FREE Chargepoint EVSE chargers in MD--PLEASE READ, DESPERATE

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Amanda

New member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
4
I'm hoping someone can help me out...
I joined this forum last year when the EVSE division (Greenstream) of my company, BITHENERGY (http://www.bithenergy.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) located in Baltimore, signed a contract with Nissan's Preferred EVSE Dealer that was supposed to allow us to do EVSE installation for Leafs in the Baltimore/Washington/Northern VA area. After the first month of assessments we started getting complaints from the customers themselves about the quoted prices, which we didn't understand because we were offering fair market value for the materials and labor. We finally had one person send us a copy of the quote he was mailed along with a very vitriolic letter saying it was ridiculous and we found out the price on the assessment the Preferred EVSE Dealer sent the customer was three times higher than what was on the assessment we sent to the Preferred EVSE Dealer. Due to various contract clauses we couldn't tell the customer what was happening and at that point the decision was made by our company to nullify the contract with the Preferred EVSE Dealer. we have since signed a contract with GE which has gone much more smoothly.

That however, isn't what this is about.

The State of MD got a grant for the purchase of a number of EVSE units and chose the Chargepoint Level 3 chargers. They bought 100 units, They tried to find businesses in the area who wanted them, couldn't find them, and finally just dumped the remaining units in our laps (we're the leading renewable energy company in the Baltimore area with EVSE experience) and said "Here, we'll give these to you free, you do the installation." We have managed to get the local hospitals to grab some; as of this day we have 20 Chargepoint EVSEs left.
Here's the strings:
1) They HAVE to be installed in the State of Maryland somewhere.
2) They HAVE to be accessible to the public (this is supposed to be infrastructure buildout.)
3) It CANNOT be in an automotive dealership.
4) It HAS to be a commercial business.
5) We will charge for the installation but the charger is FREE.
6) We have to have a signed contract on installation by JUNE 1ST.

June's only a week away, we have to have people to speak for the remaining units (i.e. ink on a valid contract) by June 1st. Installation can be completed later but there needs to be a contract on the units by June 1st. I'm asking anyone who has a business (not a car dealership) in the state of MD who might be interested in one of these chargers to please contact me via PM and I can give you our phone number to call me to discuss details.

EDIT 5/21/12: The chargers we have are the Chargepoint L2 chargers, not the L3. The Greenstream team has corrected me on this.
 
Amanda said:
... we found out the price on the assessment the Preferred EVSE Dealer sent the customer was three times higher than what was on the assessment we sent to the Preferred EVSE Dealer. Due to various contract clauses we couldn't tell the customer what was happening ...
You may have now. I hope AV doesn't monitor the forum.
 
Not that this will be any help for your current plight, but if there were some units along Rt50 on the Eastern Shore it might help alot with adoption for the entire metro area. Ocean City and the Delaware beaches are a major destination for Maryland, VA and DC folks. If there were a unit or two in Easton, Cambrige and Salisbury, the whole route "down da ocean" could be considered an electric highway!
 
How much would installation be? I imagine it would vary widely, but an approximate range would be useful. Also, I'm just curious.
 
Stoaty:
Well, the State just dropped this on our laps right after Mother's Day. We've gotten contracts on 40 out of the 60 that they gave us, we're just trying to find takers for the other 20--who can sign the contract in a week. If we can find buyers for the bulk of them, we are hoping we might be able to wriggle an extension based on the late date at which the project was handed to us but there are no guarantees when you're talking about government money.

Reddy:
Yes, that's it.

Davewill:
I claim the 5th Amendment on that one. Will neither confirm nor deny your guess as to the entity involved. We did however learn a valuable lesson: Small print equals large risk.

KillaWhat:
Do you know anybody a little closer....? Please spread the word!!!!

p71VIC:
I did not even think about that. Wow. And we're currently in the final stages of paperwork prior to starting construction of a 4MW solar farm out on the Eastern Shore by UMES. I can probably leverage some of our contacts out there to try to put some in.....GREAT suggestion! Thanks!!!

Chris30269:
At this point we need to get these spoken for so we're doing the installation (wiring, mounting & concrete work) for $3000 a unit, I think. I'm the office Admin, I'd have to get a firm price from one of our installers but I think that's what I heard in staff meeting.
 
Amanda said:
Stoaty:
Well, the State just dropped this on our laps right after Mother's Day. We've gotten contracts on 40 out of the 60 that they gave us, we're just trying to find takers for the other 20--who can sign the contract in a week. If we can find buyers for the bulk of them, we are hoping we might be able to wriggle an extension based on the late date at which the project was handed to us but there are no guarantees when you're talking about government money.
Wow, they really gave you a lot of time!

PS Is there any chance Santa Monica could be considered part of the state of Maryland for installation purposes. :lol:
 
First, go to http://www.evadc.org and join; I've forwarded your request to our private list!

Second, Mom's Organic Market in both College Park and now Rockville are totally free. If they ask for a card, call the number. But get the card anyway as you can put a deposit on a Sema and one on a Chargepoint and you're set for this area. Sema is a Maryland based company so they're very popular here. But it's the installation site that generally puts in the price so blame the property owner for these outrageous prices (see my comment about The Blairs).

Thirdly, thank Jill Sorenson for all the work she does in Maryland to make the EV life easier!

Fourthly, write your state Delegate and Senator about allowing EVSE owners to charge per kWh because charge per unit time is unfair to LEAF compared to Focus or Coda, unfair to Volt, Plugin Prius and Smart ED compared to LEAF, Focus or Coda. Not generally unfair to Focus and though comped to Tesla since most EVSEs are limited to 6.6kW anyway.

And finally and fiftly: Join the Capital LEAFs for more local LEAFy information!
 
Amanda said:
1) They HAVE to be installed in the State of Maryland somewhere.
2) They HAVE to be accessible to the public (this is supposed to be infrastructure buildout.)
3) It CANNOT be in an automotive dealership.
4) It HAS to be a commercial business.
5) We will charge for the installation but the charger is FREE.
6) We have to have a signed contract on installation by JUNE 1ST.

The I270/I70 corridor from Bethesda to Hagerstown is another critical corridor needing proper L3 support. Hagerstown is where the Power of DC is held each year and so getting EVs from DC and points South up there is a hassle without L3 support. Rest stops on the highway would be great, and I'd team up with local restaurants along the route to support Maryland businesses.

Secondly, I suggest one in Silver Spring, MD, near the Library (though not at the Library given your limits); the Blairs has 2 SemaConnect L2 chargers which are pretty expensive and do have room for a third, L3 charger and isn't a long walk from the Library. The main thing that bugs me about this specific location though is you're not technically supposed to park and leave the shopping center but it's the only commercial EVSE in walking distance from the Library (apart from the corresponding one at The Blairs apartments). But it is a large parking lot with electricity at the back, making it perfect for EV charging without taking up prime parking and building up ICE resentment.

Anyway, Amanda, good luck and don't stress! We D.C./Baltimore EV guys are one of the biggest in the country and will have you your locations in no time!
 
I think we need at least one in Perryville. This would make a trip to Philadelphia and Wilmington easy. I would suggest the casino or the outlet mall, or both.
 
Thanks Dave! The first Nissan LEAF owner in Maryland (and the Mid Atlantic I might add);

My priorities will be to get you in contact with locations in Silver Spring and also, very very important to me would be National Harbor as there is no charging infrastructure there but it's all new, where the LEAFs were introduced in D.C., close to D.C., and the first exit on I95 when you enter Maryland from the South. Also, the 2 rest stops North of Baltimore: Chesapeake House and Maryland House IIRC. Those, Rt. 50, I270/I70 (The Rio in Rockville is a nice spot!) and of course Perryville.

Not Peryvale though. Ace has enough problems without getting an EVSE in her hometown in the UK. :)

See, I told you we can help; I know you need business contacts so we'll all try and get you those. Believe me, you're gonna be fine!

Jeffrey.
 
Richmondevclub said:
Hello,
I think I can be of help. Please call me at (804)426-4422

Sincerely,

Peyman

Richmond? No, only MD. :) But, I do have a job for you! Please help me find 400 Virginians interested in commissioning a new BEV/PHEV-only plate to replace the soon to be defunct "Clean Fuel". IM me if interested.
 
I have a couple of suggested locations -- if you need me to dig further as for contacts, I will.

Arundel Mills Mall -- right along 295, The mall is soon to have a casino and is in the process of constructing a garage -- maybe that would be a good spot.

The new Wegman's in Columbia -- new garage still under construction, new store.

Wegmans Columbia, 8855 McGaw Rd, Columbia, MD 21045
http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContactUsView" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Somewhere along Route 1 in Laurel. I would think the Silver Diner would be a good choice, both in terms of being centrally located and an environmentally responsible place. (They're also in Rockville, Greenbelt and Gaithersburg)

Silver Diner
14550 Baltimore Avenue
Laurel, MD 20707
Phone: 301-604-6995
Fax:301-470-4490
Email:[email protected]

In general the malls would seem to be the spot that's lacking. It's a couple of spaces out of thousands for them and it's a place you'd spend significant time. White Flint, the Mall in Columbia, Owings Mills Mall, Towson Town Center

There are places in Plugshare that advertise only Level 1 that might be interested in a Level 2/Level 3 --

Ikea in College Park, MD IKEA - College Park
Address
10100 Baltimore Ave College Park
MD 20740
Phone
(301) 345-6552

---

Buca Di Beppo
122 Kentlands Boulevard Gaithersburg MD 20878
301.947.7346
 
Right now for my money the #1 spot is The National Harbor because it's in Maryland but serves the I95 corridor nicely!

Then the two rest stops between Baltimore and Deleware: Chesapeake House and Maryland House, naturally. I know I said this before but to me it bares repeating becuase nothing could be more EV friendly than electirfying the I95 corridor on the East Coast!
 
Where will the other 80 charging stations be located? This could help in determining the best place to locate the remaining 20 charging stations, although it sounds like willingness to sign a contract is more important than geography at this point.

I agree that it would be ideal to locate these along interstate corridors. For example:

95 Chesapeake and MD House rest stops, as Jeffrey says
270/495 intersection in Bethesda - Montgomery Mall or Home Depot
95/495 intersection in College Park - Ikea, Costco, Home Depot shopping center or MOMs shopping center
295/100 intersection in Hanover - Arundel Mills Mall, BWI parking
Costco locations in Frederick, Gaithersburg, Beltsville, White Marsh
 
Nullpointer:

I'm going to have to see if we can get a list of where all the stations are/will be. Let me talk to the Greenstream people today--they shuldbe able to talk to the State and find out where they already are.

TimeHorse:
National Harbor sounds like a really good idea. If we can't find a location somewhere thereabouts at which to put one in this time on the grant, maybe we can encourage someone to put one in later. Let me see what businesses are in that area who might be willing to sign a contract.

DKuva:

Thanks for all the information and the help. you've been great about the whole thing, and feel free to spread the word that we're now with GE t anyone who wants a charger installed!

Richmond EVclub:

I passed on your number to our team--someone should be contacting you shortly. Virginia might be out of area for this grant, but we do have a number of Renewable Energy initiatives in the northern VA region and we are looking to expand outward, so any new contact is helpful. EVers have to stick together!
 
All of the chargers obtained through this grant will be listed o the Chargepoint network upon installation, so you can look there for where they currently are and (pending successful completion of the grant program) where the ones we install will be.
 
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