First Public DC Charger in Northern Cali by 350Green?

[eHelmholtz]

According to this article in the New York Times, 350 Green may be the first to install a public DC Chademo charger in northern Cali at the Stanford Shopping Center:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/10/in-california-a-fast-charging-first/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

$21 for three 30 minute charges - how many kWh does that amount to for the customer?

 

[TonyWilliams]

According to this article in the New York Times, 350 Green may be the first to install a public DC Chademo charger in northern Cali at the Stanford Shopping Center:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/10/in-california-a-fast-charging-first/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

$21 for three 30 minute charges - how many kWh does that amount to for the customer?

They corrected that article after I complained that 350Green wasn't first in "California". Now it says northern California, when in fact that honor goes to PG&E at Vacaville.

Installed May 2010

Available March 6, 2011, but never "open to the public" and locked up March 30, 2011.

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

"The company owns and operates the fee-based charger, and plans to install another 24 units this year at retail locations in the Bay Area. Use of the chargers would require a membership with 350Green, which charges $21 for three 30-minute charge sessions."

Ok, more jealousy from up north here! you guys are lucky to have another 24 units coming your way just in the Bay Area.
the per use fee could get tricky. If you needed a full 80% charge, $7 wouldn't be bad, but for just a 5 or 10 minute top off it would be high. Mainly though, I'm just glad to hear about more fast chargers!!!

 

[astrorob]

i used this EVSE today. i think it must be 50KW. it's like magic... i rolled in with one bar and 11mi DTE. i had some trouble with the connector; i had never used one of these before. turns out you have to push it all the way in until it engages. the handle has a bellows that collapses as it's pushed in. after getting it hooked up and started a dude in a ford jacket walked up and started asking me questions. turns out ford had a focus electric tour going in the parking lot up in front of the mall. so instead of having tea, i drove another EV. when i came back, it was already done. car was showing 9 bars and 87mi DTE. again i had a lot of problems removing the connector. i guess the right sequence is to push the button on top, then squeeze the lever to push it out.

strangely the GOM did not move for quite a few miles as i wound my way out of downtown palo alto. and even though there were only 9 bars, the car was showing 0h0m to charge to 80% on the estimated time display. i guess slamming the car with 100+ amps confuses things a bit...?

i didn't see it finish charging, but i pressed the stop button once or twice and a different screen came up saying 14.1kwh, which seems maybe about right. that's $0.50/kwh, the most i've ever paid, but i would have never made it home without this thing (46 miles to home from stanfurd.) anyway if it did put in 14.1kwh then it probably took on the order of 20 minutes, which is amazing.

anyway, pretty cool. i may have gotten charged twice since the first time i pressed start the connector was not fully engaged, and i had to wave my card again. have to follow up with 350green.

 

[TRONZ]

350green huh. I wonder if any of these will find their way to my local Walgreens next to their L2 units?
$7 for an 80% emergency charge is reasonable.

 

[EVDRIVER]

It's California not "Cali". Just like San Francisco is not "Frisco".

 

[astrorob]

350green huh. I wonder if any of these will find their way to my local Walgreens next to their L2 units?
$7 for an 80% emergency charge is reasonable.

if you look in the recargo iphone app for pictures of the install, you'll see that there's an industrial refrigerator-sized cabinet next to the user interface/charging cord stand. it's huge. i would not expect to find too many of these things in front of stores.

 

[smkettner]

According to this article in the New York Times, 350 Green may be the first to install a public DC Chademo charger in northern Cali at the Stanford Shopping Center:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/10/in-california-a-fast-charging-first/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

$21 for three 30 minute charges - how many kWh does that amount to for the customer?

They corrected that article after I complained that 350Green wasn't first in "California". Now it says northern California, when in fact that honor goes to PG&E at Vacaville.

Installed May 2010

Available March 6, 2011, but never "open to the public" and locked up March 30, 2011.

I don't see why PG&E should get credit for installing a public charger.
I bet 350 Green opens to the public first.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I don't see why PG&E should get credit for installing a public charger.
I bet 350 Green opens to the public first.

I don't give that credit. I merely state the fact that the DC charger given to PG&E was operational first. I also state the fact that it was never intended to be public (as is the SDG&E JFE brand DC charger). In fact, California public utilities are specifically limited from these ventures.

Another fact is that the San Bernadino 7-11 was open to the public, and intended (and legally allowed) to be public first in California. It is operational now, after a period of three weeks of being off line.

There are two auto manufacturers with DC chargers operational in California; both Nissan and Mitsubishi, however only Mitsubishi allows virtually unlimited (now) public access. I don't consider either strictly "public", but I can understand those who might argue otherwise.

Hopefully in order:

1. PGE - Vacaville (public utility)
2. Mitsubishi - Cypress (auto manufacturer)
3. Nissan - Sacramento (auto manufacturer)
4. 7-11 store - San Bernadino (retail public, private funds)
5. SDG&E - San Diego (public utility)
6. 350green - Palo Alto (retail public, public/private funds)