[Dutch]

Having followed a number of threads on public charging with the Volt (and other PHEV) I have developed the notion that we have a fantastic example of the law of "unintended consequences".

What I've observed is that with PHEV, owners would like to charge up, and have an ethics driven incentive to do so, however we aren't required to do so which leaves us able to look at various public charging options and either accept or decline to deal with their business model and the mechanics of their systems.

That ability to choose, along with other factors has created a pretty rough and thin coverage network in a lot of areas but I put forth the theory that this is actually a good thing in the long run because the suppliers are discovering very early and very fast what works, what doesn't, and what the consumers (us) will tolerate.

 

[BAZINGA]

Personally as a Volt owner I don't seek out ANY charging opportunities away from home. The few times I have tried never worked out. Hotel's granting permission to plug into a 110V outdoor outlet have only led to disappointment.

And I'm not about to pay for Level II charging just to spend 4 hours waiting. While I'm operating my 2017 Volt at 99.6% off the grid since my purchase, that's because of my lifestyle and driving habits. But if/when I do wander further from home in our Volt the ICE will take us where we want to go once the battery is exhausted.

But this is me.

 

[Fyodor]

Personally as a Volt owner I don't seek out ANY charging opportunities away from home. The few times I have tried never worked out. Hotel's granting permission to plug into a 110V outdoor outlet have only led to disappointment.

And I'm not about to pay for Level II charging just to spend 4 hours waiting. While I'm operating my 2017 Volt at 99.6% off the grid since my purchase, that's because of my lifestyle and driving habits. But if/when I do wander further from home in our Volt the ICE will take us where we want to go once the battery is exhausted.

But this is me.

And me. In almost five years I've plugged in away from home exactly three times, and two of those were because it was the only parking spot that was empty. It's the Leaf drivers who are worried about getting stranded, not me.

 

[ctiomico2003]

I love being able to charge with certain networks, but cringe at others (Blink in particular).

In SoCal we have some very reasonable fees (Free to $0.22 per kWh) to outrageous ones ($X per hour). In the beginning when I got my Volt charging used to dictate where I wanted to go esp since Premium Gas here is/was so expensive. Now that it hovers around $2.50 I do not mind putting on a little speed or not charging at a location.

I have seen too many chargers filled up by Nissan Leafs, Fiats and other EVs. Especially the ones where one or two free ones are available.

So I just pick my favorite spots to charge now, go there when I feel like it and take one worry off my shoulders the rest of the time.

However, I cannot wait until they adopt a better model for charging. Mainly, :
1.) Check distance between EV spot and location
---Particularly true in Retail where they are trying to save money with installation but we get screwed by ICE or non-charging cars.
---I really like what Costco in Torrance CA did for their charging (albeit the network is awful). 15 chargers on the side of the building NOT closest to the entrance. The amount of ICE there is significantly reduced because people do not want to walk that far.
---Fashion Island in Newport Beach is the WORST place I've seen this example where 3 spots with 2 chargers are located right next to the mall and always full. I think they should have placed them underground or farther away......personal opinion.

2.) Reasonable charging for each vehicle.
---Charging @ 3.3kWh is not the same as charging at a higher rate. The $X per hour rates really only benefit pure EV as they would potentially need to charge longer. The funniest part about these spots is that I typically see these spots taken by EV or PHEV and they are not charging.
---I am okay with paying for my electricity. Anything below $0.25 per kWh is worth it to me at current gas levels. Why are some places $0.49 per kWh or more? My favorite spot is in front of Walmart that has a Blink station. I barely see it being used.

3.) Use a common interface or vendor to show availability.
---I love Chargepoint for this, but I would love PlugShare to be my go to app to check everything from reviews, to availability to anything about charging.

Maybe they also know EVs do not have much of a choice that is why they can do this.

Anyways thats my rant.

 

[eDreamin']

...It's the Leaf drivers who are worried about getting stranded, not me.

It took me 6 months to even sign up for Chargepoint, and that was only after I had found a reasonably priced outlet at a location that I was going to be at for what I estimated to be 2 hours. And, by reasonably priced, I mean charging by the kWh (at something not more than twice my home rate), not by the hour. What I forgot was that Chargepoint grabs your money in $25 increments. So, they now have $24.51 of mine, and probably will have some portion of it for the next ten years!

Public chargers are not for PHEVs like the Volt, with its slow charging speed, unless they're free or charging by the kWh.
Leave them for the Leafs, SparkEVs, and yes, Teslas, who really need them.

 

[stingray]

I understand the points made above. I live in a condo, however, where I can't charge. So plubic charging stations are my only option. I'd also love a 7.2 charger for the same reason. I'm hoping they make that change in the upcoming 2018 model.

 

[Ladogaboy]

I've actually witnessed this ethical imperative with drivers other than Volt owners. The charging at my work makes sense for me in my Volt because $3 gets me a full charge, or 50 miles of range. However, I also see people driving vehicles that only get 10 to 20 miles of range actively paying the $3 to recharge.

Obviously, this isn't a financial motivation. So it is either an ethical imperative or a bragging rights thing. Either way, the air quality improves as a result.