New California Corridor Fast Chargers Installed

[miimura]

Some of the CalTrans "30-30" sites have opened in Northern California. The rest area sites are not allowed to charge a fee but the CalTrans depot sites may charge a fee. The Clearlake Oaks depot site is currently free.

Plugshare - Moon Lim Rest Area - Two 62.5kW ChargePoint DCFC. This site is roughly between Redding on I-5 and the Eureka / Arcata area on the coast.

Plugshare - Transportation Department - Clearlake Oaks, CA - One BTC 50kW DCFC. This site is on the east side of Clear Lake, roughly between Williams on I-5 and Ukiah on US-101.

There is also some activity at the Southern California CalTrans sites. There are two rest area sites on I-15 between Barstow and the Nevada border that are installed but not powered yet. They are BTC 50kW DCFC units. Additional sites on US-395 and CA-58 are partially installed but the chargers are not placed yet, at least according to Plugshare photos.

EV Connect also opened their site at the Love's Travel Stop in Madera.
Plugshare - Love's Travel Stop - Madera, CA - Two 350kW DCFC and one L2 station. DCFC fee is $0.20/kWh + $0.20/min.

 

[n3ckf]

so its been awhile since ive connected my Rav4EV to a DCFC but now that that there are all these faster-than-50KW DCFC chargers that might have compatable connectors, what happens when you connect a JDEMO equipped Rav4EV to one? Does it negotiate down to 50KW or does the car explode in a flaming ball?
Anyone try it yet?

(I actually use my Rav4EV for local trips like grocery shopping now where the remaining range isnt an issue, which is *indicated* on the Guess-O-Meter at about 65 miles but thats because i live in the mountains, i think its "really" something like 80-85)

 

[miimura]

so its been awhile since ive connected my Rav4EV to a DCFC but now that that there are all these faster-than-50KW DCFC chargers that might have compatable connectors, what happens when you connect a JDEMO equipped Rav4EV to one? Does it negotiate down to 50KW or does the car explode in a flaming ball?
Anyone try it yet?

(I actually use my Rav4EV for local trips like grocery shopping now where the remaining range isnt an issue, which is *indicated* on the Guess-O-Meter at about 65 miles but thats because i live in the mountains, i think its "really" something like 80-85)

It depends on the age of the firmware in your JdeMO. Some of the old versions will erroneously go beyond the current that they should. The updated current version should go up to 130A instead of the typical 125A from 50kW chargers.

There are actually relatively few chargers that go above 125A on CHAdeMO. The new 62.5kW ChargePoint Express 250 can go up to 156A and there are some BTC high power units that will go up to 150 or 200A but they are rarely set to go that high. The highest rated CHAdeMO cable available on the market goes up to 200A.

If you know you are at a high power station, be sure to monitor the charging current if possible. The green button will allow you tell the car to charge at half power if you need to reduce it.

 

[geo]

Noticed a new EA site under construction in an unexpected place- along I-40 with in the middle of the Mojave desert.

https://www.plugshare.com/location/264819

There's also an EA site under construction in Williams, AZ, so it looks like they are planning to connect up I-40.

 

[miimura]

Noticed a new EA site under construction in an unexpected place- along I-40 with in the middle of the Mojave desert.

https://www.plugshare.com/location/264819

There's also an EA site under construction in Williams, AZ, so it looks like they are planning to connect up I-40.

They have a planned site in Kingman, AZ too, along the I-40 corridor.

IMHO, the more important EA site in development is Quartzsite, AZ because it is a significant gap for non-Tesla vehicles on the otherwise complete I-10 corridor. Luckily there are 50kW chargers from ChargePoint and EV Connect in Blythe that allows cars to travel that corridor between the existing EA sites in Indio and Buckeye. Unfortunately, you would have to charge an e-Tron for nearly an hour on the ChargePoint charger in Blythe to bridge that gap between EA chargers.

 

[geo]

They have a planned site in Kingman, AZ too, along the I-40 corridor.

IMHO, the more important EA site in development is Quartzsite, AZ because it is a significant gap for non-Tesla vehicles on the otherwise complete I-10 corridor. Luckily there are 50kW chargers from ChargePoint and EV Connect in Blythe that allows cars to travel that corridor between the existing EA sites in Indio and Buckeye. Unfortunately, you would have to charge an e-Tron for nearly an hour on the ChargePoint charger in Blythe to bridge that gap between EA chargers.[/quote]


Yeah, I've been eyeing that as well. I go to Phoenix every once in a while and Quartzsite would really help close the gap.

 

[miimura]

I don't normally mention EA sites in this thread, but the Soledad EA site at Foods Co. is now open. This is another possible stop on the 101 corridor. However, the King City ChargePoint site was arguably more significant.

Plugshare - Foods Co. Soledad, CA

EA High Power charging sites summary for the 101 corridor:
EA Salinas Walmart
- 32 miles
EA Soledad Foods Co.
- 72 miles
EA Paso Robles Bank of America
- 42 miles
EA Pismo Beach Premium Outlets
- 123 miles
EA Camarillo Premium Outlets

EA would really benefit from a site in Santa Barbara.

 

[miimura]

The EV Connect charger at the Inyokern Airport appears to be mostly working now. Evidently, the screen overheats and the image is not visible. Use the hard buttons labeled Stop and Start to select the connector you want to use.

Plugshare - Inyokern Airport

 

[geo]

The EV Connect charger at the Inyokern Airport appears to be mostly working now. Evidently, the screen overheats and the image is not visible. Use the hard buttons labeled Stop and Start to select the connector you want to use.

Plugshare - Inyokern Airport

I saw that. I'm in Mammoth right now, it's good for the 395 corridor. Still waiting for the ones at the rest stops. Looks like the transformers are in, but waiting on the chargers themselves.

I'm still debating whether to drive the RAV4 up here from LA. It's doable on paper, but there's no public charging in Mammoth itself and the closest Level 3 is 40 miles away. Would have to figure out a 120v solution for our garage or convince one of the hotels to let me use their L2 chargers.

 

[miimura]

Another CalTrans Rest Area fast charging site has opened. It's at the Randolph E Collier Rest Area about half way between Yreka and the Oregon border.

Plugshare - Randolph E Collier Northbound and Southbound Rest Area - Two 62.5kW DCFC.

The funny thing is that the chargers appear to be installed backward to the conventional orientation. It may reduce the reach of the cables since the top of the station has pivoting arms that only move toward the screen.

 

[miimura]

ChargePoint opened another site at I-5 and CA-12 in Lodi. This is the last site on I-5 northbound until Sacramento.

Plugshare - Shell Flag City - Two 50kW DCFC and a L2 station.

Also on I-80 in Cisco Grove

Plugshare - Chevron Cisco Grove - Two 50kW DCFC and a L2 station.

Also South Lake Tahoe

Plugshare - The Crossing at Tahoe Valley - Two 62.5kW DCFC and a L2 station

CalTrans also opened another site at the Donner Pass Eastbound Rest Area.

Plugshare - Donner Pass Eastbound Rest Area - One 50kW DCFC

 

[geo]

Noticing quite a few new chargers, thought I'd list them. A lot of these are on secondary highways, filing in a lot of gaps. The statewide network is getting pretty robust.

On the 14/395 corridor:

Two new installs in Mojave, adding to the existing EA station.
Chargepoint under install: https://www.plugshare.com/location/288895
EV Connect: https://www.plugshare.com/location/113668

Also a Chargepoint in Bradys starting install: https://www.plugshare.com/location/288239

Still waiting on something, anything in Mammoth Lakes.

An install started in Boron along Hwy 58 : https://www.plugshare.com/location/289103

Along 101 :

Noticed the site in Willits finally went live : https://www.plugshare.com/location/275074

Also an EA site in Soledad that fills another gap : https://www.plugshare.com/location/269589

 

[miimura]

Some more CalTrans 30-30 sites have opened.

This one is the second site on CA-299 between Redding and Eureka in Willow Creek.
Plugshare - Caltrans Maintenance Station, Willow Creek, CA - One 50kW BTC dual standard DCFC, free vending.

Plugshare - Weed Patch Park and Ride, Bakersfield, CA - One 50kW BTC dual standard DCFC. Pay / Free unconfirmed.

Plugshare - Delano Maintenance Yard, Delano, CA - no pictures yet. Presumed two BTC DCFC.

Plugshare - C.H. Harlow Rest Area, Kingsburg, CA - no pictures yet. Presumed one BTC DCFC.

As mentioned above, lots of the other CalTrans sites have been started but I don't see that any more have been activated yet.

ChargePoint finally opened their Vacaville CEC funded site.

Plugshare - Nugget Market, Vacaville, CA - Two 62.5kW ChargePoint Express 250 dual standard DCFC plus a dual head L2.

 

[swogee]

Two new DC fast chargers have opened at the CALTRANS maintenance station in Kettleman City.

They are both free. Here's the link to the info on plugshare:

https://www.plugshare.com/location/300027

With the addition of L3 chargers in Kettleman City it is now easy to drive from San Luis Obispo to Yosemite. It also makes travel from the Central Valley to the Central Coast much easier.

There's more info in this press release that includes additional locations.

https://dot.ca.gov/news-releases/news-release-2021-001

 

[miimura]

The doc listed by @swogee above showed the following CalTrans sites that have also opened.

Plugshare - Tejon Rest Area, Lebec, CA - Four 50kW BTC dual standard fast chargers, free vending.

The original plan was to install one charger each at the Northbound and Southbound rest areas. However, there is a convenient way to exit from Northbound I-5 and loop back to the Southbound rest area which has 4 chargers.

Plugshare - Philip S. Raine Rest Area Southbound - Two BTC dual standard fast chargers
Plugshare - Philip S. Raine Rest Area Northbound - Two BTC dual standard fast chargers

The Fresno and Madera Maintenance Station sites are not on Plugshare yet. The document also mentions 6 DCFC in San Diego County. I don't know which sites they are because they weren't in the original "30-30" plan, but I did find several Park and Ride lots that have DCFCs, some have SDG&E branding.

This one in Pala Mesa is clearly CalTrans.
Plugshare - Pala Road Park & Ride, Fallbrook, CA

 

[miimura]

More ChargePoint grant sites have opened.

Plugshare - Bakersfield Countryside Market - Two 50kW DCFC and a L2 station.
It's on Hwy 58 on the outskirts of Bakersfield on the way to Tehachapi.

Plugshare - Gilroy Chevron - Two 50kW DCFC and a L2 station.

Plugshare - Ukiah Burger King - Two 50kW DCFC and a L2 station.

Plugshare - Arcata Ball Park - One 50kW DCFC and a L2 station.

That leaves only 8 more ChargePoint grant sites yet to open. They are operating 61 grant funded sites now.

I think it's really fortunate that the CEC doubled up on the northern part of the 101 corridor. It looks like Recargo is going to fail to install their GFO-15-603 sites as well.

 

[miimura]

The missing CalTrans sites mentioned above are now on Plugshare.

Plugshare - West Almond Ave, Madera, CA - Two 50kW DCFC

Plugshare - CalTrans District 6 HQ, Fresno, CA - Four 50kW DCFC

 

[miimura]

EV Connect appears to have opened some more grant funded sites too.

Plugshare - Rio Vista - One DCFC and a L2 station. Equipment unknown, no photos or checkins.

The Inyokern Airport site has been open for a while but now has more reliable checkins.
Plugshare - Inyokern Airport - One 50kW DCFC and a L2 station.

Plugshare - Volare Hotel, San Clemente, CA - One DCFC and two L2 stations. No photos or checkins.

That leaves only 8 more CEC funded EV Connect sites remaining. They are currently operating 14 CEC funded sites.

 

[user 340]

EV Connect appears to have opened some more grant funded sites too.
...
That leaves only 8 more CEC funded EV Connect sites remaining. They are currently operating 14 CEC funded sites.

Did Regargo (Plugshare) ever complete any of their sites, and do you expect that to occur? I remember they said they hoped they would after the state terminated their CEC funding a couple years ago. I didn't see Recargo listed in the plugshare.com network filters.

 

[miimura]

EV Connect appears to have opened some more grant funded sites too.
...
That leaves only 8 more CEC funded EV Connect sites remaining. They are currently operating 14 CEC funded sites.

Did Regargo (Plugshare) ever complete any of their sites, and do you expect that to occur? I remember they said they hoped they would after the state terminated their CEC funding a couple years ago. I didn't see Recargo listed in the plugshare.com network filters.

Their GFO-15-601 sites were officially terminated by the CEC. Those sites are the ones between Gilroy and Buellton on the US-101 corridor.
I have been looking for Recargo sites identified in the GFO-15-603 grant, but I have not seen any come online. They have two corridors in that grant. There are 3 sites on CA-152 between Gilroy and Chowchilla and there are 11 sites on US-101 between Healdsburg and the Oregon border. Luckily ChargePoint has already covered both those corridors.

The only Recargo fast charge site I know of is the early "prototype" site that was funded by the Monterey Air Resources Board in Prunedale. It's an excellent site design with BTC 200kW charger cabinets. Those cabinets are capable of splitting their power between two pedestals, but this installation only has one pedestal per cabinet. The site also has Tesla Powerpack batteries to reduce power demand spikes and therefore reduce demand charges from the utility.
Plugshare - Prunedale Shopping Center