EV charging from a driver's perspective.
PlugInSites reader Amos, @mosmoepho has sent a tip that the new charging station at the War Memoriol Plaza in Baltimore is a dual port DC Fast Charger manufactured by Signet. The unit has both an SAE Combo and CHAdeMO connector.
The station is not yet powered as of August 23, 2015.
Thanks Amos for the tip!
Another DC Fast Charger with SAE Combo and CHAdeMO has opened in Maryland. This one is located at Royal Farms, 930 Cromwell Park Dr., Glen Burnie, MD 21061
This is the third Fast Charger installed under the Maryland EVIP grant announced in April, 2014. See this interactive map of all the planned EVIP locations.
Thanks to @MDVolt for the Tweet Tip that this station was live.
@PlugInSites
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.
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.
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.
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.
Effective Date: 1/1/2016
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
That’s it! I hope you have as much fun as we do. Any comments on your experience are welcome. Contact me here.
Lanny
@PlugInSites
P.S. Look for more Electric Touring routes on the Trips page!
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.
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
More SAE Combo Fast Chargers Coming to Maryland
Online as of July 31, 2015
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.
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.
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.”
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]
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.
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.