Calif Pushing for Hydrogen Pumps But No Quick Chargers

[EricH]

Had to drive up to Big Bear this weekend in my ICE - 90 miles one way, but the hill requires nearly a full charge near Highland (I'll defer to Abasile for the exact figure). It's only about 30 miles from Highland to Big Bear Lake (village), but about 6000 vertical feet, and the high temp was probably about 40 today.

This drive to my parents' house would be a cakewalk with a QC in Highland -- as Walgreen's is supposedly planning to do -- but is utterly impractical, unless you consider imposing on Fontana Nissan for a ~5 hour L2 charge each way "practical" (I live about 50 freeway miles from the dealership).

Somebody needs to put up key choke-point (Thousand Oaks, San Clemente/Oceanside, Redlands/Highland) DC chargers at an operating loss, at least for the first few years, so this would have to come from the same consortium that launched CHAdeMO in the first place (Nissan, Mitsubishi, et.al.) Really hard to believe they couldn't eat the operating costs, while lobbying fiercely (and probably with no utility opposition) for an exemption from punitive demand charges -- probably in exchange for a promise to charge customers a premium price on-peak. If the SoCal Nissan dealer could point to an in-place network of key QC chargers ("you can drive it to Santa Barbara or San Diego for a mere $15 each way!", I have to think that would motivate the next "wave" of potential LEAF buyers...

 

[DaveEV]

Somebody needs to put up key choke-point (Thousand Oaks, San Clemente/Oceanside, Redlands/Highland) DC chargers at an operating loss, at least for the first few years, so this would have to come from the same consortium that launched CHAdeMO in the first place (Nissan, Mitsubishi, et.al.) Really hard to believe they couldn't eat the operating costs, while lobbying fiercely (and probably with no utility opposition) for an exemption from punitive demand charges -- probably in exchange for a promise to charge customers a premium price on-peak.

I don't think Nissan/Mitsu are worried about demand - right now they have all the demand they can handle.

There are multiple groups working on AC stations long I5 in so-cal including San Clemente/Oceanside - I expect to see some within 6 months.

Check the last San Diego Meet-up thread for details where we had multiple parties discuss this issue.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Nissan helped plant the seed. they got the EV Highway Project on its feet, now its up to us to keep pushing the demand, buying up the EVs that will need the QCs. if there is a market, someone will fill it but EVs have to sell first and it will be slow going at first. coming up on a year in WA in 10 days and still waiting for QC #1 but its coming. its being built, it is to the point of no return ( i hope, but guessing that ummm where was it?? Vacaville was probably thinking the same thing)