On a recent road trip to the heart of Amish country in Pennsylvania, we stopped by Millersville University to charge at the two SemaConnect stations located in the parking lot behind McNairy Library.
Millersville is a quiet town located south-west of Lancaster. We were there on a Sunday afternoon in the summer when school was not in session. The upper parking lot where the charging stations are located was empty. We passed the time by walking to the nearby pond and sitting on a bench to read and watch the swans dive for food.
A nice scenic road in this area is Pennsylvania Route 999 between Millersville and Washington Boro. Take Rt. 441 along the bank of the Susquehanna River to Columbia, PA and cross the old bridge to Wrightsville.
You may even see some Amish horse and buggies on the road. One trait that the horses and EVs share is that neither mode of transportation uses gasoline. Ever notice how an electric vehicle charging station is kind of like a hitching post? Happy trails.
Starting January 1, 2016 people who park non-electric vehicles in spots reserved for an electric vehicle charging station in Illinois will be subject to a minimum $75 fine and get their car towed.
Signed by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed the “Anti-ICEing” legislation (HB0198) on July 29, 2015. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Robyn Gabel after her office received a complaint from an EV driver, passed both houses of the Illinois legislature on May 26, 2015.
Will Apply at Public and Private Parking Areas
The new law will allow local municipalities to impose an even greater fine of up to $100 and stipulates that the legality of the signage is not a defense if a reasonable person would be made aware by the sign or notice that the space is for electric vehicles only.
Goes into Effect January 1, 2016
Here is the text of the new Illinois law.
Sec. 11-1308. Unauthorized use of parking places reserved for electric vehicles.
(a) For the purposes of this Section: “Electric vehicle” means a battery-powered electric vehicle operated solely by electricity or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that operates on electricity and gasoline and has a battery that can be recharged from an external source. “Electric vehicle charging station” means any facility or equipment that is used to charge a battery or other energy storage device of an electric vehicle.
(b) It shall be prohibited to park a non-electric vehicle in an electric vehicle charging station designated for use by electric vehicles, including an electric vehicle charging station on any private or public offstreet parking facility. A person may park only an electric vehicle in an electric vehicle charging station space designated for use by electric vehicles.
(c) Any person or local authority owning or operating any public or private offstreet parking facility may, after notifying the police or sheriff’s department, remove or cause to be removed to the nearest garage or other place of safety any non-electric vehicle parked within an electric vehicle charging station space designated for use by electric vehicles.
(d) It shall not be a defense to a charge under this Section that the sign or notice posted at the electric vehicle charging station or the designated parking space does not comply with applicable rules, regulations, or local ordinances, if a reasonable person would be made aware by the sign or notice on or near the parking space that the space is reserved for electric vehicles.
(e) Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of subsection (b) shall be fined $75 in addition to any costs or charges connected with the removal or storage of the non-electric vehicle; but municipalities by ordinance may impose a fine up to $100.
Two electric motorcycles added to HCPD fleet. photo: Howard County
Electric Motorcycles to Debut at National Night Out Event
Howard County, Maryland has just added two electric motorcycles to their fleet of Police vehicles. The two Zero Motorcycles made especially for police patrols will make their debut tonight, August 4, 2015 at the National Night Out kick-off event at Vantage Point Park in Columbia, MD at 6:00 PM.
Will be Used to Patrol Pathways
The motorcycles will be used in the new Pathway Patrol Section, which will have seven officers on mountain bikes or electric motorcycles, providing a highly visible police presence on pathways and residential areas. The bikes will allow officers to have maneuverability in areas not easily reached by police cruisers. The motorcycles will be charged at the district station. Howard County Government also provides public charging on County property including the Dorsey and Howard buildings.
The National Night Out will have 25 neighborhood block parties throughout Howard County. The kick-off event at Vantage Point Park is being hosted by the Town Center Community Association, and will include the electric motorcycles and mounted patrol, the HCPD command post, McGruff the Crime Dog, live music, ice cream and other activities.
For years, Vera and I have taken great joy in EV road trips, first in our THINK City and now in our Tesla Model S. No matter what electric car you have, with a little planning and a smartphone app like PlugShare, you’d be surprised how far you can go and how much there is to enjoy.
Many road-trippers seem to take highways but we prefer more scenic and adventuresome backroads. Most recently, we went on a loop that included rural areas of Loudoun, Montgomery, Howard and Frederick Counties in the Washington, DC area. We took White’s Ferry to cross the Potomac River, explored a couple of parks, learned a bit of Civil War history and spotted an orchard that we plan to return to in apple picking season. We did the 115 mile drive in an afternoon and made sure the route included EV charging stations spaced at convenient intervals.
Watt fun it is to drive these rolling country roads
Route Description and Highlights
We began in Clarksville, Maryland but you can start anywhere on the loop and follow our route or use the map as a rough guide to make your own tour of the area. Antwerpen Nissan in Clarksville has a CHAdeMO DC Fast Charger that’s on the NRG eVgo network. There’s also a few Level 2 charging stations within walking distance of some restaurants. Our drive started by heading west on Rt. 108 and turning right onto Ten Oaks Rd. toward Brighton Dam. There are some gorgeous large homes on this road.
The road traverses the top of Brighton Dam, an imposing structure that holds back Triadelphia Reservoir on the Patuxent River. There’s a parking area on the western end of the dam and we stopped there to see the five acre azalea garden on the lake side of the road. If it’s a hot day, cool off by the mist swirling in the air at the bottom of the dam’s spillway.
Stop and stretch your legs at Brighton Dam in western Howard County, Maryland
We did a little bit of exploring between Brighton Dam and White’s Ferry which at one point had us driving down a road that suddenly narrowed and turned to gravel (W. Old Baltimore between Rt. 121 and Barnesville). This time we decided to turn around and backtrack rather than pushing on. Probably good that we did because later when I looked at the online map I found that there was a stream ford up ahead that even the Google Street View car didn’t drive through. This is one reason why we keep plenty of buffer, it gives us flexibility to go off the predetermined route or recover from getting “lost” without undue anxiety.
Float Across the Potomac on White’s Ferry
From Brighton Dam Rd. the route turns onto New Hampshire Ave. and goes through Laytonsville and by some county parks and crosses under I-270 north of Germantown. Follow Rt. 121 to Boyds as shown on the map to stay on paved roads, then take Rt 117 to Barnesville and follow the route to the end of White’s Ferry Rd. where you line up to board the ferry. The toll is $5.00 – cash only. See details and operating status on White’s Ferry Facebook page.
White’s Ferry over the Potomac River – fare is $5.00 for one-way trip
After departing the boat on the Virginia side, you can head for the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets for a CCS, CHAdeMO or Level 2 boost at the EVgo station there. The route shown on the map then goes through downtown Leesburg but you can opt to take the bypass if you want to go straight to the backroads near the village of Waterford.
Waterford Village in Loudoun County
The Waterford Baptist Church, on the corner of High St. and Patrick St., has a Civil War Trails Marker by the parking lot beside the church. It’s interesting to read how, during the Civil War, the mostly Quaker village inside of pro-Secessionist Loudoun County, was a fierce Unionist stronghold with an underground Union newspaper published by three Quaker girls named Sarah, Lizzie and Lida.
Waterford Baptist Church
From the Baptist Church on High St. we continued out Loyalty Rd., Rt. 665 to Taylorstown and turned left to follow the mapped route across the Potomac to Point of Rocks, Maryland. This is a good stop for a short walk along the C & O Canal or to get an ice cream cone. UPDATE July, 2016: there are now two ChargePoint Level 2 connectors in the MARC Train Station parking lot.
SAE Combo & CHAdeMO at Royal Farms
One of the unique aspects of this tour is that it is routed to include one of the first SAE Combo Fast Chargers in the Mid-Atlantic. It’s part of a dual-unit with CHAdeMO and is at a new Royal Farms store on Fingerboard Rd. in Urbana, Maryland. It came online July 31, 2015 and costs $0.29 per kWh, $3.50 minimum. It’s on the ChargePoint network, so bring your card.
DC Fast Charger with SAE Combo & CHAdeMO at Royal Farms store in Urbana, Maryland
Mt. Airy – The Mayor Drives an EV
I met Mayor Pat Rockinberg of Mt. Airy, Maryland at the ribbon cutting ceremony for a dual-head Level 2 charging station that the town installed in their Municipal Parking Lot in May, 2015. Mayor Rockinberg drives an Electric Honda Fit and knows the value of EV charging to draw visitors to the town’s historic Main Street. We always try to stop and dine at one of the downtown restaurants when passing through the area.
Free Level 2 charging stations were installed to attract EV driving visitors to downtown Mt. Airy, Maryland
Completing the Loop
We always like to drive the slower roads that parallel I-70 east of Mt. Airy. The map shows a marker at Twin Arch Bridge which is a one-lane, short tunnel under an old railroad bridge. The map shows the route that we usually travel instead of the Interstate and Rt. 32 to get to Clarksville. The route shown on the map is one of several options you can take.
Twin Arch Bridge near Mt. Airy, Maryland
That’s it! I hope you have as much fun as we do. Any comments on your experience are welcome. Contact me here.
Four new EV charging stations in the Redwood St. Garage in Baltimore. photo by @verastamps
Downtown Baltimore has eight new EV charging stations with plans to add about a dozen more. In May, the City Board of Estimates agreed to let a Baltimore-based company, Electric Vehicle Institute, Inc., install about 20 charging stations in city-owned parking garages. The agreement allows EVI to install and support the Level 2 charging stations for up to three years at no cost to the City. Now, those stations are beginning to appear. The photo above shows four of the EVI units installed in the Parking Authority of Baltimore City Redwood Street Garage.
click map for details on new charging station locations.
The Baltimore City Department of Public Works is coordinating the project to place the stations where there is the most demand. See the six parking locations on the interactive map above. Some of these parking facilities have existing charging infrastructure that will be expanded. Other locations, such as the Marriott Garage at 405 W. Lombard St., will be getting their first charging stations. Initially, they all will be free to use.
New Charging Locations:
Marriott, 405 W. Lombard St. (4 new, 4 total)
Fleet & Eden, 501 S. Eden St.
On-street parking at Light St. and E. Barre St. in front of the Royal Sonesta.
Existing Locations that are Expanding:
Redwood Street, 11 S. Eutaw Street (4 new, 5 total)
Arena, 99 S. Howard St.
Water Street, 414 Water Street
Water Street Garage in downtown Baltimore is scheduled to get more charging stations.
The newly constructed Royal Farms store at 9180 Fingerboard Rd. in Urbana, Maryland is not yet open but an Efacec QC50 dual CHAdeMO and SAE Combo Fast Charger is installed and ready for the grand opening which may be happening in August. The charging station is in the rear of the store, well away from the main parking area and gas pumps. The EV ONLY parking signs are not up yet but ICEing probably won’t be much of a problem due to the location of the unit.
There is one of these dual-standard DC Fast Chargers already operating at the Royal Farms store in Camp Springs, MD in Prince Georges County. The fee to use that one will be $0.39 per kWh, $2.00 minimum after an initial grace period when it is free. A ChargePoint card is required. This Fast Charger appears to also be free for an initial period.
Maryland EVIP Network Will Add 21 DC Fast Charger Sites
These are part of 15 DC Fast Chargers that Royal Farms is planning to install with help from a grant awarded by the state of Maryland. The $1,000,000 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (EVIP) grant announced by the Maryland Attorney General in April, 2014 is administered by the Maryland Energy Administration. Grants were awarded to Royal Farms (15 stations), NRG eVgo (4 stations) and ChargePoint (2 stations). The grant award winners must contribute at least half of the cost and each site must have both SAE Combo and CHAdeMO connectors.
Click map to get details and charger location addresses of planned EVIP CHAdeMO/SAE Combo locations.
Good News for BMW i3, Chevy Spark EV and VW eGolf Drivers
More of these are expected to be installed in the coming months which is good news for drivers of the BMW i3, Chevy Spark EV, VW eGolf and other electric cars that use the SAE Combo connector.
Keep up with developments by following @PlugInSites on Twitter and subscribing below.
“Anti-ICEing” Bill Sent to Illinois Governor to Sign
Few states have laws against “ICEing” an electric vehicle charging spot. Thanks to a call from an angry EV driver to his state representative, Illinois may soon fine and tow those who block charging stations with vehicles that can’t use them. The Illinois General Assembly has just passed HB-0198 which:
Prohibits the parking of non-electric vehicles in charging station spaces designated for electric vehicles. Allows any person or local authority owning or operating a parking facility to remove or cause to be removed any non-electric vehicle parked within a charging station space designated for use by an electric vehicle. Imposes a minimum fine of $75 on a person parking a non-electric vehicle in a space designated for electric vehicles. Requires municipalities to display signs indicating the fine imposed for a violation.
Illinois State Rep. Robyn Gabel told Chicago Channel 7 News reporter Roz Varon, “A constituent called our office and was very upset. He said he went to park his electric vehicle in Northbrook in a parking lot where they had a charging station and there were non-electric vehicles parked in the spot. We did some research and we found that, in reality, no, most places do not have a fine for parking non-electric vehicles in electric parking spots. So we developed some legislation and passed it, both in the House and the Senate and it is now on the governor’s desk.”
$75-$100 Fine + Towing. Will Apply on Private Property
If the governor signs the bill, it means that after January 1, 2016, any non-electric vehicle that is blocking a designated charging station can be towed and the owner fined $75 to $100. The penalty will apply on private parking areas open to the public and the charging spot need only be designated so that, “…a reasonable person would be made aware by the sign or notice on or near the parking space that the space is reserved for electric vehicles.” Full text of HB0198. [PDF]
Important to Encourage Electric Cars
Rep. Gabel explained, “It’s important to encourage people to reduce their carbon footprint. If people have electric cars, we want to encourage them to have electric cars and be able to recharge their car wherever they need to recharge it.”
One Person Can Make a Difference
An important part of this story, not to be overlooked, is that a single citizen got the ball rolling with one well-placed phone call. A single person CAN make a difference. Next time you are ICEd, don’t just get angry, call your elected representatives and ask for legislation.
It was bound to happen sooner or later. The government, realizing less revenue from taxing gasoline by the gallon because vehicles are more fuel-efficient, or don’t use gas at all, is looking for alternative ways to collect money to pay for transportation infrastructure.
Several states including Oregon have considered taxing vehicles by the mile. Now, the United States Senate has proposed a use fee that specifically includes electric vehicles as part of a transportation bill that Congress is trying to pass before July 31, when current funding of the Highway Trust Fund runs out.
The U.S. Senate’s long-term transportation bill called the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Act is proposed to help fund and modernize the nation’s infrastructure and transportation systems.
Ensures All Users of the Roads Pay Their Fair Share
The DRIVE Act, H.R. 22, includes user-based alternative revenue mechanisms that keep a user fee structure designed to support the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund.
The following line is in the summary from the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee:
Extends new user fee to electric vehicles: The DRIVE Act ensures all users of the roads and bridges pay their fair share with a new federal share program initializing new state controlled user fees.
The Senate bill retains a provision for national electric vehicle charging corridors and deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in those corridors by the end of fiscal year 2021. There is apparently no provision to address workplace charging at Federal facilities as was once considered by the previous Congress via the EV-COMUTE Act.
The Senate may vote on the 1,030-page DRIVE Act as early as this weekend according to the Senate Majority Leader.
Click map to get details of 2015 PEV@MTA charging locations.
Part of Maryland Energy Administration PEV@MTA Program
The State of Maryland has flipped the switch on 16 EV charging station ports at 8 commuter rail stations this week. The dual-port Level 2 ChargePoint stations are located at Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Light Rail and MARC Station parking lots. These plug-in electric vehicle charging sites are part of the PEV@MTA program which is funded by a $1,000,000 grant administered by the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA).
EV Charging at the Cromwell Light Rail Station
Free for Daily Commuters to Use
As of July, 2015, all of the Maryland MTA charging stations are free to use except for the ones at the BWI Rail Station which are free for the first 16 hours and then $2.00 per hour thereafter up to a maximum of $50.00.
The MTA has previously installed electric vehicle charging stations at 6 locations including the White Marsh Park and Ride (March 2011), the BWI-Marshall MARC Parking Garage (June 2011), the Mt. Washington and Falls Road Light Rail Stations (June 2012), and the Dorsey and Odenton MARC Stations (July 2012).
MTA is conducting a feasibility study for an additional 8 to 12 EV charging ports to be installed at 4 to 6 new locations that are scheduled to be installed by spring 2016.
A $50.00* charging session? Steep penalty at BWI Amtrak garage.
(*Note: ChargePoint App says $50.00 maximum.) Post updated July 14, 2015.
If you are planning to plug in your electric vehicle at the BWI Rail Station to go away for a few days on Amtrak, read the fine print on the signs because you may be hit with a huge ChargePoint bill to use the “free” charging stations there.
Apparently, in an effort to discourage drivers from plugging in and leaving on overnight trips, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has limited the parking at the EV charging stations at the BWI MARC/Amtrak Rail Station to no more than 16 hours. Vehicles that are still plugged in after 16 hours will be billed $2.00 per hour via ChargePoint according to a small sign above each EV charging spot.
On Saturday July 11, 2015 around 11:00 AM, there was a Chevy Volt parked in one of the EV charging spots. The crawling display on the ChargePoint station indicated that it had been plugged in for about 53 1/2 hours or since 5:30 Thursday morning. The driver of the car had accumulated over 37 hours past the 16 hour limit and had ostensibly racked up $74.00 in fees. Mercifully for the Volt owner, there is a maximum of $50.00 according to the ChargePoint App.
One could argue that the fee charged after the 16 hour parking restriction shown on the sign is essentially an automated parking fine collection. But who sets the amount of the fine? Is it a county or state legislative body? Or is it some bureaucrat with access to the ChargePoint account at the Maryland Transit Administration who has the ability to program the fees?
Now maybe the Volt driver should have paid attention to the sign that read: 16 HR PARKING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING ONLY. But if an ICE car had parked there instead, what would have been their penalty? Likely less than the $50.00 that the Volt driver was charged.
To put it in perspective, Howard County, Maryland passed a law against “ICEing” an EV charging spot. In response to a Public Information Act request from PlugInSites, the County revealed that only one citation had ever been issued and that fine was for $35.00. In other words, this charging station user, paid more money in penalties than all the fines ever collected in Howard County for ICE cars blocking charging stations.
Some have said, why not expand to have 120v outlets for long-term travelers. The fact is, that each of the charging stations here has two available ports, an L1 and an L2. Unfortunately, the stations were installed in front of five adjacent spots which only leaves room for five or maybe six cars able to access the ten ports. Some EV drivers have gone to this garage recently expecting to plug in while taking a multi-day trip on Amtrak and when confronted by the new 16 hour limit, parked in a regular parking space instead of plugging in. How is the Amtrak rail station different from charging at the Airport parking garage for a few days? MTA needs to rethink this policy and/or add more charging ports to meet the demand.
If the governor signs the bill, it means that after January 1, 2016, any non-electric vehicle that is blocking a designated charging station can be towed and the owner fined $75 to $100. The penalty will apply on private parking areas open to the public and the charging spot need only be designated so that, “…a reasonable person would be made aware by the sign or notice on or near the parking space that the space is reserved for electric vehicles.” 
