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
Curbside EV charging stations in Indianapolis – photo: @Lanny
BlueIndy Electric Car Sharing Service Ends May 21, 2020
Indianapolis electric car sharing service BlueIndy will be closing effective May 21, 2020. The company had big plans when it launched in September, 2015 with the enthusiastic backing of then Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. BlueIndy’s parent company, Bollore, invested $41 million in the venture. The city of Indianapolis contributed $6 million and Indianapolis Power and Light invested $3 million.
BlueIndy in announcing its closure said the service did not “reach the level of activity required to be economically viable.” A report by Indianapolis WTTV News based on a public records request with the city said that BlueIndy had an operating deficit of over $22 million in 2017.
Washington, DC Area Tesla Superchargers “Coming Soon” as of January 1, 2020
Nine New Locations Added in Washington, DC Area
Tesla has updated the “Find Us” map on their website for the year 2020. All the “Coming Soon” locations with grey pins that had been labeled as “Target opening in 2019” now show “Target opening in 2020.” In addition, some new “Coming Soon” Supercharger locations have been added in the Washington, DC area. These include the locations listed below and indicated by green pins in the map above.
Reston, VA
Ashburn, VA
Chantilly, VA
Falls Church, VA
King George, VA
Millersville, MD
Towson, MD
Baltimore, MD – Canton
Easton, MD
Tesla is careful to note that exact timing and specific locations may vary. In fact, many of the locations designated by gray pins on the map have had their target year of opening moved forward more than once. For example, Halethorpe, MD, Washington, DC and Tysons, VA go back at least to 2017.
How much has the number of electric vehicle charging stations in the Washington, DC area grown in the last five years? PlugInSites published a count on December 31, 2014. Today, exactly five years later, we take another snapshot and compare the data.
The following EV charging station count is from the U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center which keeps track of the number of EV charging stations from data provided by the major charging networks as well as other sources. The figures include public and private stations, DC Fast Chargers as well as Level 2 and Level 1 outlets. The counts below were captured on December 31, 2019. The percentages are the amount of growth of the public charging infrastructure in the five years since 2014.
Virginia is home to a number of charming, walkable small towns. Old Town Warrenton is one of those gems. Now you can charge your Tesla when you visit.
The Town of Warrenton recently installed two Tesla connectors in a public parking lot downtown. The location is near 45 Horner St., behind the Post Office.
On Way to Wineries and Shenandoah National Park
Warrenton Town Manager Brandie Schaeffer told WTOP Radio ”Warrenton is the best kept secret in Northern Virginia. People with electric vehicles traveling from the city to the wineries or Shenandoah National Park can stop in Warrenton for a quick charge, while they grab coffee, lunch, or shop.”
One attraction that gets rave reviews is the Red Truck Rural Bakery. Located in a former Esso gas station, Travel + Leisure calls it “One of America’s best small-town bakeries.”
