Lewes, Delaware Opens Free Public Charging Stations

Lanny


Four public electric vehicle charging stations opened in Lewes, Delaware on July 10, 2017. The city of Lewes teamed up with a private businessman to install the EV charging stations at two public parking areas in an effort to promote clean transportation and attract electric car drivers into town.

We happened to be traveling in the area when we got word that the stations had been turned on earlier in the day. Even though we were already 25 miles past the town driving toward home, we decided to make a U-turn and head to Lewes to check them out. One meter was still at zero and the other site only had 2 kWh registered when we plugged in. We decided to have dinner at the Pig and Publican restaurant which serves fantastic Belgian food. It is easy to walk the town from either charging location.

Paul Evalds, the owner of Avatar Instruments and a Tesla Model S driver, provided the charging stations and the Lewes Board of Public Works installed the equipment at an estimated cost of $6,000. The four charging stations are located in a city parking lot on Schley Ave. and at Otis Smith Park on Savannah Rd. Each location has one Tesla-specific charging connector and one universal charging connector that will fit any electric car. The stations will be free for the public to use, with the initial electricity cost covered by a grant from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Now that we know that we can charge while we visit, we will certainly be going back soon to explore more of the town of Lewes.

@PlugInSites

Sign up below to get email updates to PlugInSites EV charging station news.

Subscribe to Plug In Sites via email

Get notifications of Plug In Sites News! Enter email address below:

Australian Tesla Owners Club Outback Adventure

Lanny
EVTripPlanner.com

Do you have nerves of steel when it comes to range anxiety? Then the Tesla Owners Club of Australia has the trip for you. The group is planning a Meetup in the middle of Australia, 2,000 kilometers from the nearest Supercharger.

The club, which is part of the Tesla Owners Club program, will be displaying cars at the Alice Springs desertSMART Ecofair, August 11-13, 2017. Members willing to make the drive are advised to bring a variety of adapters for their Tesla charging cable for connecting at fairgrounds and road houses along the route.

Club members will drive from Sydney, Melbourne and other points and rendezvous in Adelaide, South Australia on August 8th to start the trek north to Alice Springs.

The announcement warns that the charging options are untested north of Port Augusta and it is about 2,500 km to Alice Springs and back with zero Tesla charging infrastructure.

*****Please bring your pioneering spirit!!*****

Given the nature of this event, you are responsible for all aspects of your own, and your vehicle’s welfare and on this trip.

More info: Alice Springs MeetUp and EcoFair display.

Follow @PlugInSites on Twitter and subscribe below.

Subscribe to Plug In Sites via email

Get notifications of Plug In Sites News! Enter email address below:

West Virginia Enacts $200 Annual Fee for Electric Vehicles

Lanny
credit: Office of Gov. Jim Justice

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed a road funding bill on Thursday that includes new fees on electric and hybrid vehicles. SB1006, which passed the legislature last week, will impose additional annual registration fees of $200 on all-electric vehicles and $100 on hybrids. The new law goes into effect on July 1, 2017.

A total of 111 all-electric and 328 plug-in hybrid vehicles have been sold in West Virginia since 2011 according to data from the Auto Alliance. Read More …

Tesla Model S is Five Years Old

Lanny

First Customer Deliveries Began on June 22, 2012

Five years ago today, Tesla delivered the first batch of Model S cars to about a dozen customers. The event was held at the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California and was streamed live. At the time, there were about 2,300 Tesla Roadsters on the road. Five years later, Tesla has sold over 100,000 Model S sedans and over 25,000 Model X SUVs. The first deliveries of Tesla’s Model 3 are scheduled to begin next month.

Here are some photos of the reception and viewing party held at the Washington, DC Tesla Store on K Street on the evening of those first Model S deliveries.

@Lanny

Pennsylvania Turnpike EV Charging Project Cancelled

Lanny

Plans to install electric vehicle charging stations at every travel plaza along the Pennsylvania Turnpike have been cancelled according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

In December, 2011, the DEP awarded a $1 million Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant to Car Charging Group, Inc. of Miami Beach, FL to help promote the market for electric vehicles. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission was to supply $500,000 of infrastructure support funds to help with the cost of transformers, electric lines, and meters. Car Charging Group pledged to match the $1 million grant to install electric vehicle charging equipment and services on the Turnpike.

Since 2014, Car Charging Group, which operates the Blink Network, has installed one CHAdeMO Fast Charger and one Level 2 charging station at five of the 17 service plazas along the Turnpike.

Click map for location details. orange=Fast Chargers & Level 2, grey=no charging station.

Earlier this year, Car Charging Group submitted a plan to complete the installation of charging stations at the remaining 12 service plazas starting April 3, 2017. The company stated their intention to complete the work by June 30, 2017 in accordance with the conditions of their contract. However, it became apparent that they were not going to be able to fulfill their obligations so Pennsylvania terminated the project with them. The unused grant funds have been liquidated into the Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund. Pennsylvania officials are now considering their options for supporting EV infrastructure along the Turnpike. There are no immediate plans in the works.

@PlugInSites

Sign up below to get email updates to PlugInSites EV charging station news.

Subscribe to Plug In Sites via email

Get notifications of Plug In Sites News! Enter email address below:

Anti-ICEing Ordinance Proposed in Jersey City, NJ

Lanny


Public Hearing Scheduled for June 28, 2017

The Jersey City, New Jersey City Council has proposed an ordinance that would make it unlawful to block a specifically designated EV parking space or charging station with a non-electric vehicle or to occupy a charging space with an EV unless it is actively charging.

The proposed City Ordinance 17-075 [PDF link] was introduced at the June 14, 2017 Council Meeting and it also defines certain terms related to electric vehicle charging for purposes of the Code and it requires specific information to be placed on the signs at EV parking/charging spaces in order to be enforceable.

City Ordinance 17-075, portions excerpted below, would authorize towing as well as a fine for violations occurring on a street, alley or City parking facility. Read More …

Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA

Lanny

Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA now has four EV charging ports in the parking lot at College Square. The two dual-port Schneider Electric charging stations were installed in April by MTV Solar of Berkley Springs, WV.

The EV charging stations are close to restaurants and other activity centers and are open to the public and are free to use.

Tesla Plans Charging Solution for Apartment Dwellers

Lanny


Today at Tesla’s annual shareholder’s meeting, CEO Elon Musk was asked via Twitter if there were any plans to make it easier for people living in apartments to own and charge a Tesla. Musk responded by saying that the company will be establishing more Supercharging locations within cities for Teslas to charge even if owners do not have access to a traditional home charging station.

Musk explained that these city Supercharging locations will be lower-powered than a regular Supercharger which is optimized for long-distance trips but would have more power than a typical charging connector found in a single family home garage. He said the system will be designed to load-balance the power so that all the cars will not be drawing maximum current at the same time.

Musk said that Tesla needs to solve the problem of charging for people who live in apartments and not just standard homes. “Wherever the car is being parked, at an apartment or work or somewhere in between, we’re going to make sure that there is a place to charge your car even if you live in an apartment.”

Tesla Supercharger in Breezewood, PA

Lanny

Construction has begun on a Tesla Supercharging Station at the Sheetz at the Breezewood Interchange of I-76 and I-70 in Pennsylvania. There appears to be eight stalls going in there.
This will be a welcome addition to relieve some of the congestion at the six-stall Somerset Supercharger which was almost full when I used it on Memorial Day afternoon.

The Breezewood Supercharger is also well-placed for Tesla drivers wishing to travel the more scenic and leisurely Rt. 30 and the Old Lincoln Highway.

Wireless Inductive Bus Charger in Howard County, Maryland

Lanny

Howard County will be adding electric bus service to their Green Line route. It will use inductive charging while stopped to load passengers.

The inductive high-speed charging equipment is already in place at the bus stop on the east side of the Mall in Columbia. The 50 kW Momentum Wireless Power fast chargers are made by Momentum Dynamics of Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Induction charging pad at bus stop.