DFW Metroplex

[Pipcecil]

Updates:

One new picture, one moved marker, and one new station:

Picture & Marker:
Kroger - Medical District: moved marker to correct location and added picture

New Station:
Maribelle Davis Library
Blink – Three Level 2 (J1772)
7501 Independence Parkway
Plano, TX 75025

 

[Pipcecil]

Update to my signature - At the request of work, I added a new link on my signature for all available plug-ins you can get in DFW. I figured this may be helpful for those considering a second plug-in vehicle, but you will notice it is specifically geared to people who know very little about plug-ins. I excluded any vehicle that had to be special ordered to get here in texas. Because of that, it excluded: Toyota RAV4 EV, Honda Fit EV, CODA Sedan, and Plug-In Prius.

Anyways, enjoy the comparisons!

On a different note, saw my first plug vandalisim yesterday - the blink station at the deep ellum foundation had the plug completely ripped off leaving only a numb of the cord. I guess it was copper thieves.

 

[adric22]

Because of that, it excluded: Toyota RAV4 EV, Honda Fit EV, CODA Sedan, and Plug-In Prius.

Does anyone know when the PiP will become available in Texas? I thought it was supposed to be this year but I can't find any documentation of that.

On a different note, saw my first plug vandalisim yesterday - the blink station at the deep ellum foundation had the plug completely ripped off leaving only a numb of the cord. I guess it was copper thieves.

That sucks. We knew it was just a matter of time, but sucks none the less. If this ever gets to be a serious concern, they should start finding a way to serialize the cables and make copper smelters report who sold the cables (much like pawn shops have to do now) so we can track down the thieves. That means the thieves would have to spend the time to slice open the cables and remove all of the copper, which is probably more work than they would want to deal with for such a short piece of wire.

 

[Pipcecil]

Toyota's offical release for the PiP in Texas is "2013" when it will be available nationwide (Texas was never selected out), but if you go to the current toyota's PiP site (it changed - dunno what happend to the other site) it says additional states are currently "under review" so I don't know for sure.

Blink's cords do say on the rubber - Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment - Do Not Salvage. So the person would have had to remove the copper out themselves before he could salvage it.

 

[adric22]

Blink's cords do say on the rubber - Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment - Do Not Salvage. So the person would have had to remove the copper out themselves before he could salvage it.

Either that.. or the smelter didn't notice or care. Or, they tried to sell it and couldn't, so then threw it out and decided not to bother cutting those off anymore.

 

[piouspunk23]

On a different note, saw my first plug vandalisim yesterday - the blink station at the deep ellum foundation had the plug completely ripped off leaving only a numb of the cord. I guess it was copper thieves.

I saw that two weeks ago and reported it to Blink. I wonder how long it will take to fix them?

 

[Pipcecil]

yesterday when I was looking at the blink map, that location was shown as being used (charging), so a blink rep may have been out there to install the cord and had a test on a vehicle. Although with blink's problem updating their maps...that is not for sure

 

[jopickens]

That means the thieves would have to spend the time to slice open the cables and remove all of the copper, which is probably more work than they would want to deal with for such a short piece of wire.

Copper around here goes for $3.20 / lb. when stripped.
Only $.80 / lb. when left encased etc.
Decent incentive for someone to strip it.

 

[Pipcecil]

Ok interesting updates this week:

2 removals, one new station, 2 new pictures, one adjustment, 2 new price changes:

Removals:
Savoye & Belmont Apartments (ChargePoint)- assuming these went to residents only.

New Station:
MedAssets
ChargePoint – Four Level 2 (J1772)
5543 Legacy Drive
Plano, TX 75024

Pictures:
YMCA - Frisco
MedAssets

Location Adjustment:
YMCA - Frisco

Price Changes:
CarCharging (who is part of the ChargePoint network) changed their rates from $2.49 per hour to $0.49 per kW. This definetely favors old Leafs & Volts, sorry new Leafs, Teslas, and Ford Focus EVs. CarCharging only has two stations in the area, and both were affected:
The Centre at Preston Ridge
Trinity Commons

 

[adric22]

I just called the number you gave for the TXU stations. I wanted to get a keyfob since i'll probably be using that one in a couple of weeks when I drive my Leaf to the Dallas auto show. It took them a while to figure out, but they finally took down my name and address and said they were sending me a keyfob. I hope it arrives before the autoshow. When I tried to use that charger last year it took them 30 minutes on the phone to figure out how to turn it on.

 

[Pipcecil]

I have a key fob for TXU and it works like a charm. It didn't take long for them to send me one, so hopefully you will get yours by the autoshow

 

[Pipcecil]

Yea for friday updates!

2 new stations, to modified stations, and one move:

Move - Kohl's Keller station moved to the right place (adric22 - please check to see if I got your instructions right)

Modified -
Original Pancake House - Addison: their second charger showed back up again on the listing, yea!
Carrier Enterprise HQ - one was moved to restricted (total only 1 public now); we seem to be doing this every month or so..sigh

New:
14th/J Parking Lot
Blink – Three Level 2 (J1772)
1295 J Avenue
Plano, TX 75074

Russell Creek Park—Field “I” Parking Lot
Blink – Three Level 2 (J1772)
3500 McDermott Road
Plano, TX 75025

 

[adric22]

Unfortunately the Kohl's spot is still wrong. I've attached a picture below showing the correction. On the plus side, I just received my key fob for the Dallas city call TXU unit. So I can use that easily when the dallas auto show comes to town in a week or so.

 

[Pipcecil]

Updates! 1 removed station, 2 new stations, and 2 modified (moved).

Moved the Kohl's station in Keller to the actual place (I know I got it right this time!)
Moved the Whole Foods (chargepoint) in allen to the actual spot

Removed Neptune wave power (blink) as it is now labeled as restrictive.

New stations:
Hilton Anatole
Blink – Two Level 2 (J1772)
2201 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75207

Hotel Lumen*
Blink – Two Level 2 (J1772)
6101 Hillcrest Avenue
Dallas, TX 75205

* This station was originally restricted but is no longer labeled this way

 

[Pipcecil]

If anyone is planning to go to ranger's opening day and wants to use the charging stations at the NCTCOG (I think the building management is charging for parking - I don't know how much), I will have my car parked in one of the charging spots - the buidling management will most likly fill the lots including those plug-in spots. But if anyone wants to park there send me an PM and I can give you my work # so you can get a charging spot (I will be done charging by then).

 

[garygTx]

WOW. DFW is the number 2 most EV-friendly city based on Plug Share data. Interesting.

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Top-10-EV-Ready-Cities/

Dallas, which is part of the EV Project, is also one of the cities that NRG Energy has chosen for its eVgo charging network, which could also be expanded to California.

 

[adric22]

WOW. DFW is the number 2 most EV-friendly city based on Plug Share data. Interesting.

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Top-10-EV-Ready-Cities/

Which I find hard to believe for several reasons. The main reason is I always see people talking about crowded charging stations over in CA and WA. Yet around here there seem to be almost no charging stations at all and they are either not in use or blocked by an ICE. Maybe it is just because I live in Tarrant County, I know Dallas has more than us. Also possibly because I don't consider the EVgo stations to be usable public infrastructure since nobody can use them without a very expensive commitment.

 

[vrwl]

Got this email today from ChargePoint:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Announcing Collaboratev
This month ChargePoint, Inc. teamed up with ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY) to announce Collaboratev, LLC., a new company with the goal of making it simple and seamless for EV drivers to connect to any charging network. ChargePoint and ECOtality will connect the ChargePoint and Blink networks to Collaboratev later this year. With Collaboratev, drivers will be able to:

+ Charge across all participating charging stations and networks
+ Easily manage charging usage with one account and one bill
+ View EV charging station locations and maps all in one place
+ Access a more open and standardized charging ecosystem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, if only evGo would join the party....

 

[Pipcecil]

It would be nice if they all joined in. Something tells me that TXU/eVgo's Aerovironment use may be more difficult to integrate due to the type of access fob they use, but I am no expert so it could be integrated. There is no reason to leave GE out of the equation - the use the same type of access on the hard end, so them joinining Blink and Chargepoint should be easier.

Updates for the week:

Two new stations, one forgotten station, one move, and two new pictures:

Forgotten:
Trophy Nissan - for some reason I left these guys off my spreadsheet (they were on the map though), but they have added and their evse has been counted in the ever-growing numbers

Move:
Moved eVgo cracker barrel burelson to it's correct place

Pictures:
cracker barrel burleson and shell in grand prairie (had this picture for awhile, for some reason forgot about it)

New:
YMCA – Town North #75
Blink – One Level 2 (J1772)
4332 Northaven Road
Dallas, TX 75229

YMCA – Lake Highlands #37
Blink – Three Level 2 (J1772)
8920 Stults Road
Dallas, TX 75243

 

[SCP]

I've just gotten my 2013 Blue Ocean SL this weekend. I'm been waiting for two years to get my car!

Happy to have found this DFW forum page as well. Looking forward to sharing and learning more!