't needed, you charge overnight at home and have what you need for the day unless you're going out of town.

Oh I forgot, you don't plan to charge at home, you plan to do all your charging for free at your local supercharger and now Costco.

mitch672 · Jun 5, 2015

Here is COSTCO's position on EV charging, any questions?

liuping · Jun 5, 2015

mitch672 said:
Here is COSTCO's position on EV charging, any questions?

View attachment 83260

Wait where is the line? Our CostCo always has lines 5+ cars deep.

mitch672 · Jun 5, 2015

liuping said:
Wait where is the line? Our CostCo always has lines 5+ cars deep.

There are 8 pumps, each has 2 sides, that's 16 cars at once that can gas up. This COSTCO gas station was recently put in (September 2014 or so), it's at the COSTCO in Dedham, MA. I was taking pictures of the nearby service center progress and this is less than 1/2 mile away.

https://www.costco.com/WarehouseLocatorDetailsView?langId=-1&storeId=10301&catalogId=10701&warehouseNumber=319&BeginAddress=DEDHAM&callingPage=WarehouseLocatorView

roblab · Jun 5, 2015

Chris TX said:
It's really for all EVs and PHEVs.

I love how all the people who own cars with impractical range spend a great deal of time pushing for public charging.

This DOES NOT include Tesla drivers, so you folk who keep on thinking that public charging is "really for all EVs and PHEVs", quit it. It's only for people who buy less expensive electric or plug in cars, and who, realizing the shortcomings, want everyone else to bail them out.

Oh, I hear you say that the cheap, minimum range EVs get people into the joys of electric driving, and they will move up. No. It gets people into EVs that DON'T WORK, which make you mad, make you late, make you range anxious. Then the next time you buy an electric, you make Damsure that you buy something that will do the job.

I love it when I go to show and tells, where the guy next to me (with the Leaf) tells me how practical his car is around town. Later I hear him say he's going to buy a Tesla so he can use electric all the time. The Volt owners all go around telling everyone how they only use 2 gallons of gas all week, so they are nearly running a full electric, but then they buy a Tesla.

And with a Tesla, you don't EVER need those dink chargers at Costco, or WalMart, or the Golf Course. How dumb. I still have 200 miles on my battery. Why would I want to charge in the middle of the day???

Chris TX · Jun 5, 2015

roblab said:
I love how all the people who own cars with impractical range spend a great deal of time pushing for public charging.

This DOES NOT include Tesla drivers, so you folk who keep on thinking that public charging is "really for all EVs and PHEVs", quit it. It's only for people who buy less expensive electric or plug in cars, and who, realizing the shortcomings, want everyone else to bail them out.

Oh, I hear you say that the cheap, minimum range EVs get people into the joys of electric driving, and they will move up. No. It gets people into EVs that DON'T WORK, which make you mad, make you late, make you range anxious. Then the next time you buy an electric, you make Damsure that you buy something that will do the job.

I love it when I go to show and tells, where the guy next to me (with the Leaf) tells me how practical his car is around town. Later I hear him say he's going to buy a Tesla so he can use electric all the time. The Volt owners all go around telling everyone how they only use 2 gallons of gas all week, so they are nearly running a full electric, but then they buy a Tesla.

And with a Tesla, you don't EVER need those dink chargers at Costco, or WalMart, or the Golf Course. How dumb. I still have 200 miles on my battery. Why would I want to charge in the middle of the day???

I hear what you're saying from a Tesla owner's point of view. I also don't see myself using an L2 charger for a trip to Costco. Now, if I was traveling and stopped at one, yeah I might put in a few miles in the hour or less of shopping.

However, what's to stop them from putting in CHAdeMO/CCS? I don't know of any Costco that doesn't have gobs of 480VAC going to it. With the Leaf, Soul EV, Outlander, and now Model S/X being able to use CHAdeMO, I could see Costco partnering with evGo or Chargepoint to make some money off it.

Categorically calling every BEV and PHEV that gets less than ~100 miles of range dumb doesn't make sense. The Leaf and Volt are big hits, according to the sales numbers. Not everyone can afford a Model S right now, so these other EVs that "don't work" will have to do, for now. Maybe your statement will make more sense when the Model 3 comes out.

nwdiver · Jun 5, 2015

roblab said:
I love how all the people who own cars with impractical range spend a great deal of time pushing for public charging.

This DOES NOT include Tesla drivers, so you folk who keep on thinking that public charging is "really for all EVs and PHEVs", quit it. It's only for people who buy less expensive electric or plug in cars, and who, realizing the shortcomings, want everyone else to bail them out.

Oh, I hear you say that the cheap, minimum range EVs get people into the joys of electric driving, and they will move up. No. It gets people into EVs that DON'T WORK, which make you mad, make you late, make you range anxious. Then the next time you buy an electric, you make Damsure that you buy something that will do the job.

I love it when I go to show and tells, where the guy next to me (with the Leaf) tells me how practical his car is around town. Later I hear him say he's going to buy a Tesla so he can use electric all the time. The Volt owners all go around telling everyone how they only use 2 gallons of gas all week, so they are nearly running a full electric, but then they buy a Tesla.

And with a Tesla, you don't EVER need those dink chargers at Costco, or WalMart, or the Golf Course. How dumb. I still have 200 miles on my battery. Why would I want to charge in the middle of the day???

There are ALOT of reasons that public charging is useful even in the era of 200+ mile EVs.
- The closest Costco to me is ~120 miles away... Be nice to not leave my car at the RV park a block away.
- Short cycles extend the life of your battery. I have public charging at work 6 miles away... I use it.
- Improved visibility of EVs; I get a lot more questions at work since people see it charging everyday.
- Demand Response Management; Long-Term your car can't help buffer renewables if it's not connected... Help slay the duck.
- Charge where you WANT instead of where you NEED; If you're running errands and low on charge...
- Not everyone can afford a Tesla; Lack of infrastructure shouldn't keep them addicted to petrol.
- If you're in a pinch, sitting at Costco for 30 minutes is better then getting towed.

Public L2 Charging will always have a place.

mitch672 said:
Here is COSTCO's position on EV charging, any questions?

Gasoline is almost certainly a 'Loss Leader' for Costco. The make very little profit, probably even sell it at a loss. They do it to get you to stop at Costco to shop, not make money selling Gasoline.

liuping · Jun 5, 2015

mitch672 said:
There are 8 pumps, each has 2 sides, that's 16 cars at once that can gas up.

Both CostCo locations by us have that setup (8 double sided pumps) and there is always a huge line. Fortunately, I never have to wait in it anymore...

Maybe the price difference is much higher here for some reason. I remember them begin quite a bit less expensive than anyone else around.

mitch672 · Jun 5, 2015

nwdiver, this particular COSTCO was built in 1998, it is one of the busiest in the area, they do not need to bring any more customers in. The COSTCO gas was built late last year, so either they've been trying to get approval for 16 years (doubtful), or, as most things COSTCO sells, they are making money selling gas. This was just part of the parking lot, cost to build & permit this station had to exceed $1M, you don't spend that kind of change if its not generating a profit.

as far as cost of gas goes, I have no idea, have not owned an ICE in 2 1/2 years, I don't pay attention to something I buy 5 gallons a year (snowblower, and that is being handed off to a family member once I move soon). I have sold or given away all gasoline powered equipment, replaced my pressure washer with an electric one, etc

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