I have spent some time looking into the various charging station options (Blink, Coulomb, Leviton, GE, Aerovironments). There is a disturbing trend to all of them.
We are all aware of the AV scam. In my case, I have a free 50A circuit in my garage that is ready to connect to a chargepoint (new construction). My bid is $2300 for the install. The install will consist of connecting four wires and screwing a few bolts to the wall.
However, with the other commercial units, they are depending on Leviton's to be released evr-green adaptor. The pitch is that an "Authorized Leviton Installer" connects four wires to the Leviton device, then you can buy any of the branded chargepoints and connect it to the Leviton port.
This sounds great, but the hitch is in the "Authorized Installer" part. Leviton cannot stand that electrical parts are commoditized. The only way to avoid this with charging stations is to introduce "Authorized Installation", much like AV has. You won't be paying for the product, which will likely be about $1.98 of plastic and copper. You will be paying for access to the product. This is similar to high-end AV equipment whose prices are kept inflated by access restrictions.
I believe we should draft a letter to the Attorneys General of Washington, Oregon and California. The inflated prices are an obvious attempt to collude to capture subsidy dollars that are limited, neutering their effect and ripping off the American taxpayer. If each charge point consumes $1-2,000 in subsidies, it will run out quickly. If the chargepoints are instead priced reasonably at $150-200 (still obscene profit margin), then that same money could go 5-10x.
The goal should be to use taxpayer money to create a large base for electric vehicles, not to maximize the corporate profit per vehicle. The state should mandate that any charging station supplier sell their product with or without install. Let competition set the real price, not restricted access.
