Pace of build-out of US DCQC network, some frustration

[desiv]

I just don't share the vision where people are happily spending time (an hour a week or more?) going somewhere specifically to refuel their vehicles.

An hour a week?
Happily?
Depends... I suppose.. Less time is always better.. But relaxing in my car before work (as this morning) or after work on the way home (as last night) while reading or listening to music...

I really don't mind it.. And I'm well over an hour a week in waiting time while charging.
Then again, I'm pretty casual and patient. ;-) I don't think anyone marketer is going to try to target me as an audience.. ;-)

desiv

 

[Zythryn]

Slow1, I think you are minimizing the usefulness of DC charging around town.
Not all DC charging is done on trips.

Many Volt owners buy the Volt, not because their daily drive takes them beyond EV range, but because of the occasional trip they need to make beyond that range.
With a good DC network in place, that becomes less and less of a concern.

For example, once a month I travel 90 miles, within our metro area.
A DC fast charger on that route makes it something I can handle in the Leaf.

I'm not going to rent a vehicle that often, yet I don't want such infrequent longer trips to dictate my car choice if I have a a better option.

As for range, while the second gen electrics are coming in the next couple of years, there will always be shorter range, less expensive EVs.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I just don't share the vision where people are happily spending time (an hour a week or more?) going somewhere specifically to refuel their vehicles. The currently available solution is to move this 'routine' charging to the place the vehicle is parked for long periods of time - i.e. homes/apartments/places of work.

Ask around to non-EV drivers and I expect you will find that they are not willing to consider having to spend 30 minutes a week visiting a charging station - and that would likely be a rather optimistic/low estimate of time.

Yet, the "hour a week" is exactly what the hydrogen model is. Since refueling hydrogen at home is problematic (having a ten thousand pounds per square inch pressure tank in my garage would give me the willies), you'll have to drive to that very rare hydrogen station (currently just ten in all of California, almost all of which are in one county).

In Japan, which is probably more nutty about hydrogen than California (California is spending $20 million per year on hydrogen infrastrure), they have mobile refueling stations that are open a few hours per day and can refuel about half a dozen cars per day. I can only imagine the true cost of that refueling for those six cars!!!

If the question is:

1) Would you spend up to an hour per week to refuel your vehicle at the price of gasoline or greater?

2) Would you spend up to an hour per week to refuel your vehicle at a price far cheaper than gasoline?

It will take a generation or more for rules to catch up to the EV evolution, to require XX% of public parking to be EV charging capable and for condo / apartments to allow / require electricity to be available at a tenant's parking spot(s).

 

[Slow1]

Yet, the "hour a week" is exactly what the hydrogen model is. Since refueling hydrogen at home is problematic (having a ten thousand pounds per square inch pressure tank in my garage would give me the willies), you'll have to drive to that very rare hydrogen station (currently just ten in all of California, almost all of which are in one county).

While I admit to not having researched the H2 options extensively; I have yet to see anything in the proposals here that make me want to jump on that bandwagon.

If the question is:

1) Would you spend up to an hour per week to refuel your vehicle at the price of gasoline or greater?

2) Would you spend up to an hour per week to refuel your vehicle at a price far cheaper than gasoline?

My answer is no to both if it means having to make a special trip somewhere. I value my time and I believe that I'm far from alone in this. I have 'free' DCQC about 5 minutes from my home. When I first got the Leaf I got a bit of a thrill heading down there and filling up for free... didn't take long to realize my wife was right and it was a poor use of my time even though there is a great pizza place next door for lunch.

It will take a generation or more for rules to catch up to the EV evolution, to require XX% of public parking to be EV charging capable and for condo / apartments to allow / require electricity to be available at a tenant's parking spot(s).

I'm not sure what it will take here quite honestly. While I see this as the "right" solution I agree it will be quite some time before it happens. The 'chicken or egg' issues persist strongly in this realm. Not like a tenant can easily 'just go at it alone' and make it happen as homeowners can do. Property owners less likely to bother with it unless they have to (either due to political mandate or market demand). Also, due to being outdoors and more of a public use item, the costs are likely to be higher per plug than a home system.