[Jim Fallston Md.]

I poached this from the GM-Volt.com site.

I hope it works for the company to thrive and others to get the message and start taking EV's seriously.

RS Automotives, located in Takoma Park, Maryland has been in business since 1958. RS Automotives has recently become the first "gas/oil" service station to fully convert to EV charging. More here:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/26/firs...-now-open.html

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Good for them! That's a huge risk, though. Without a critical mass of EV drivers, they won't be attracting enough customers.

 

[hickman55]

He certainly won't get rich. I will assume he has c-store or other income stream not dependent on charging.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Most gas stations these days make their profits on their convenience stores, not the sale of gasoline. I assume that this business model will work for EVs as well. The trouble is, without enough EV drivers stopping through, he will likely get less foot traffic than he used to with ICEV drivers stopping for gas.

 

[discodanman45]

Selling gas is not the money maker for a gas station. The convenience store and car washes are much bigger revenue. Chevy Bolt and Nissan leafs in Maryland won't be enough to keep this business solvent. Maybe if they put Tesla supercharger on site.

 

[PhilBo]

A possible incentive for someone who lives in apartment with no way of charging to consider an EV purchase.

 

[MDBolt]

A possible incentive for someone who lives in apartment with no way of charging to consider an EV purchase.

You’re on to something here.

 

[GJETSON]

I will definitely be doing a day trip up there. I doubt I will get an opportunity to go to an EV only location ever again!

 

[redpoint5]

Did anyone read the article? The guy got a nearly $800,000 grant to install 4 DCFC spots. If he'd have paid out of pocket for that, how much charging would need to occur to recoup the $200k per charger?

The whole thing is a gimmick catered to a select "elite" group of people.

 

[PhilBo]

I still say this is encouraging and we need to see where it goes. I notice there are no fire suppression nozzles normally found at a gas station. Also there would be no underground storage tanks and the possibility of leaks, no fuel deliveries, no vapor recovery system, etc.

 

[Jim Fallston Md.]

I still say this is encouraging and we need to see where it goes. I notice there are no fire suppression nozzles normally found at a gas station. Also there would be no underground storage tanks and the possibility of leaks, no fuel deliveries, no vapor recovery system, etc.

It is definitely a step in the right direction. Not as much inherent danger for the service center and his neighborhood.

 

[MDBolt]

Did anyone read the article? The guy got a nearly $1,000,000 grant to install 4 DCFC spots. If he'd have paid out of pocket for that, how much charging would need to occur to recoup the $200k per charger?

The whole thing is a gimmick catered to a select "elite" group of people.

I did. I actually read it from the other thread put up by @opsdave . It sounded like the entities that covered the grant (EVI and MEA) both recognized the strong need in the area, and specifically noted that taxis were hogging up Takoma Park's 2 public chargers. From the tone of those interviewed, it sounded more like the move was more to provide a service to the public rather than a profit-based motivation.

I also liked the fact that the gas store owner gave props to his daughter for prompting the change. It draws parallels to that young lady who spoke at the UN assembly recently.

I still say this is encouraging and we need to see where it goes. I notice there are no fire suppression nozzles normally found at a gas station. Also there would be no underground storage tanks and the possibility of leaks, no fuel deliveries, no vapor recovery system, etc.

I agree that this is definitely encouraging, and commend the parties that came together to make it happen. The world definitely needs more of these. I'm sure it'll come with its own growing pains, but I am optimistic that they're doing the right thing in the long run.

 

[NY-Rob]

From the above article (not related to the gas/electric station):
"ChargePoint, which says it plans to create as many as 2.5 million chargers by 2025 "

Yeah, good luck with that!
That works out to ChargePoint installing 1,370 chargers per day- 7 days per week for the next 5 years.

ChargePoint is one of the most dysfunctional companies I've ever used... they are basically one step above the Chinese online crooks like Banggood, etc.. Expecting them to install 2.5 MILLION EVSE stations in the next 5 years is just ludicrous.

 

[hickman55]

From the above article (not related to the gas/electric station):
"ChargePoint, which says it plans to create as many as 2.5 million chargers by 2025 "

Yeah, good luck with that!
That works out to ChargePoint installing 1,370 chargers per day- 7 days per week for the next 5 years.

ChargePoint is one of the most dysfunctional companies I've ever used... they are basically one step above the Chinese online crooks like Banggood, etc.. Expecting them to install 2.5 MILLION EVSE stations in the next 5 years is just ludicrous.

I don't disagree, but I believe they could be referring to manufacturing EVSEs, not installing actual stations. Another indication of what passes for journalism.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

I will definitely be doing a day trip up there. I doubt I will get an opportunity to go to an EV only location ever again!

If I lived close enough to, I would definitely stop through.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

I don't disagree, but I believe they could be referring to manufacturing EVSEs, not installing actual stations. Another indication of what passes for journalism.

Moreover, the Lion's Share of those will be L2 EVSEs. Selling 2.5 million L2 EVSEs (especially considering they sell to both public and home users) in the next 6 years (not 5 - since "by 2025" is typically meant to mean "by December 31, 2025) is actually not so far-fetched.

 

[NY-Rob]

I don't disagree, but I believe they could be referring to manufacturing EVSEs, not installing actual stations. Another indication of what passes for journalism.

Good point, you may be correct... but even at that... How could they even manufacture 1,370 chargers per day ?

 

[redpoint5]

I did. I actually read it from the other thread put up by @opsdave . It sounded like the entities that covered the grant (EVI and MEA) both recognized the strong need in the area, and specifically noted that taxis were hogging up Takoma Park's 2 public chargers. From the tone of those interviewed, it sounded more like the move was more to provide a service to the public rather than a profit-based motivation.

I also liked the fact that the gas store owner gave props to his daughter for prompting the change. It draws parallels to that young lady who spoke at the UN assembly recently.



I agree that this is definitely encouraging, and commend the parties that came together to make it happen. The world definitely needs more of these. I'm sure it'll come with its own growing pains, but I am optimistic that they're doing the right thing in the long run.

I'm sure the motivation by some ws to provide a service to the public. That isn't the problem. Good intentions can still be stupid and corrupt. In fact, most bad outcomes started from good intentions.

The entities that covered the grant were not using money that was donated to them, but money extracted unwillingly from the public. And it went to a private business, an individual. I wouldn't care if the 4 chargers cost a billion dollars from someone that voluntarily donated the money. Instead the public overpaid for something that cannot exist on its own economically to cater to a very small percentage of relatively wealthy people who happen to own EVs.

The taxis wouldn't be "hogging" the charging spots if the price were set appropriately. Then we'd say they were paying for a service. As I understand, at least one of the existing spots is free, which just invites moochers.

Perhaps the area needed more chargers, and I'm happy to see charging infrastructure expand, but not at the public expense, not at the benefit of 1 private business, and not to cater to a very small/specific demographic that tends to be more well off than others. That fits the description of anti-progressive.

 

[Jim Fallston Md.]

Here is the plugshare link that shows it is operational and pricing is established.

https://www.plugshare.com/location/208270

 

[redpoint5]

Pricing is for their one L2 charging spot at $1.25/session + $0.08/min, which is steep. I don't see pricing info for the DCFC options. What's the prediction on utilization at the L2 charger? 3 people use it per month?