Adding EV Chargers

[warfelg]

Probably because you got your facts wrong.


For those under a rock, here’s an article about the actual law right now:

Electric Vehicle Tax Credits: What You Need to Know

Only thing Edmunds missed is Toyota hit that 200,000 mark too thanks to the Prius Prime.

Also adding this:
I’m no fan of the UAW because I firmly believe they are corrupt and a big reason that the American automotive industry is in such bad shape. Tesla and Toyota are “against” it because it gives them an edge “because” of having a union. The truth is they are against it because they know the UAW cripples the Detroit 3 by forcing them to pay workers so much. It inhibits their ability to make a profit and why often the quality of materials are substandard. Foreign auto makers don’t deal with such limitations by hiring non-union workers and by purposely building factors in impoverished areas where the job is more important. The incentives for union made cars is a good thing for the legacy auto makes as it gives people a reason to shop their (frankly subpar) options to help prompt their long term health over a company that pays subpar rates and has subpar conditions. Additionally it’s good for them to join the fray and see if we can push Tesla to worry more about quality as (sorry to any owners) the build quality is shit compared to the Detroit 3, and their quality isn’t even that good.

Additionally additionally:
The 200,000 rule was based in the process that it took that many selling to make Plug-In and EV technology profitable in a given year. So the tax breaks cutting back is, again, based on the cost of the EVs and Plug Ins should drop at that time because the initial development is done. At this point Teslas claims that a $25,000-35,000 entry level EV is impossible is honestly shitposting and disinformation. They could easily make smaller cars with a 200 mi range if they wanted to but choose not to because Musk is trying to profit. Just like he claims that the Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi are delayed because they can’t keep up with orders is a red herring. They are delayed because of DOT regulations they fail along with distribution issues due to a lack of a traditional dealer network.

 

[bill s]

Reality aside, this is giving me a mental picture of a huge parking lot snaked with hundreds of orange extension cords going in every conceivable direction. That might not be that far off because maybe the way to charge hundreds or thousands of cars is to have someone to physically move the plugs around for you. Valet charging.

Also seems like charging benefits the most places were it really helps get people in. For example, Wawa sells food, so they're doing chargers. Maybe one day we'll see sort of FEC-truck stop hybrids along the major highways. Hotels. But maybe BGW also works. Interesting to consider that slow charging could be preferable even in that situation.

 

[warfelg]

Reality aside, this is giving me a mental picture of a huge parking lot snaked with hundreds of orange extension cords going in every conceivable direction. That might not be that far off because maybe the way to charge hundreds or thousands of cars is to have someone to physically move the plugs around for you.

Huh? This makes no sense and not the way it works.

 

[warfelg]

Interesting to hear slow charging is desirable.

Sorry just saw this part. Slow charging isn’t desirable. In some cases it’s necessary. Relying on supercharging (or level I/II/III) is bad for your car. Most those roadside stops have the higher level charging capabilities. I was in a Tesla rental that went from 15% to 80% battery in 35 minutes. Only difference I noticed was eat before driving rather than eat while driving (hey safety!!). A place like BGW won’t have many as few people will need to ability to charge from 20->80% in half an hour. In most these cases you want to use a 120/240 V charger to get from 20->100% in about 5-8 hours (depending on the batteries and load on system) which is how long a place like BGW should want you there.

 

[horsesboy]

Also seems like charging benefits the most places were it really helps get people in. For example, Wawa sells food, so they're doing chargers. Maybe one day we'll see sort of FEC-truck stop hybrids along the major highways. Hotels. But maybe BGW also works. Interesting to hear slow charging is desirable.

WAWA offers them as part of a partnership with Telsa I believe some or all of the cost of installing them is covered on Telsa's making them more cost effective. My understanding is that the program only works with location that are accessible to the general public so a closed parking lot that you have to pay to enter like BGW's likely wouldn't qualify.

 

[CoasterTalkBob]

Reality aside, this is giving me a mental picture of a huge parking lot snaked with hundreds of orange extension cords going in every conceivable direction. That might not be that far off because maybe the way to charge hundreds or thousands of cars is to have someone to physically move the plugs around for you. Valet charging.

It doesn't work quite like that. Each spot has it's own charging unit.... the power that we are talking about isn't really something you run extensions for anyway. You didn't quote anything but I'm assuming this is in response to the issue of not having to run back to the parking lot to move your vehicle after it's topped off. I think the solution is a little more elegant, especially in places like BGW where you expand to multiple units that have a shared infrastructure that reduces the cost of each single unit. In no case do you have a set up where every spot doesn't have it's own connection and there isn't really any reason to do that.

 

[halfabee]

Reality aside, this is giving me a mental picture of a huge parking lot snaked with hundreds of orange extension cords going in every conceivable direction. That might not be that far off because maybe the way to charge hundreds or thousands of cars is to have someone to physically move the plugs around for you.

An entertaining image, for sure.

Charging EVs via human-movable extension cords anywhere in the line is not recommended by any auto or Level 2 charger manufacturers, as far as I'm aware. (Of course some people do it anyway. I wouldn't.)

An extension cord suitable for 240V, 50A duty (aka household clothes dryer or RV) also gets expensive really quickly. I was surprised to see a 15-footer at Home Depot for only $75. Not sure I'd trust that one, but then again it may not be any cheaper than many others sold online, often at substantially higher prices.

Edit: @CoasterTalkBob's answer above is better. Chargers can intelligently communicate with EVs and turn off once charging is complete. Each parking spot within the charger infrastructure gets a connection. If an EV remains in that parking spot all day, it can stay plugged in without any harm done to others' service (though physical access is another matter, partially solved by having several chargers).

 

[warfelg]

Also the stations are important as the car can communicate charging rate and when to stop charging.

 

[bill s]

Valet service, then. Especially with tram-based parking layouts.

 

[WDWRLD]

Probably because you got your facts wrong.


For those under a rock, here’s an article about the actual law right now:

Electric Vehicle Tax Credits: What You Need to Know

Wait…..tou just searched another article and posted it and said here’s the actual law? So where’s the law? The actual
law and a news article are not the same. The fact is the incentives are based on things like union workers other things. So my facts are facts.

 

[halfabee]

I do sometimes wonder whether a valet service would be successful at a theme park, with or without EV charging.

Personally, I know multiple families that would seriously consider that service for maybe $10-15 more than standard parking. When you consider the hassles of getting your young kids, strollers, kid-bag, etc. from the far-flung parking lot to the gate via tram, some surely would pay extra to avoid that.

How many? No idea. Putting aside the questions of which lot to make valet, where to put the valet stand, whether EV charging is only available via valet, etc., it might be a trick to park a rush of cars in the morning and retrieve a rush of cars at park close. But it could be made a limited-volume service.

 

[halfabee]

Wait…..tou just searched another article and posted it and said here’s the actual law? So where’s the law? The actual
law and a news article are not the same. The fact is the incentives are based on things like union workers other things. So my facts are facts.

"Fix my wrong facts for me, or else I'm right."

Okay.

Then -- minimal offense intended, but -- here's where you should start instead. Seriously.

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[Zachary]

I do sometimes wonder whether a valet service would be successful at a theme park, with or without EV charging.

Personally, I know multiple families that would seriously consider that service for maybe $10-15 more than standard parking. When you consider the hassles of getting your young kids, strollers, kid-bag, etc. from the far-flung parking lot to the gate via tram, some surely would pay extra to avoid that.

How many? No idea. Putting aside the questions of which lot to make valet, where to put the valet stand, whether EV charging is only available via valet, etc., it might be a trick to park a rush of cars in the morning and retrieve a rush of cars at park close. But it could be made a limited-volume service.

Universal has valet parking which seems fairly successful, but that also services two major FL parks and CityWalk. I can only imagine it potentially being offered seasonally at BGW—Howl-O-Scream and Christmas Town weekends?

 

[warfelg]

I hate valet. Always feels sketchy to me.

 

[Crunchewy]

For the record, I don't own an EV and I'm all for parks adding EV chargers and continuing to add them as the need for them increases. I will own one eventually, but even not considering that I benefit from them being in use anyway as I certainly am concerned about the environment. We don't have a driveway (and we have to park on the opposite side of the street), so the convenience of an EV wouldn't quite be there for me right now. If and when EVs can charge in a length of time closer to a gas fill-up, and/or I have a driveway I will certainly get one. We have hybrids for now.

 

[Nicole]

I hate valet. Always feels sketchy to me.

I love valet at Uni! It came with our annual pass last year and it is located at the bottom of an escalator right up to the metal detectors. Especially at the end of the day, the dramatically shortened walk was fantastic.

I will admit the time I had to valet my generic rental car at a restaurant in Malibu was a bit awkward, but generally valet is super convenient.

Anyway, back to the bizarre debate at hand.

 

[I64 Trekker]

I love valet at Uni! It came with our annual pass last year and it is located at the bottom of an escalator right up to the metal detectors. Especially at the end of the day, the dramatically shortened walk was fantastic.

I will admit the time I had to valet my generic rental car at a restaurant in Malibu was a bit awkward, but generally valet is super convenient.

Anyway, back to the bizarre debate at hand.

Valet at Universal has two key benefits:
(1) You can use it on the first day of your membership - Universal otherwises charges you for the garages the first day when you are picking up your membership passes
(2) Separate security checkpoint versus the madhouse coming in from the parking garages

 

[warfelg]

I love valet at Uni! It came with our annual pass last year and it is located at the bottom of an escalator right up to the metal detectors. Especially at the end of the day, the dramatically shortened walk was fantastic.

I will admit the time I had to valet my generic rental car at a restaurant in Malibu was a bit awkward, but generally valet is super convenient.

Anyway, back to the bizarre debate at hand.

I’m just not a fan of other driving my car.

But yea strange debate. Especially as the “excuses” as to why not to do it keeps changing with every turn. There’s almost no downside to BGW doing this. Including a group that may not have visited, a way to make more premium parking, furthering conservation movements, and keeping up with the changing landscape of the American automotive environment.

Heck saying they shouldn’t have EV chargers for the reasons listed is like if I said all cars over a certain size should have to park in the overflow lot because big trucks don’t fit in the spots length wise and dent doors because they can’t control them due to the width of the truck. (Exactly what happened to me on my last BGW AND KD visit fwiw).

 

[mikes]

This is such a horrible take. There are so many parts of life where everyone pays the same but utilizes something different out of the payment. I don't own an EV and likely won't for quite a while but I think they absolutely should be adding free charging out of their own business interests and it doesn't bug me a single bit.

Not the same at all. I should get some gas then. Why should it be free?

 

[Icer]

Not the same at all. I should get some gas then. Why should it be free?

The cost associated with providing charging to cars is much lower than gas to cars, in both the initial set up of the facilities and continuous cost of the resource. Though there is still a cost, many business units have deemed it a worthwhile tradeoff to eat the overhead cost in exchange for the ability to market free charging, whereas the costs with doing the same with gas would be astronomical and could not be realistically offset by a potential business increase that can be attributed to the service.