High’s Ice Cream was a memorable part of my childhood growing up in Virginia. My grandmother would drive us to the local store and we’d sit on the Naugahyde covered stools and order a special treat. My favorite flavor was Butter Brickle.
Now, it seems the old ice cream stores that I remember are gone but the High’s brand lives on as a convenience store chain complete with banks of gasoline pumps. A new High’s store just opened in Jessup, Maryland that portends yet another new direction for the 92 year old company.
Electron Filling Station
The Jessup store has DC fast chargers for filling electric cars with electrons. The two chargers are installed next to the automatic car wash across the parking lot from the row of gas pumps.
Problem of EV charging stations being blocked by Internal Combustion Engine vehicles.UPDATE: This bill died in Subcommittee on Feb. 17, 2020
Virginia Senator Ghazala F. Hashmi wants to impose serious punishment against people who are guilty of “ICEing” an EV charging station. She has introduced an anti-ICEing bill (SB 911) that proposes a $500 penalty for violators in addition to being subject to being towed.
If Senator Hashmi’s bill is enacted without amendments, Virginia would have one on the harshest anti-ICEing laws in the United States. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Transportation and has a long way to go before the 2020 lawmaking session in Richmond ends on March 7th.
Difficulties Installing EV Charging Stations in Condos
Virginia Senator Scott A. Surovell of Mount Vernon has introduced a “Right to Charge” bill (SB 630) for the 2020 legislative session in Richmond.
The legislation would prohibit certain HOAs, condominiums and cooperatives from prohibiting the installation of an electric vehicle charging station in a resident’s designated parking space. The bill sets certain provisions including requiring the EV owner to pay for the electricity plus the cost of the installation and removal of the charging stations.
Senator Surovell says, “The transportation sector has now passed electricity production as the largest carbon emitter in the United States.”
Need to Facilitate EV Ownership
An EV driver himself, Surovell told PlugInSites, “We need to facilitate EV ownership and several people including constituents have reached out to me regarding difficulties encountered installing EV charging stations in condominiums. I’m hoping that my legislation will create a roadmap that facilitates the efficient deployment of charging stations in homeowners associations, condominiums and cooperatives.”
The Maryland Energy Administration has announced on their website that as of December 31, 2019 funding for the Fiscal Year 2020 EVSE Rebate Program is depleted.
Virginia Delegate David Reid of Loudoun County is proposing a rebate for Virginians who buy or lease an electric vehicle. The legislation will be formally introduced when the Virginia General Assembly convenes on Wednesday, January 8 in Richmond.
Used Vehicles Would Qualify
HB 717 proposes that an individual who buys or leases a new or used electric vehicle from a dealer in Virginia and registers the vehicle in Virginia would be eligible for a rebate. The MSRP for new vehicles and the Kelly Blue Book value for used, must not exceed $50,000 in order to qualify for a rebate.
Electric vehicles that get 200 or more miles of range would qualify for a $2,000 rebate for new and $1,000 for a used vehicle. A vehicle that gets between 120 and 200 miles qualifies for $1,500 for new and $750 for used. Vehicles that get less than 120 miles per charge qualify for $400 for a new vehicle and $200 for used.
PlugInSites is tracking the progress of electric vehicle legislation in Maryland and Virginia as well as select bills from other states. Check this page often or subscribe below for updates.
A BGE EVsmart public charging site is coming to Ellicott City, Maryland. The utility owned and operated DC Fast Charger and four Level 2 ports are installed, but not yet operational. They were spotted by EV driver @splat who alerted @PlugInSites on Twitter. They’re located in the parking lot of the Miller Branch of the Howard County Library and 50+ Center at 9421 Frederick Rd.
Utility Owned & Operated
The 50 kW charger is an Efacec QC45 model, the same unit as the BGE quick charger in Westminster that opened in December. I hope this charger will be reliable and fixed quickly if it fails. The only backup on site are the adjacent Level 2 ports. There is no redundant fast charger.
I’ve testified before the Maryland Public Service Commission on reliability issues and other challenges that EV drivers face when depending on public charging infrastructure. See: To the Maryland Public Service Commission from an EV Driver. Hopefully utility ownership can help solve these issues.
Signs Required for ICEing Enforcement
Signage at this location will be crucial. Howard County has an anti-ICEing law that EV advocates worked to get passed in 2014. In order to be enforceable, the ordinance requires that appropriate signs must be posted. Appropriate signs means they must be at least 12 inches by 18 inches and meet any applicable state or federal standards for parking control signs.
The BGE fast chargers have a fee of $0.34 per kWh as approved by regulators. Level 2 costs $0.18 per kWh. Those fees are subject to change with the approval of the PSC. EV drivers pay via a Greenlots account. Video.
More BGE Stations Planned
BGE plans to operate up to 500 public charging stations in their Maryland service area. About 20% of those may be fast chargers. The utility-operated charging stations must be located on property owned or controlled by state, county, or local governments per the terms of the PSC Order.
Diners and cars go together. Both are an essential part of the American experience. At the Mill Plain Diner in Danbury, CT, you can plug in your Tesla while you enjoy your bacon and pancakes or coffee and pie.
This eating establishment installed a Tesla connector as part of the Tesla destination charging program. The charging unit is attached to a wall in back of the diner and a red sign designates the spot as for Tesla Vehicle Charging.
The Tesla FindUs page says the diner’s single Tesla connector is available for customers and charges at up to 8 kW.
Looking for a Big Mac and want to boost your charge? This McDonald’s has you covered. Don’t get your hopes too high, the food may be fast but the charging is not. This is Level 2 charging only.
Traveling down the West Coast Electric Highway in August, 2017, we stopped at this Level 2 charging station at the McDonald’s at 2910 Newberg Hwy, Woodburn, OR. This restaurant is about a mile from the Woodburn Tesla Supercharger and a West Coast Electric Highway fast charger site with CHAdeMO is across the street at the Woodburn Transit Center.
The Howard County legislation (CB76-2018) is recognized as a model to guide other communities in developing EV-friendly zoning ordinances. The bill was sponsored by Jen Terrasa who was my Councilwoman at the time. Terrasa was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2018 and is a member of the House Environment and Transportation Committee.
The guide summarizes city ordinances and zoning practices regarding:
EV charging stations as permitted land use
EV make-ready standards
EV supply equipment standards
EV parking space design and location
Required EV parking capacity and minimum parking requirements
EV-designated parking use standards and protections
