DFW Metroplex

[mkjayakumar]

Interesting.. why should Blink concentrate so many in a single location or within 2 miles distance. it just defeats the purpose.

Also if it is for the Nissan corporation to use them to charge their Leafs, then Blink units are improper use of federal funds.

 

[Pipcecil]

Employees? I don't know. I do agree the high concentration is overboard, unless they are thinking way into the future (10+ years from now). I always thought Nissan Motor Acceptance had chargers there before the blink ones were installed (it popped up on the list of chargers when you look in your car's dash), but never went up to investigate.

I don't know how or what the agreement was between Blink and Nissan to get so many chargers. Abuse of money? maybe, but I reserve a little judgement since I don't know the entire situation. Blink's grant money to install here was fairly tapped out, so it could have been a fully paid for system. I know with the blink commerical set up, they only pay for the installation and unit, the owner pays for the electricity and the fees collected by Blink pay for upkeep. They business can opt to pay for the fees to offer free chargers, but will pay blink the associated uses. last time I talked to Blink at work, they had reduced their "coverage" for installation to only $500 per unit (down from $1000). New request were supposed to pay full price after the grant up here ran out. Those units did not show up on my pre-tracking with Blink chargers (usually I know which ones are in the works) - so your guess at how the came to be is as good as mine.

 

[Pipcecil]

OK partial update on the GE chargers:

GE's site is now actually working and you can create your account now:
https://www.gewattstation.com/connect/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To use a GE station (the Wattstation and some older Durastations), you need an RFID card (supposedly you can access Wattstations via QR code and pay but Durastations, if they cost or are locked, will need an RFID card to access).

Payments can only be made from the RFID card linked to a PayPal accounts. You cannot just enter credit card info, it MUST be paypal; it is the only method of payment with an RFID card. Secondly you must purchase an RFID card through Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/GE-WattStation-Connect-Payment-Card/dp/B0092QWD9O/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352988657&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=GE+wattstation+RFID+card" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They are 4 dollars plus 2 bucks shipping for each. You will be able to active the card through your account as well as limit the number of uses per day and total cost per month (I guess...to limit charging for...kids?). So there you go, another system in DFW you must have a card to access.

I will be updating the map tomorrow separating out all the GE stations to their own icons since most will require cards for activations. Just for a roundup of accessing all public stations:

Blink - RFID or Blink code as a "guest" from internet or mobile phone (requires CC information for code)

ChargePoint - RFID, Paypass options (credit cards or NFC phones), calling phone # on station and giving CC info (note only RFID card will work on free stations)

eVgo - Key Fob

TXU - Key Fob or call number on station

GE - RFID card or QR code payment (note RFID card require to access older Durastations)

 

[Stanton]

OK partial update on the GE chargers:
They are 4 dollars plus 2 bucks shipping for each. You will be able to active the card through your account as well as limit the number of uses per day and total cost per month (I guess...to limit charging for...kids?). So there you go, another system in DFW you must have a card to access.

Great work; thanks for the info.
So here's the bad news: what's our motivation for PAYING for another key fob for the privilege of PAYING via a 3rd party service (PayPal) to charge? They just don't make it easy to be an EV lover!

The only reason I did this for the TXU units downtown (near City Hall) is that they are FREE and the fob was FREE (although it took me forever to get one).

 

[adric22]

Great work; thanks for the info.
So here's the bad news: what's our motivation for PAYING for another key fob for the privilege of PAYING via a 3rd party service (PayPal) to charge? They just don't make it easy to be an EV lover!

Yes, it is ridiculous. I think the only reason these companies are getting away with this is that most of the buyers of EVs right now are above average intelligence and income levels. But by the time EVs enter mainstream use they are going to have to dumb a lot of this stuff down quite a bit!

 

[Pipcecil]

I agree they make everything overly complex and it will be very difficult for mass market when it gets there. To me, it looks like GE just doesn't want to have to deal with financial stuff directly (this isn't an excuse for them - to me its lazy). Don't want to handle payments? use third party? don't want to sell cards? third party amazon will do it!

I do agree that paying for a card is stupid. Even chargepoint changed its policy - 2 free cards if you sign up to do the free and paid versions (i.e. give credit card and keep 25 dollar account like a tolltag). At least thats being a bit more realistic - you want free cards, they want you to use their system, ok I will bite. Blink's cards (the same tech) are free! thats even more inviting to just have and use.

I will confess to be a frequent user of the much higher cost public chargers. I regulary use my work one (everyday), but this is due to a reduction in range doesn't allow me to get to and from work anymore (during cold times like now) and not hit LBW in summer times. I use them frequently to make longer trips (I am in the opposite of town where everyone else is - way south) and plus I take extreme advantage of the QCs (so I have an eVgo plan) for the same reason previous.

I just wish there was one system I could just keep one RFID card and go, 5 separate systems is very fragmented

 

[Stanton]

How come there are 30+ Blink stations near DFW airport at "Nissan Motor Corporation" ? This is near Rt 635 & Freeport Pkwy. Is this a Nissan dealer ?

What sense does it make to concentrate so many units in one place ? is this available for public use 24 hours a day ?

I can confirm that there are 18 *free* Blinks at this location; they are in an open parking lot and I charged for about an hour after the NTEEA meeting (which was in Irving today). This is where the Nissan drive tour stopped at a couple of years ago (which started my love affair with the Leaf). This is a GREAT place to grab a charge if you're a bit low when leaving DFW airport. This is better than going to a car dealer (no one staring at you): thanks Nissan for making them free!

 

[vrwl]

Yay! Finally received my personalized plates!

 

[Pipcecil]

Woo Hoo!

 

[Cheezmo]

Just noticed on PlugShare that there are two Blinks at the Cinemark in West Plano (Parker & Tollway). Movie theaters are perfect, given Blink's 1 hour minimum charge, etc. Unfortunately this one is so close, I would never need a charge there.

 

[Pipcecil]

If you can locate the exact location of these chargers I would be greatful! My wife works up there and tried to find them the other day but could not (she drove around the parking lot and even to the other cinemark building - which I think is an office). Anyways talking to the theater people was a dead end (we have what? I know we don't have those) as well as Blink (I am sorry, there are no chargers in the City of Plano). Blink is notorious for putting their dot locations in incorrect spots when it comes down to the final spot at that location.

 

[Cheezmo]

In Austin I spent about 15 minutes driving around a mall once looking for a ChargePoint (it was at a community college building next door). I hear you. I haven't been by that Cinemark to try to find them, but I'll keep my eyes open when I'm around there.

I also encountered several Blink's (I think there were 4?) at the parking lot just east of the Meyerson the other night. I was down there in the Leaf, but only needed about 12 miles of charge and would be in the Symphony for over 2 hours so it didn't make any sense at all. Blink would charge me $1/hour for the time connected. $2+ for 12 miles of charge. I don't think so. Using Volt-math, that is almost $7/gallon gas price equivalent.

Would be useful for someone coming to the symphony from Ft. Worth though!

 

[Pipcecil]

BTW for everyone that frequents this thread, if yall are amiable to it, I can go ahead and post all my updates (weekly - usually on fridays) to the DFW charging station map. Its starting to get crowded with lots of public stations that it may be difficult to find the new ones I add or modify. I didn't know if it would be of use to anyone or not.

As for the myerson - thats good news that those stations are up. As far as my reports go - they have been in the planning stages for a LONG time, but have always been "pending" maybe they will pop up as active sometime in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Cheezmo]

Good point, I actually didn't see if those blinks were active yet, in fact I seem to remember they may have had cones in the spaces in front of them. But they are there so should go live before too long.

 

[adric22]

BTW for everyone that frequents this thread, if yall are amiable to it, I can go ahead and post all my updates (weekly - usually on fridays) to the DFW charging station map. Its starting to get crowded with lots of public stations that it may be difficult to find the new ones I add or modify. I didn't know if it would be of use to anyone or not.

That would be good. I check the map every week or two and try to spot new stations, but it is getting more difficult. I mostly only pay attention to any new ones in Tarrant County.

Incidentally, I stopped by and used "your charger" last night. It was about 10 o'clock and I was driving through the neighborhood and saw the little charge symbol on my Leaf's NAV for the Council of Governments building. I thought I'd stop by and find it since I wasn't in a hurry to be anywhere. I drove around nearly 10 minutes through parking lots trying to find them. Eventually I did. I plugged in for about 20 minutes while I answered some emails on my phone. Probably wasn't worth the Dollar I had to pay, though.

It might also be worth mentioning that a few days ago I tried to find the "La Quinta Inn" near 360 and I-20 that is shown on Plug-Share. I never could find it. I drove around for half-an-hour looking for it. When I got home and checked your Google map I saw that it was a mile away from where it is shown to be and on the opposite side of I20. What do we need to do to fix that? (To clarify, Plug-Share is wrong, your map is most likely correct)

 

[Stanton]

If you can locate the exact location of these chargers I would be greatful! My wife works up there and tried to find them the other day but could not (she drove around the parking lot and even to the other cinemark building - which I think is an office).

The West Plano Cinemark Blinks are right in the middle of the parking lot on the Tollway side; they are installed on one of the islands. If I were going to pay for electrons, a movie theater would be one of the few places to do it; I just can't bring myself to pay by the hour for these things.

 

[vrwl]

BTW for everyone that frequents this thread, if yall are amiable to it, I can go ahead and post all my updates (weekly - usually on fridays) to the DFW charging station map. Its starting to get crowded with lots of public stations that it may be difficult to find the new ones I add or modify. I didn't know if it would be of use to anyone or not.

I would appreciate having weekly update postings.

 

[davewill]

The West Plano Cinemark Blinks are right in the middle of the parking lot on the Tollway side; they are installed on one of the islands. If I were going to pay for electrons, a movie theater would be one of the few places to do it; I just can't bring myself to pay by the hour for these things.

If you actually need the juice to go somewhere, why the hell not? Does it make sense to leave the LEAF home, or pass up destinations you wanted to drive to just because the electrons cost you more than home?

 

[Pipcecil]

For correcting plugshare, I think you can go to specific points and suggest (as long as you have an account) to correct their information. Plugshare pulls from mostly the same info I do for their automatic ones, but don't do any error checking. In this case, the la quinta in one is actually located incorrectly on Blink's website (which they pulled the data from). When I added the point a few days ago, I moved it to the correct spot.

As for my points on the map, I make a very strong effort to locate them exactly were the chargers are if I have been to them (or someone has pointed them to me). For example at my work - that point on my map is the exact location they are. I do this because, well, I hate wandering around parking lots looking for chargers and ones stuck in big outdoor malls, etc are never where blink or chargepoint says they are!

So updates for this week:

Modifications (moves):
Moved eVgo - Grand Prairie Station: Behind the gas station near the dumpsters next to the freeway
Moved ChargePoint - Elements Hotel Station: Its located southeast from the front entrance on the parking row adjacent to the roadway, second spot down
Moved Blink - Chilis: Located in back next to the dumpsters on the building wall
Moved Blink - Green Lotus Spa & Retreat: Located upfront next to hadicap between spa and potbelly's
Moved Blink - Neptune Wave Power: Located behind Motopia Cafe

Pictures (additions):
ChargePoint - Elements Hotel
Blink - Neptune Wave Power

New Stations:
Wooten Hall - Blink (UNT campus)
Radio, TV, Film and Performing Arts Parking - Blink (UNT campus)

 

[vrwl]

Pipcecil, I've got a small correction for your map:

The Fairview Town Hall pointer location is a bit off. I've expanded the Google Map and then put a red circle around the two parking space locations where the chargers are located. So the actual location would be at about the 1:00-1:30 position if the circle around the Town Hall was a clock. See the image....