[nmdlehman]

Ok, so I almost never need to charge my volt when I am not at home, but the few times I have tried the chargers all look like the wrong size.
Am I missing something or are most charging stations not set up to plug a Volt Gen1 into?

 

[Steverino]

The Volt and Bolt use an industry standard charging handle shared with many other EV manufacturers in the US, Europe. Perhaps you were looking at a Tesla charging station or one using the Japanese standard. Or you were looking at the DC fast charging variation. Those would look different.

 

[llninja]

This article shows many of the charging types, though J1772 used in the volt should be the most prevalent

What is CCS charging?

CCS charging (Combined Charging System) is one of several competing charging plug (and vehicle communication) standards for DC fast charging.

thedriven.io

 

[begreen]

The times when I have considered charging away from home have been frequently unsuccessful. This is because too often either the connector was wrong or one had to belong to some organization like ChargePoint or the charger was defective or vandalized or the space was being bogarted by a car not on the charger. I don't even bother anymore, but that is the beauty of the Volt. I don't have to.

The US charging infrastructure needs to improve big time so that it is ready for the broad conversion to EVs.

 

[nmdlehman]

The times when I have considered charging away from home have been frequently unsuccessful. This is because too often either the connector was wrong or one had to belong to some organization like ChargePoint or the charger was defective or vandalized or the space was being bogarted by a car not on the charger. I don't even bother anymore, but that is the beauty of the Volt. I don't have to.

The US charging infrastructure needs to improve big time so that it is ready for the broad conversion to EVs.

Thanks, glad to know I am not just a complete dunce haha

 

[nmdlehman]

This article shows many of the charging types, though J1772 used in the volt should be the most prevalent

What is CCS charging?

CCS charging (Combined Charging System) is one of several competing charging plug (and vehicle communication) standards for DC fast charging.

thedriven.io

Apparently it is not where I live.

 

[nmdlehman]

The Volt and Bolt use an industry standard charging handle shared with many other EV manufacturers in the US, Europe. Perhaps you were looking at a Tesla charging station or one using the Japanese standard. Or you were looking at the DC fast charging variation. Those would look different.

Nope, it was a normal "ChargePoint" which is at most grocery stores now.

 

[FI Spyder]

There is the CHAdeMO charger which is Japanese standard (fairly rare in N/A except for old stations). Tesla (unique to their own). J1772, which is the 120V/240V that comes with the car. This is the kind you see at the Mall, the freebies or or can cost depending. Chargepoint and other companies use these. You can go to Chargepoint website to get your free RIFF chipped keytag to start it and it will send you a monthly email to give you the usage (or you can use your phone). Others would use the same connection with their own tags. All the ones around here are this type and are free. Then there is the CCS fast charge DC connection. The Bolt came with J1772 and the CCS was an option except in California I believe where it was standard equipment. Some Japanese cars came with dual connections (like the Outlander) with both CHAdeMO and J1772.

 

[llninja]

Apparently it is not where I live.

Download an app named PlugShare, and it can show you a map and filter for j1772 chargers in your area

 

[llninja]

There is the CHAdeMO charger which is Japanese standard (fairly rare in N/A except for old stations). Tesla (unique to their own). J1772, which is the 120V/240V that comes with the car. This is the kind you see at the Mall, the freebies or or can cost depending. Chargepoint and other companies use these. You can go to Chargepoint website to get your free RIFF chipped keytag to start it and it will send you a monthly email to give you the usage (or you can use your phone). Others would use the same connection with their own tags. All the ones around here are this type and are free. Then there is the CCS fast charge DC connection. The Bolt came with J1772 and the CCS was an option except in California I believe where it was standard equipment. Some Japanese cars came with dual connections (like the Outlander) with both CHAdeMO and J1772.

Plus if you have an iPhone you can add the Chargepoint card to Apple wallet so you can use your phone to activate the charger.

 

[leppard3]

Nope, it was a normal "ChargePoint" which is at most grocery stores now.

I'd like to see a picture of the plug you say doesn't fit. If you were not at a Tesla charging station or a DC fast charge station, I would think 99.9% of all other charging stations would have the J1772 plug, including most if not all Chargepoint stations.

 

[JuneBug]

Nope, it was a normal "ChargePoint" which is at most grocery stores now.

I got a ChargePoint card shortly after getting my Volt. It cost nothing, and the only time I've ever used it was a free stations like the one at Whole Foods.

 

[llninja]

I got a ChargePoint card shortly after getting my Volt. It cost nothing, and the only time I've ever used it was a free stations like the one at Whole Foods.

Not quite true. I had to attach a credit card and feed it $10 or $20. When a you use up the balance it’s supposed to automatically pull more money. I was planning to spend roughly $160 per month on expensive electricity after the mortgage was paid off on daily chargepoint charging ($2 per hour for 4 hours, then $8 per hour afterwards), but now I work from home, so my plans got flushed down the toilet. It wasn’t as m8ch to save money, but give the middle finger to OPEC

 

[nmdlehman]

I'd like to see a picture of the plug you say doesn't fit. If you were not at a Tesla charging station or a DC fast charge station, I would think 99.9% of all other charging stations would have the J1772 plug, including most if not all Chargepoint stations.

Ok... if I happen to be at that Ralph's again I will show you. Both plugs were very different from the one for the volt.

 

[nmdlehman]

Thanks everyone for your help. That plugshare app is already becoming a go to for me.

 

[Steverino]

EVSE Connector Types. The Gen 1 and Gen 2 Volt will use J1772. Gen 2 Volts and Bolts with the optional DC fast charging option can also use the SEA Combo CCS. See below.
There is also an older "Inductive Paddle" from the EV1 days that is basically dead. No current cars support that as far as I know but there may still be some paddles out there, likely in CA if anywhere. See Charger Standards Converge

 

[nmdlehman]

EVSE Connector Types. The Gen 1 and Gen 2 Volt will use J1772. Gen 2 Volts and Bolts with the optional DC fast charging option can also use the SEA Combo CCS. See below.
There is also an older "Inductive Paddle" from the EV1 days that is basically dead. No current cars support that as far as I know but there may still be some paddles out there, likely in CA if anywhere. See Charger Standards Converge
View attachment 171860

awesome super useful info thank you!

 

[nmdlehman]

I'd like to see a picture of the plug you say doesn't fit. If you were not at a Tesla charging station or a DC fast charge station, I would think 99.9% of all other charging stations would have the J1772 plug, including most if not all Chargepoint stations.

I think the one at Ralph's was the level 3 and level 4 based on my memory

 

[jbakerjonathan]

Didn't Tesla offer installations to hotels and such a while back? This could be a Tesla charging station.

 

[begreen]

Didn't Tesla offer installations to hotels and such a while back? This could be a Tesla charging station.

Yes, there was a Tesla and a regular charging station at a hotel/restaurant in Cannon Beach when we were there last for dinner. Didn't charge. There were two Teslas taking the charging spots. The one in the J1772 charger spot was not plugged in.