Woolworths Charging including DC Fast Charging

[RichardV]

The new Woolworths in North Parramatta, refurbish of the former Bunnings building, has included 8 Woolworths branded charging spots on the Charge Fox network.

There are 4 DC CCS2 spots with a Kempower satellite style charger 200kW max and 4 AC 7kW spots.

I think this is the first Woolworths branded location I have seen. Unsure of if they are utilising some other partner for managing the infrastructure.

 

[Hairyman]

4c off charging with your Woollies docket?

 

[Chuq]

Unsure of if they are utilising some other partner for managing the infrastructure.

Wow - nice to see!

I think I can see some orange Chargefox logos on the screen, and at the top of the post.

interesting mix of AC and DC. I wonder - knowing Kempower's capabilities - would it be practical to have a single power supply (say, 100 kW) and split it between the 8 stalls, all using DC?

7 kW is almost not worth the effort of getting your cable out of the car, and 100+ kW will have you stressing about getting back to your car in time. 15-30 kW per car (depending on how many other cars are plugged in) would be ideal.

 

[paulp]

Wow - nice to see!

I think I can see some orange Chargefox logos on the screen, and at the top of the post.

interesting mix of AC and DC. I wonder - knowing Kempower's capabilities - would it be practical to have a single power supply (say, 100 kW) and split it between the 8 stalls, all using DC?

7 kW is almost not worth the effort of getting your cable out of the car, and 100+ kW will have you stressing about getting back to your car in time. 15-30 kW per car (depending on how many other cars are plugged in) would be ideal.

But isnt the most time efficient method of charging (other than at home) just plugging in every time you need to stop and getting some charge, resulting in no waiting? Makes sense for supermarkets, bunnings, and other big box centres to have modest charging speed

 

[RichardV]

Wow - nice to see!

I think I can see some orange Chargefox logos on the screen, and at the top of the post.

Yes, as noted, on the Chargefox network. More commenting, as Chargefox don't do hardware, whether Woolworths has a hardware partner to manage the install(s) or if there is now a Woolworth charging division.

 

[moa999]

Definitely the first DC chargers I've seen, but the newish Chatswood East Woolworths (just up the hill from Tesla Chatswood) has Woolworths branded Type 2 outlets, also on Chargefox network.

Woolworths Chatswood East | Chatswood, NSW | EV Station

3x Dual 7kW BYO Type 2 chargers. Located on P2. Quickest entrance from Alleyne St to the left, but can be accessed from all entrances. Chargefox card/app to activate. BYO cable. Beware of air condition vents above when opening boot to get your cables out. Model Y and X boot will hit the vents...

www.plugshare.com

Albeit that side has also got NSW Stage 2 Govt funding for Evie DC chargers.

 

[Chuq]

But isnt the most time efficient method of charging (other than at home) just plugging in every time you need to stop and getting some charge, resulting in no waiting?

It is if you're going to be there for more than a couple of hours (home, work, shopping, movies, restaurant), but if you're only somewhere for 20-30 minutes it's almost not worth the bother for the 2 or 3 kWh you may get.

 

[Hairyman]

But isnt the most time efficient method of charging (other than at home) just plugging in every time you need to stop and getting some charge, resulting in no waiting? Makes sense for supermarkets, bunnings, and other big box centres to have modest charging speed

I think slow rate “grazing” it a pretty good strategy if simple chargers are fairly ubiquitous.

 

[Nevyn72]

Looking at the Chargefox App the pricing is;
DC (up to 200kW) = 55c/kWh
AC (7kW) = 25c/kWh

The AC charging is BYO cable.

The second closest Woolworths to me (Sutherland Shire) has 4 free 7kW chargers operating under the Chargefox banner.
I wonder if this is sign that this may change to paid charging in future?

 

[B3AU]

The Woolworths at Leppington (inside Leppington Village that opened a few months ago) also has 6x EV bays (3x Schneider EVLink units, Chargefox app says 22kW but it's actually 7kW) for free.

Woolworths branded - Leppington Village Shopping Centre | Leppington, NSW | EV Station

They were deployed by JetCharge (their sticker is on the units)

(they even use a photo of Woolworths branded Schneider units on their website at Public EV Charging | JET Charge)

 

[moa999]

wonder if this is sign that this may change to paid charging in future?

Think that's definitely the case..
Installing a handful of EVSEs might be covered in a 'green' budget.. when it's 20 units with say a $20k install costs and chewing hundreds of dollars of electricity a day, I think you'll see more charging.

Interesting to see an OutofSpec video posted overnight of a 250+ AC charger install at a German train station intended for park and ride.

 

[B3AU]

Posted on X by Chargefox

https://x.com/chargefox/status/1736955567955140678?s=61

And a news article on the Chargefox website Woolies North Parramatta adds 8 charging plugs to Chargefox | Chargefox

Installed by JET Charge and including four DC Kempower plugs and four AC Chargemate plugs these charging stations are now available on the Chargefox platform and offer a seamless and efficient charging experience.

 

[Quickst]

7 kW is almost not worth the effort of getting your cable out of the car,

On the other hand, the chargers that tend to be available are the single phase free Ac chargers - 7kW or less.
The Lane Cove Marketplace car park (Woolworths) has 4x5kW Ocular chargers. It is relatively easy to get a charge there. I was there yesterday at 3pm and there were 2 free spots. I could have stayed there for hours as the location is just outside the exit boomgates - so free parking. 3 phase 11kW free chargers are invariably always occupied as in the Canopy Lane Cove (coles) up the road.

 

[Vostok]

On the other hand, the chargers that tend to be available are the single phase free Ac chargers - 7kW or less.

I wouldn’t be so sure about that. “Free” causes many humans to behave irrationally and disproportionate to the benefit received.

You have more chance of winning the lottery than snagging one of the AC chargers at Broadway or Birkenhead Point. And other shopping centres I‘ve been to recently with free AC chargers are heavily used. Maybe it’s Christmas and there are double the number of BEVs on the road compared to last year.

But I also live in the inner part of Sydney where the majority of houses do not have offstreet parking, and there are lots of apartments, so just about every public charger is smashed because that is the only way many people can charge.

The AC chargers that definitely are more available are the paid ones - so they have a great opportunity to fill the gap between overused free ones (“are you feeling lucky?”) and DCFCs which for some activities are just too fast and you have to stay with your vehicle.

 

[Sir Surfalot]

“Free” causes many humans to behave irrationally and disproportionate to the benefit received.

I was looking on Plugshare last night at the check-in comments for Castle Towers (NW Sydney, 3* Tesla destination chargers). Seems from the comments there is a ridiculous amount of penny-pinching charging there (same cars charging every day, owners tag-teaming between cars/chargers and holding chargers for their friends when finished) with obviously ZERO value for the drivers' time-per-hour. I have certainly failed to use the chargers there the last couple of times I had been there to go to the Apple Store but hadn't realised just how organised and pervasive the charger-hogging there was until I was browsing Plugshare last night. Have a read through the last couple of months of check-in comments if you want some serious bitching

Those chargers should definitely be made non-free (say $0.25/kWh) as soon as possible and also idle charges (some punitive amount after a 5-10 minute grace period) so people get the message. Right now they are next to useless for people actually intending to get a bit of a charge while they spend money in the shopping centre, so they may as well be removed - but having fewer chargers (that LGA seems very under-served for charging of any sort) isn't a good way forward for EVs in general.

 

[Loxmyf]

Maybe the way Tassie is doing it in regional areas? Price per kw AND per minute.

 

[Quickst]

Those chargers should definitely be made non-free (say $0.25/kWh) as soon as possible and also idle charges (some punitive amount after a 5-10 minute grace period)

And /or reduce to 5-7kW charging rate.