DFW Metroplex

[Cheezmo]

Unfortunately I have to pay the blink cost every day. Because of range loss, my car no longer makes it to and from work, and the only way to charge is via blink at my work. So its about 2 hours of charging (2 bucks) and then off the plug so I don't get charged more. I will miss the pre-cooling I used to do when it was free before I left for home..../sigh. I guess the cost is something people that drive toll roads daily do, but that doesn't mean I have to like it :?

What vexes me most, I could do without the charging if I still had good capacity and have not lost 2 bars. I guess I could try so hard core conservative driving and not pay, but is it worth charging to 100% all the time versus 80% for battery life at the cost of $2 a day?

Sorry to hear about the range loss. I hope that the extra cost of charging is considered when Nissan "makes you whole".

 

[vrwl]

Anybody participating in this? http://events.pluginday.org/o/50750/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=68357" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Cheezmo]

I will make an effort to be there, probably the closest of the events to me, even though I live in Plano.

Hmm, should I take the Leaf or a Volt.

Heck, the whole family should go, bring all 3!

 

[Pipcecil]

Both my wife and I are going, I am bring my Leaf, she is bringing her Volt. I am actually speaking at this one , so hopefully I don't make a complete fool of myself. I will say it will be quite a jog for the Leaf. Gonna have to QC twice to make it there at back all the way from Midlothian, the DNT is brutal with the higher speeds.

 

[Stanton]

Anybody participating in this? http://events.pluginday.org/o/50750/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=68357" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, but it's going to be interesting to see if/when the Blinks are used since they're no longer free--unless they somehow waive the charging fee for the day.

 

[vrwl]

I've signed up to go, so I'll see you all there.

 

[mkjayakumar]

Not too far from my place.. I will come.

 

[vrwl]

Got this in my email today:

Check out a new service called DrivingElectric.org -- an online community and searchable directory of EV drivers who want to share the joys of driving electric with those around them.

DrivingElectric is seeking active plug-in driver enthusiasts to become their first members, provide initial content and give them feedback. It only takes about 15 minutes to create a profile about you and your car. Sign up here: http://drivingelectric.org

 

[Stanton]

This looks like a CA-based organization; makes me wonder what's in it for us in TX?
I would like to see people get more involved in the NTEAA meetings here in Dallas if they're EV enthusiasts. They meet the second Saturday of the month and do some of the same things described by "Driving Electric".

 

[Pipcecil]

Well it looks like not only was my speech canceled, but we may not be able to make it Sunday. My wife is still fighting off her bout of pneumonia, so if she isn't well enough we will just have to catch everyone next year.

 

[vrwl]

Well it looks like not only was my speech canceled, but we may not be able to make it Sunday. My wife is still fighting off her bout of pneumonia, so if she isn't well enough we will just have to catch everyone next year.

I haven't seen anything that shows what's planned at that location. The PlugInAmerica site gives no info. Is there any web site that shows whether or not anything is officially planned for that Frisco location?

 

[adric22]

Well it looks like not only was my speech canceled, but we may not be able to make it Sunday. My wife is still fighting off her bout of pneumonia, so if she isn't well enough we will just have to catch everyone next year.

I haven't seen anything that shows what's planned at that location. The PlugInAmerica site gives no info. Is there any web site that shows whether or not anything is officially planned for that Frisco location?

I feel your pain. Both our kids were just diagnosed with strep throat this morning. Not sure I am going to make it either, especially being I have no idea what will be happening there.

 

[Cheezmo]

I also have no idea what is going on there, but I'm trying to convince my wife and daughter to caravan with me so we can bring all three of our EV's to represent. Hopefully there will be something going on there.

 

[vrwl]

We're still planning on being there, but it would have been nice if the planners could have advertised this thing a bit better.

 

[Cheezmo]

Great to see Jay and other EV owners in Frisco this morning. Channel 4 was there interviewing folks so check out the news tonight, hopefully a glimpse of the event.

Sounded like about 25 cars were in attendance, about 1/2 Leafs.

 

[vrwl]

We were there baking in the sun along with you, mine's the silver LEAF behind the blue/black Chevy Volt in the picture.

 

[Cheezmo]

Sorry, I didn't get to say bye to people, but after the Channel 4 guy interviewed us, he said, let's get a shot of all 3 of you driving off, so we did

 

[dfwcre8tive]

Sorry we didn't make it out; looks like fun!

In other news, DFW Airport is now offering charging (Park 'N Fly has been offering it for a while off-airport and cheaper):

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2012/09/suffering-from-range-anxiety-dallasfort-worth-airport-offers-charging-stations-for-electric-cars.html/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[vrwl]

Sorry we didn't make it out; looks like fun!

In other news, DFW Airport is now offering charging (Park 'N Fly has been offering it for a while off-airport and cheaper):

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2012/09/suffering-from-range-anxiety-dallasfort-worth-airport-offers-charging-stations-for-electric-cars.html/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's good news! Our last couple of trips have been in the summer and we didn't want to leave the car outside baking in the sun for a week, but we'll have to remember this if we take any cool weather trips.

 

[Pipcecil]

thanks for pointing this out. This is an entirely new company I was not tracking for my map and database. I will add it to the map when I update friday.

Also, on the map update notes:

Blink is close to finishing its rollout in the DFW area, I expect very little more additional stations added from Blink. I would expect the other companies (GE, TXU, eVGO, ChargePoint) to increase their installations once Blink has moved out of the area.

I will need to confirm, but I believe the GE station in Arlington and John Wright Association now requires an access card. If that is so, it would create a new system for GE stations as well as another card/key to access. As far as I know, the other GE station (marriot) does not require any access. If GE starts their own system I will separate them out with a different color. This goes the same for PEP (the new DFW station), if they decide to build more EVSEs and/or require card access I will pull them out as a seperate color on the map.

I am having one difficult rectification of a charging station and may pull it off the map. The GE station in arlington on the UT campus in the parking garage. As far as I can tell, GE doesn't claim it exist, even for private use. The U.S. Alt Energy map does not list the station either (public or private). It seems this station is not on any news releases, maps, list or anything (UTA doesn't even claim its there despite there being a private GE station on another part of campus). It seems the only record of its existance is my picture when I used it. I may just suck it up and go visit it again. Its fairly disconcerning for me that this station, which has been operating for a year, is not listed anywhere and the potential that other places like this exist around the metroplex.