hill said:
As I mentioned in my "Chademo Scorecard" thread, there is a bit of irony with TN (a state with relaatively low population and income ... factors that'd weigh heavily against new tech costs) having a disperportionately large amount of QC stations. It's likely that Nissan slipped the different geographical locations a bit of cash to get them installed at the various locations. Since the Leafs will be built in TN, it would certainly make sense that the manufacturer would want their product to have some kind of infrastructure.
One of the commenters was bothered by chargers being installed "up close" to the various shops - rather than locating chargers out in the boonies. That commenter's logic surprised me, because as soon as more handicapped folks start drivng Leafs, the law suits would start. It'd be discriminatory to cause handicapped EV'rs to have to walk from the boonies. Additionally most electric power sources are located "up close". So in regard to charger logistics (handicap issues and source of electricity issues) it seems the store owners are more savy than their customer base. But I'm staying out of their raucous.
Good points for sure. Location of the charging devices is driven by the nearness of electrical supply. Running a 220V 60amp line from the load center of a commercial facility to the closest possible spot for parking isn't cheap including pulling the permits, bribing the local building inspector, etc etc. When you get into the L3 devices, we are really talking big bucks, especially if the location lacks 3-phase at the load center or point of entry.
Tennessee politics as usual have figured into all of this, not surprising since Tennessee is famous for political tampering with roads and bridges and accesses (the famous "TDOT Scandals"), sale of blasting and building permits; tax exemptions for favorite duck hunting buddies . Just ask former Governor McWhirter now that he is out of the hoosegow ...
In the last 10 years, our local conviction scores of local and state officials and elected grifters:
Public Corruption: 18
Racketeering & Extortion: 11
Fraud: 7
Forgery & Counterfeiting: 5
Embezzlement: 9
My personal fave, however, was "Tennessee Waltz" wherein the FBI tried to clean out the "Memphis Mafia" (ha! fat chance of that happening).
Anyway, once upon a time there was a plan to install L3 chargers at a number of Interstate Highway rest stops in Tennessee. I've dug around after hearing rumors and let's just say that a "not for profit" foundation what pimps for the Blind and Handicapped Vendors Association, got the Fix In and that project is now in Limbo. Something about "who gets the highest percentage of rake-off.
Anyway, life goes on ...
Dave
(oh, and BTW: a native and first family of Tennessee and whose maternal grandmother had 5 husbands, married first at age 13, shot the third one after the first 2 died, married the local sheriff and stayed with him until he went to that there Federal jail in 1932 for moonshine, then hooked up with #5 and lived to be 102 years old. )
