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New Signs at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD

March 1, 2021March 1, 2021 Lanny

Enforceable Signs for County Anti-ICEing Ordinance

Charging stations at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland now have new signs. The BGE EVsmart stations that opened in January originally had green and white signs with “electric vehicle parking only” and a logo depicting a car with a plug. Those signs were not enforceable under the Howard County anti-ICEing ordinance.

The local EV community advocated for an anti-ICEing ordinance and Howard County passed legislation in 2014. See: Video of Public Comments on Howard Co. Bill CB36-2014. The ordinance requires official signs that meet federal and state standards to designate a charging space before police can enforce the prohibition.

Official Signs Comply with Federal and State Standards for Parking Signs

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a Policy Statement on June 17, 2013 to address regulatory sign standards for electric vehicle charging and parking facilities. Howard County has chosen to use the “NO PARKING EXCEPT WHILE CHARGING” (R7-113) signs at the utility-operated charging stations located on county-owned property.

Standardized signs are are a good idea even in places that don’t yet have an anti-ICEing law. They are the best way to communicate that spaces in front of EV charging stations are not parking spots, they are for electric vehicles while being recharged.

Meadowood Regional Park Charging Stations in Baltimore County

February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 Lanny

The Meadowood Regional Park in Lutherville, Maryland now has public electric vehicle charging stations. The BGE EVsmart stations were operational and in use by a Chevy Bolt EV on Saturday, January 30, 2021. Two dual-port Level 2 charging stations can charge four vehicles at once. The Meadowood Regional Park EV charging stations are located in the south east corner of the parking area just off of Falls Road.

Meadowood Regional Park is located at Falls Road and Greenspring Valley Road just north of the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) and the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83). Map link

According to the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks, Meadowood Regional Park provides a variety of outdoor recreational facilities including:

Six athletic fields (four lighted, one artificial turf)
Three picnic pavilions
Playground
A .8-mile paved walking path, with upper and lower sections measuring .4 miles each.

There are a number of take-out food establishments nearby at Green Spring Station, so you can grab a meal and enjoy a picnic while you charge.

The fee to use the Level 2 charging stations is $0.18 per kWh including 6% Maryland sales tax. The fees are subject to change with the approval of the Maryland Public Service Commission which regulates the utilities. Payment is via a Greenlots account.

Eastport-Annapolis Neck Library Fast Chargers

January 20, 2021January 20, 2021 Lanny

Six Level 2 Ports

A public charging site is open at the Anne Arundel County Public Library at 269 Hillsmere Drive, Annapolis, MD. The BGE EVsmart utility owned and operated charging stations are energized as of January 20, 2021. There are two DC Fast Chargers and six Level 2 ports along the east edge of the parking lot. [map link]

Greenlots Network

The BGE fast chargers have a fee of $0.34 per kWh. The Level 2 charging costs $0.18 per kWh. Those fees are subject to change with the approval of the Maryland Public Service Commission which regulates the utilities. Payment is via a Greenlots account.

Two CCS/CHAdeMO Fast Chargers

The two 50 kW fast chargers are Efacec QC 45 units that are also used in some other BGE installations such as Westminster and Ellicott City. Having multiple fast chargers will help bolster EV drivers’ confidence. If one fast charger is occupied or inoperable, there’s another fast charger for back up.

Virginia EV Rebate Legislation Proposed in 2021

January 12, 2021January 19, 2021 Lanny

Virginia House Bill 1979

Virginia Delegate David Reid of Loudoun County is proposing a rebate for Virginians who buy or lease an electric vehicle. The legislation will be introduced when the Virginia General Assembly convenes on January 13, 2021.

Used Vehicles Would Qualify

HB 1979 proposes that an individual who buys or leases a new or used electric motor vehicle from a dealer in Virginia and registers the vehicle in Virginia would be eligible for a $2,500 rebate. An additional $2,000 rebate would be available for certain income qualified individuals.

For the purposes of the rebate program, an electric motor vehicle “means a motor vehicle that uses electricity as its only source of motive power. ‘Electric motor vehicle’ includes fuel cell electric vehicles.”

UPDATE: I reached out to Delegate Reid to clarify if the bill would include incentives for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). He explained that right now, it does not include PHEVs or fleet vehicles. The reason being that there is a limited amount of money to get started with and they were looking for where the program could be scaled back in a way that they can achieve the environmental benefits of being able to get carbon out of the transportation sector in a manner that would provide the most bang for the buck. Given the budget constraints of the moment, the program is designed to begin by focusing just on battery electric vehicles.

Delegate Reid says he wants to be able to get consumers familiar with the idea that electric vehicles are a viable alternative for basic transportation. In the future, once the program moves forward and other sources of revenue are identified to fund the program, they can add plug-in hybrids, fleet vehicles and more.

Summary as Introduced

Electric vehicle rebate program; creation and funding; report. Creates a rebate program for the purchase or lease of new and used electric vehicles, to be administered by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. A purchaser or lessee of an electric vehicle would receive a $2,500 rebate at the time of purchase, and a purchaser or lessee with an annual household income that does not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty level would be entitled to an additional $2,000 rebate. The motor vehicle dealer where the vehicle is purchased or leased would receive a refund for the amount of the rebate and a $50 incentive payment for each rebate processed. Funds would be allocated from the revenues generated by the sunset of the Virginia Coal Employment and Production Incentive Tax Credit and the Coalfield employment enhancement tax credit and prohibit the allocation of new credits on and after January 1, 2021. The bill also establishes an Electric Vehicle Rebate Advisory Council to oversee the Electric Vehicle Rebate Program and to make recommendations regarding its implementation. The Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is required to report annually to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding the Program. The Program will expire on September 1, 2026.
Summary of Virginia HB 1979 as introduced.

Fast Chargers at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD

January 9, 2021January 9, 2021 Lanny

Utility owned and operated public charging stations are now open at the Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland. The BGE EVsmart stations are operational as of January 8, 2021. Two DC Fast Chargers and six Level 2 ports are located in the north west corner of Lot C on the main campus along Little Patuxent Parkway. [map link]

Two CCS/CHAdeMO Fast Chargers

The two 50 kW Fast Chargers are Efacec QC 45 units that are also used in some other BGE installations such as Westminster and Ellicott City. Having multiple fast chargers will help bolster EV drivers’ confidence. If one fast charger is occupied or inoperable, there should be another fast charger to fall back on.

On Greenlots Network

The fee to use these Fast Chargers is $0.34 per kWh. The Level 2 costs $0.18 per kWh. The fees are subject to change with the approval of the Maryland Public Service Commission which regulates the utilities. Payment is made via a Greenlots account.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Supercharger is Open

January 8, 2021January 8, 2021 Lanny

Tesla Supercharging Station at Wawa

The Rehoboth Beach area now has its second Tesla Supercharger. An eight stall, 250 kW (V3) Supercharging station just opened at the Wawa convenience store by the intersection of Coastal Hwy and Rehoboth Ave. Ext. Map Link

This Supercharger is located less than four miles from the Lewes, DE Supercharger that opened about three years ago. The Lewes Supercharger is an eight stall station also located in the lot of a Wawa store. It’s a 150 kW powered station as compared to the 250 kW at the newer one in Rehoboth.

Why did Tesla build two Superchargers so close together? We don’t know. But consider this, the Wawa chain has three stores in that stretch of Coastal Highway that sell gasoline. There are at least six other gas stations in that section. Ultimately, electric vehicle charging stations will become ubiquitous. Areas like the beach, where tourists drive beyond the range of the charging station in their home, will be among the first areas that need to support a higher volume of people that need fast charging.

Rehoboth Beach already had many Level 2 EV charging stations to help support EV drivers visiting from out of town. There are two high-amp L2 stations at Surfside Park that were proposed in 2014 by the University of Delaware as part of a statewide network of EV charging stations in Delaware. There are also Level 2 charging stations at the three Tanger Outlets locations in Rehoboth Beach that were installed in 2015.

Version 3 Tesla Superchargers in the Delmarva

DC Area Tesla Superchargers as of January, 2021

January 7, 2021February 1, 2021 Lanny

New Tesla Superchargers in the Washington, DC Area

The number of Tesla Superchargers in the greater Washington, DC area has really grown in the last two years. The animated map above shows the progression of Supercharger installations in Delaware, Maryland, Washington, DC and Northern Virginia between 2012 and 2020.

Today, a new Supercharger opened in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Listed below are the sites that are under construction and due to open soon in the Greater Washington, DC area.

Baltimore, MD – S. Caton Ave. 5 stalls, 250 kW at Royal Farms
Towson, MD 8 stalls, 250 kW at Wawa
Waldorf, MD 8 stalls, 250 kW at Wawa
King George, VA 8 stalls, 250 kW at Sheetz
Edgewater, MD 8 stalls, 250 kW at Wawa (in permitting)

Maryland EV Tax Credit Extension Proposed in Clean Cars Act of 2021

January 5, 2021January 5, 2021 Lanny

Marylanders who purchased a plug-in electric vehicle since funds were depleted for the $3,000 state excise tax credit have been waiting to see if the legislature will reauthorize funding for the program. Purchasers were encouraged to file a form to reserve a place in the queue if and when additional funding is authorized.

There’s potential good news for those waiting on a Maryland EV tax rebate from a previous purchase and those considering buying an electric car in the future. The Clean Cars Act of 2021 (HB 44) proposes to extend and increase the funding for the Maryland electric vehicle excise tax credit. Annual funding would increase to as much as $26,000,000 through fiscal year 2023 under the proposal by Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo.

The Clean Cars Act of 2017 authorized an excise tax credit on plug-in electric cars for three years, from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2020 subject to available funding which was limited to a maximum amount for each fiscal year.

Funding Backlog

Funds for the Maryland excise tax credit usually ran out early and applications were then held until the next round of funding was released and paid in the order that applications were received by the MVA. Satisfying the ever growing backlog meant that each year’s funding would run out sooner than the last. In May, 2019, a month before the release of the FY 2020 funds, the entire $6 million allocated for the final year authorized by the legislation was already spoken for by applicants on the waitlist who had already purchased.

In January, 2020, the Clean Cars Act of 2020 was introduced to extend the program for another three years. It also proposed to increase the annual funding from $6,000,000 to $12,000,000. Unfortunately, the bill didn’t pass before the Maryland General Assembly adjourned early due to COVID-19. In effect, the backlog of EV buyers waiting for funding to receive a rebate check extends back to May, 2019 at this point.

Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2021

Under the proposed Clean Cars Act of 2021:

Utility-Owned Fast Chargers in Hancock, Maryland

January 4, 2021January 4, 2021 Lanny

Potomac Edison Charging Stations Open in Hancock

Two new CCS/CHAdeMO Fast Chargers owned and operated by Potomac Edison opened today in Hancock, Maryland. The chargers are located in the parking area of Joseph Hancock, Jr. Primitive Park on Main Street. The two ChargePoint Express 250 Fast Chargers can deliver 62.5 – 125 kW based on power sharing. The cost is $0.30 per kWh and is set based on approval of the Maryland Public Service Commission which regulates the utilities.

Potomac Edison opened their first DC Fast Charger last week at the Deep Creek Visitors Center in McHenry, MD. We charged there on Saturday, January 2nd using a Tesla CHAdeMO adapter. Users can pay using a ChargePoint RFID card or App. The units are wrapped in blue Potomac Edison “EVDRIVEN” branding and the URL to their EV website is displayed on the front. A blue and white sign designates the area as “electric vehicle parking only while charging.”

Adds to Existing DC Fast Charging in Town

Hancock already has two Fast Chargers located a few blocks away at the Western Maryland Rail Trail Parking Lot. Those chargers are operated by EVI and were installed about a year ago with funding help from the Maryland Energy Administration’s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Program. Those chargers are 50 kW and bill users with a flat fee plus by the minute rather than by the kWh.

More Fast Chargers Planned for Western Maryland

Potomac Edison Fast Chargers at Deep Creek Lake

January 3, 2021January 3, 2021 Lanny

Utility-Owned Public Charging Stations Open in Western Maryland

EV drivers have been waiting many years for CCS and CHAdeMO Fast Chargers to come to Garrett County, Maryland. In April, 2014, the Maryland Attorney General announced a $1 million grant program to build a statewide network of DC Fast Chargers that was supposed to extend from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore. Unfortunately, the western portion never materialized.

In January, 2019, the Maryland Public Service Commission issued Order No. 88997 which allowed a pilot program of utility owned and operated public EV charging stations under the condition that they are located on property owned, leased or occupied by a state, county, or municipal government.

Potomac Edison has now opened their first Fast Chargers along with a Level 2 station at the Deep Creek Visitors Center in McHenry, MD. The two ChargePoint units are rated to share 125 kW of power between them. We successfully charged using a CHAdeMO to Tesla adapter on one of them on Saturday, January 2nd. While in the area, we spotted four other Teslas in and around McHenry. Teslas need a CHAdeMO adapter sold by Tesla or perhaps one of the new third party CCS adapters to use these ChargePoint units. Maybe these fast chargers will encourage drivers of Chevy Bolts and other EVs with CCS or CHAdeMO plugs to make the trek to Western Maryland in their electric cars.

EV Tourism

Garrett County has the second lowest adoption of electric vehicles in Maryland according to an analysis of Plug-In Vehicle Adoption. Garrett County has 15 all-electric and 5 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles registered according to the latest data from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. This means that most of the utilization of the fast chargers in McHenry will probably be from tourists and other visitors.

More Public Fast Chargers Planned