Surprise! My work installing EVSEs out of the blue.

[Reddy]

My employer has installed about 60 L1 EV spots in the parking garages. There are also a few L2 chargers designated as "Emergency" spots. Each L2 charger covers 4 parking spots, and each spot is assigned a 3 hour charging window (ie 7-10, 10-1, 1-4, 4-7). When it's your time, you go to the spot and unplug from the other car and plug in yours. Actually most of the time if you leave your charge port open, the previous person will plug yours in for you when they go to move their car to one of the L1 spots. It's a really effective system. Most people only need the L1, and having the rotating L2 spots provides a good option for emergencies. For now there is always a spot if you need it, but it seems there is a new EV in the garage every week. I'd say there are more than 100 EVs in the complex. Mostly Leafs, with a few Volts and Teslas thrown in. My employer has been very supportive of EVs, which is at least a part of why the EV adoption rate at my workplace has skyrocketed.

Amazing! This probably places the maximum number of EV parking/charging spots for the least amount of cost with nearly perfect functionality. This should be the model for every work place. Very few people need more than L1 charging over a typical 8 hour shift, but many people won't want to move their vehicle during the day. If you are able, please post more information/pictures, or even better get your company to write an article for http://insideevs.com/

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I disagree. I am there to do a job (or perhaps sit in meetings), not to be running in and out to move my car around. The reasonable approach is to provide for the car to be connected all day while parked.

then we have to agree to disagree. the suggestion that the charging costs accelerate after 3 hours is a good one designed to allow greater usage of the system. We need to get away from the ideology that we have a very short window of time to move the cars. You have actually probably an hour or more.

The other day, I drove 45 miles with 4 passengers to the Casino, A/C on the entire time. Plugged in for one hour, 55 minutes and was back to 96% SOC. Now this is with 6 KW charger. In the above scenario, I could unplug anytime after the point that I have gained enough range to return home. So it could be as little as 90 minutes. In the work day, most people take their first break within the first 3 hours (2.3-2.6 hours is the average) This would allow you time to move the car.

Now, do we want to move the car during our break? I agree it should be done in a way that minimizes time away from work.

This would also reduce the number of people who simply want to do most if not all their charging at work instead of home. This may sound cheap and far fetched but there is no doubt in my mind that you will have some like this no matter what the income range is.

 

[AuburnLeaf]

My employer has installed about 60 L1 EV spots in the parking garages. There are also a few L2 chargers designated as "Emergency" spots. Each L2 charger covers 4 parking spots, and each spot is assigned a 3 hour charging window (ie 7-10, 10-1, 1-4, 4-7). When it's your time, you go to the spot and unplug from the other car and plug in yours. Actually most of the time if you leave your charge port open, the previous person will plug yours in for you when they go to move their car to one of the L1 spots. It's a really effective system. Most people only need the L1, and having the rotating L2 spots provides a good option for emergencies. For now there is always a spot if you need it, but it seems there is a new EV in the garage every week. I'd say there are more than 100 EVs in the complex. Mostly Leafs, with a few Volts and Teslas thrown in. My employer has been very supportive of EVs, which is at least a part of why the EV adoption rate at my workplace has skyrocketed.

Amazing! This probably places the maximum number of EV parking/charging spots for the least amount of cost with nearly perfect functionality. This should be the model for every work place. Very few people need more than L1 charging over a typical 8 hour shift, but many people won't want to move their vehicle during the day. If you are able, please post more information/pictures, or even better get your company to write an article for http://insideevs.com/

You're exactly right, L1 charging is ideal for a work situation because it's low cost, and doesn't require people to constantly move cars around to maximize usage. Here's an older article of my company's (Coca-Cola) charge at work initiative: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/its-electric-coca-cola-plugs-in-for-a-sustainable-future. The EV community here has been thriving even more so since that article was written. Since the article they've continued to add more stations, and more and more employees are getting EV's. I took a walk through the garages today and took some photos. All total I counted 75 L1 charging spots between 2 parking decks. There are an additional 8 spots total that share 2 L2 chargers based on assigned 3 hr time slots (4 spots per charger). The visitor lot has a few L2 spots as well I believe.

Here's a view of one of the areas. This part of the deck has 40 L1 spots, and 4 spots that share 1 L2 charger (right side of photo). This is around lunch, so not all the spots are full. It's usually 90-100% full. There are another 25 L1 spots on another level, and 10 more in another smaller deck.

Signage for the L1 spots. ICEing hasn't been an issue.

L2 shared spots.

Signage for the L2 shared spots.

Cool sign posted throughout the EV spots.

 

[Zurc]

That's amazing. :shock:
We aren't seeing this kind of EV popularity yet.
As EV's become more popular in this area, (Ontario) then workplace charging will be really nice.
Especially in the winter when the temperature drops into the minus teens and twenties and the battery needs to keep itself warm.

Charging stations are going to become expensive as more EV's hit the road.
I think probably the biggest problem will be keeping electricity cost down where it belongs.
As Gasoline taxes dwindle, governments are going to be looking for that money elsewhere. :evil:

Zurc

 

[flyonpa]

That's amazing. :shock:
We aren't seeing this kind of EV popularity yet.
As EV's become more popular in this area, (Ontario) then workplace charging will be really nice.
Especially in the winter when the temperature drops into the minus teens and twenties and the battery needs to keep itself warm.

Charging stations are going to become expensive as more EV's hit the road.
I think probably the biggest problem will be keeping electricity cost down where it belongs.
As Gasoline taxes dwindle, governments are going to be looking for that money elsewhere. :evil:

Zurc

I would suggest moving from a tax per gallon to a tax per mile. I would propose 2 cents per mile for Cars and 3 Cents per mile for Trucks . With 1c / 2c cent going to the State, and 1c /1c going to the federal government.

When you renew your registration, you Self Report you mileage, and send along a check for the amount, some percent of cars/trucks would be audited, to ensure compliance, with a penalty rate of .10 and .20 per Mile if you under report. A EFT monthly option would be available for car owner who can not come up with the larger amount at one time,a additional fee of $2/month . That would be charged to there Credit/Debit card or Checking account. When you Pay you get your Licence Plate Sticker, Monthly Payers would get a sticker a month.

 

[swaltner]

You're exactly right, L1 charging is ideal for a work situation because it's low cost, and doesn't require people to constantly move cars around to maximize usage.

Signage for the L1 spots. ICEing hasn't been an issue.

Just confirming that your L1 spots are all just plain 120V outlets and they didn't spend the expense on the hard-wired L1 EVSEs. That L1 spot sure looks like it just has a plain outlet not an EVSE.

 

[AuburnLeaf]

You're exactly right, L1 charging is ideal for a work situation because it's low cost, and doesn't require people to constantly move cars around to maximize usage.

Signage for the L1 spots. ICEing hasn't been an issue.

Just confirming that your L1 spots are all just plain 120V outlets and they didn't spend the expense on the hard-wired L1 EVSEs. That L1 spot sure looks like it just has a plain outlet not an EVSE.

Yes, they just installed 120V outlets in all the L1 spots, no EVSE's.

 

[UBUYGAS]

That's Awesome!!

Signage for the L2 shared spots.

Cool sign posted throughout the EV spots.

 

[Bateman]

That parking garage is EV Nirvana. I love it. The idea to share L2 across four spots makes so much sense!

 

[DaveEV]

That parking garage is EV Nirvana. I love it.

Yes, that's how workplace charging should be done. Lots of L1 plugs and a few L2 plugs for the occasional time you're at work and need to recharge faster.