Ecotality rolling out roughly 200 QC chargers next month.

[JPWhite]

My read of the situation is that they did make promises they subsequently broke (into smithereens). They are now reticent to make any other promises and are just keeping stumm. We won't hear a word until they are ready to inaugurate chargers.

They did fall foul of very slow UL certification for their L3 chargers, so have got way behind on those. Probably mostly out their control.

My L2 charger was installed a few weeks ahead of the car delivery, the whole process was as promised. They aren't a bunch of losers, but the public charger delays are truly frustrating.

I too have noticed a crop of new public L2 chargers in Nashville. I can now travel on one regular journey a month with my LEAF which I have had to use my wife's Altima for since getting the LEAF.

 

[aleph5]

I think the DC fast charger hitches are beyond ECO's control. Mostly a gut feel, but consider that it's a national issue, the plug adoption thing, UL approval etc., and consider that each one requires something like a 60kVA transformer. Who's gonna pay for that?

Also, to be fair, I get the impression they're practically begging people here in Tenn. to buy the car in order to be one of the first 1000 to get free L2 Blinks AND get a $2500 instant "tax" rebate from the state. Somewhere in the recent news it stated that only 300 L2 stations have been installed. We're thick hicks, obviously, but it makes their sell of public chargers all that much more difficult.

 

[mark13]

Ecotality stock has fallen from $5+ to $1.80 ;-( If they take the cheap way out and install just lvl 2 chargers, Ill never use them

 

[JPWhite]

Also, to be fair, I get the impression they're practically begging people here in Tenn. to buy the car in order to be one of the first 1000 to get free L2 Blinks AND get a $2500 instant "tax" rebate from the state. Somewhere in the recent news it stated that only 300 L2 stations have been installed. We're thick hicks, obviously, but it makes their sell of public chargers all that much more difficult.

I'm not sure it's the fact Tennesseans are 'thick hicks'. A good number of Tennessee residents have long commutes, in terms of miles driven. They like to live in the country, have the big house and land. So it doesn't make sense to have a range limited vehicle for many living in rural locations. When I tell folks at work I pay just over $5 per week in fuel costs they say "I hate you"!! and spout off how much its costing them to drive their long commute. Why they don't get a Prius or Volt is beyond me (the typical complaint is that the hybrids are too expensive).

 

[aleph5]

My comment was mostly in jest. To the extent not, it's because Tennesseans are generally not very progressive or eco-minded at all. While what you state is true about long commutes, there are also plenty of commuters like myself who do drive within EV range daily, but just don't know enough about EVs or they're so frugal as to make it all about their own economics. If they don't see a payoff for them in a short span, maybe 2-3 years, they don't want to bother any further. They think the LEAF is a Versa at twice the price. Early adapting, being more sustainable or personally responsible, etc. mean nothing to them. (edit: of course many have no problem dropping an extra $10-15k for a premium truck package)

Back to Ecotality, I'm not sure what more we expect them to do. They're trying very hard, from all I can tell, to get individuals, businesses, and municipalities to sign on. But there are cost/benefits that the latter two groups apply just like individuals here do, and if cars don't sell, there's even less on the benefits side. And the DC chargers are just plain expensive. Budgets are tight, yada yada...

 

[TRONZ]

Ecotality stock has fallen from $5+ to $1.80 ;-( If they take the cheap way out and install just lvl 2 chargers, Ill never use them

This should be a lesson to other companies that try to "gamble" with public money instead of just doing what they are supposed to do. It would appear that the $100 million is in fact going to be more like $20 million for Eco. IMHO, any company that leaves a free $80 million on the table is incompetent. The next companies up to bat are hopefully paying attention.

 

[aleph5]

This should be a lesson to other companies that try to "gamble" with public money instead of just doing what they are supposed to do. It would appear that the $100 million is in fact going to be more like $20 million for Eco. IMHO, any company that leaves a free $80 million on the table is incompetent. The next companies up to bat are hopefully paying attention.

What should they have done differently?

 

[TRONZ]

What should they have done differently?

Search Ecotality on this forum and just start reading.

 

[aleph5]

Tesla is probably a poor stock pick, but not because of anything the company is doing or not doing. Same for First Solar, Vestas, et. al.

 

[aleph5]

Similarly, a lot of fossil fuel stocks are doing well. Consider the state of Texas and the credit Rick Perry's taking for its economy.

 

[LEAFfan]

But if they got the grants under the auspices of saying "we can do both these things before this deadline" and then they haven't achieved that as the deadline is drawing near, they might have bitten off more than they can chew. I'm just saying that they seem to have promised more than they can deliver...I would've actually preferred the effort was expended on the commercial charger infrastructure (and especially the quick charge infrastructure along the freeway) than on the home chargers.

The deadline isn't up. I think you're jumping the gun. I believe they will do it, but time will tell. I can't believe that most people who have had their Blinks installed would have preferred to have commercial and QCs first. It will be seldom that I will need QC, but it was very helpful and the most convenient to have L2 charging from the beginning.

 

[JPWhite]

The deadline isn't up. I think you're jumping the gun. I believe they will do it, but time will tell. I can't believe that most people who have had their Blinks installed would have preferred to have commercial and QCs first. It will be seldom that I will need QC, but it was very helpful and the most convenient to have L2 charging from the beginning.

I agree that L2 capability is required with vehicle deliveries, and Ecotality did succeed in my case and many others also. They are behind schedule, but its easy to use them as a scapegoat, many factors contributed to the delay, no doubt some of it outside their control.

At the risk of starting a whole other discussion, I believe dedicated L2 EVSE's at the home are an unnecessary luxury compared to the alternative of simply having a 220v ready L2 EVSE come with the vehicle. In Europe where 240v is commonplace, the portable EVSE that comes with the car is already L2. I would much have preferred getting an electrician install 220v outlets in my garage and use a portable L2 EVSE.

Govt money would be better spent installing commercial and fast charging locations rather than installing home EVSE's that require planning permission in addition to the cost of the units themselves. The data we have agreed to supply as part of the EV project could easily be supplied through Nissan Carwings. Want a free QC port? agree to supply data to the govt.

 

[jkirkebo]

At the risk of starting a whole other discussion, I believe dedicated L2 EVSE's at the home are an unnecessary luxury compared to the alternative of simply having a 220v ready L2 EVSE come with the vehicle. In Europe where 240v is commonplace, the portable EVSE that comes with the car is already L2. I would much have preferred getting an electrician install 220v outlets in my garage and use a portable L2 EVSE.

Yeah, but the european Nissan EVSE is only 10A in most countries so we still have to send it in to Evseupgrade.

I wanted to be able to charge the car when the EVSE is in for upgrade, also I did not want to pack/unpack it every day. The solution was to buy a Clipper Creek LCS-25 at $995.

 

[EVDRIVER]

At the risk of starting a whole other discussion, I believe dedicated L2 EVSE's at the home are an unnecessary luxury compared to the alternative of simply having a 220v ready L2 EVSE come with the vehicle. In Europe where 240v is commonplace, the portable EVSE that comes with the car is already L2. I would much have preferred getting an electrician install 220v outlets in my garage and use a portable L2 EVSE.

Yeah, but the european Nissan EVSE is only 10A in most countries so we still have to send it in to Evseupgrade.

I wanted to be able to charge the car when the EVSE is in for upgrade, also I did not want to pack/unpack it every day. The solution was to buy a Clipper Creek LCS-25 at $995.

You can get an advance replacement so you are never without a unit, it costs $75 more.

 

[jkirkebo]

You can get an advance replacement so you are never without a unit, it costs $75 more.

Yeah, then I would get an upgraded 120V US version with the wrong plug. Our EVSEs are already 230V capable and come with Schuko-plugs. We just need new firmware loaded so we can get 16A instead of 10A.

And that would still not solve the problem of having to pack/unpack the unit every single day. That would become tiresome real soon. I might see how you wouldn't need to do that in the US as your public charging infrastructure is mostly J1772. We don't have a single J1772 EVSE anywhere, it's all either CHAdeMO or 16A Schuko-plugs which then needs the Nissan EVSE. Soon we will get some Mennekes EVSEs too, then I need to carry a Mennekes-J1772 cable in addition to the Nissan EVSE.

 

[mark13]

Tesla got some major backers after their stock went public..
One major reason I bought the Leaf was because Ecotality was suppose to install FAST lvl 3 public chargers around Phx. AZ. I just can not leave the Leaf sitting with a slow public charger installed,there are just to many vandals around..

I see where people share the cost of owning a private JET..I would like to share the cost of owning a lvl 3 charging station in the midle of Phx.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I see where people share the cost of owning a private JET..I would like to share the cost of owning a lvl 3 charging station in the midle of Phx.

I'd like the same for SAN.

 

[SeattleBlueLeaf]

just one note - westcoasthighways - the I5 Project here in Washington, is using Aeroenvironment DC chargers and not ETEC/Ecotality ones.

I am thrilled to see that Ecotality has UL listing done though as it is another step towards deployment of DC chargers here for local use. I need to head to Enumclaw area in a few weeks and a DC in that area would put Mt. Rainier within reach for day trips from Seattle. As it is, I'll need to use Dino Juice to take my son camping next month for Scouts.

 

[SeattleBlueLeaf]

oh - and does anyone know what Toyota is doing with DC chargers?? - i see them in the list of UL approved DC chargers here http://bit.ly/n87H61