Long before the Tesla became a well-known brand or CODA started its short-lived assembly of electric cars at AMPORTS, Benicia installed two electric chargers at City Hall.
Next week, the city will unveil a newer model, a DC fast electric charging station that can draw power from solar panels installed on shade covers in the city parking lot, or take solar-generated electricity that’s stored in a CODA battery tower.
Depending on the battery’s power level when a motorist plugs in an electric car, a full charge can wrap up in half an hour or less, said Brian D. Woodward, climate action planning program assistant.
In addition, Woodward said, the electrical pump has two charging arms, and may be the first dual-connector, battery-backed station in the United States.
The two arms accommodate different brands of vehicles, Woodward said. The Charge and Move (CHAdeMO), developed by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Fuji Heavy Industries, with Toyota joining later, delivers up to 62.5 kilowatts of direct current, according to information provided by the CHAdeMO Association.
The Association said its name is a pun on a Japanese phrase that asks if someone wants some tea. The pun is taken from the time it takes to complete a charge — less than half an hour for low-range electric cars.
The second charging arm, the SAE Combo, is used for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers, from which it takes its name. Its development was encouraged by the California Air Resources Board, which received funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; the SAE Combo is used by Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen.
Teslas have adaptors for either type of plug.
Woodward said Benicia’s electrical vehicle pump fast charger and CODA battery storage system was funded through a $79,200 California Energy Commission grant, as well as contributions from several partners – Growing Energy Labs Inc., Bass Electric, BTC Power, Energy Vault, McCalmont Engineering, Ideal Power and CODA Energy, which has ceased its automobile production,
Members of the public will be able to use the station as soon as the ribbon cutting ceremony concludes Wednesday.
“The station will be available daily during normal City Hall operating hours, 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis,” he said.
“Charging costs will be based on how much energy is used and at what time of day it is used and limited to one-hour per charging session.”
Alex Porteshawver, Climate Action Plan coordinator, said she was excited that Benicia is making another fast charger available to drivers of electric vehicles who travel on Interstate 80, I-680 and I-780.
“We believe these stations are key to increasing the number of clean air vehicles on the road and reducing transportation-related emissions in Benicia and in California,” she said.
This will make three charging stations available to the public, and more are on the way, Porteshawver said.
“The city joined many other jurisdictions and the EV (electric vehicle) Alliance to apply for grant funding from the California Energy Commission to install two Level II stations at the planned Industrial Park Bus Hub and one Level II station at the (Benicia) Community Center,” she said.
“Grant funding was awarded to the Bay Area Charge Ahead project, and those three stations will likely be installed by end of this year (or) early next.”
Level II chargers take from two to six hours to charge an electric car, depending on the amount of charge the vehicle had when it was plugged in as well as the size of its battery, Porteshawver said.
“For example, I arrive at City Hall with approximately half battery capacity and it usually takes two and a half hours for my car to reach full capacity,” she said. “I drive a Nissan Leaf with a 24 kWh (kilowatt-hour) battery pack.”
She said the city’s chargers are expected to be used for supplemental charging, while the vehicle’s owner does the majority of charging at home.
Cost to charge an electric car is based on the city’s own bill from Pacific Gas and Electric for power, plus a transaction fee that covers third-party payment costs and maintenance, Porteshawver said.
Level II chargers cost $1.50 an hour plus a one-time transaction fee of 62 cents.
“For example, you’d pay $4.37 if you fast-charged your car between 8:30 a.m. and noon during part-peak summer time,” she said.
From May to October, the price would increase to $5.12, she said. Both costs assume it takes two and a half hours to charge a car at a Level II station. The cost is more to charge during peak summer hours at the fast charger, she said.
There are several levels of chargers, according to EV Solutions, a promoter of electric vehicles. Level I uses a standard 120-volt outlet and takes 11 to 20 hours to charge a depleted electric vehicle. The portable chargers are often used in case of on-road emergencies when a car’s electrical level is running low.
Level II is designed to charge a car overnight, while the owner sleeps, or during the day while the owner is at work.
Level III bypasses the vehicle’s onboard charger and is designed to charge in minutes, rather than hours, and it was developed especially for commercial or service fleets, heavy industry applications and vehicles being used with little down time.
There are signs on I-780 that mark the East Second Street exit as one to take for a charge, but at the foot of the exit, there’s no sign indicating which way to turn. And chargers don’t have towering signs seen from the highway, as filling stations and other service companies have.
But Porteshawver said that’s not a problem for electric vehicle drivers.
“Most electric cars contain GPS car charging systems,” she said. “Mine has a button I can push that shows me nearby stations.”
She said both Android and iPhone cell phones have multiple applications that also can be used to find charging stations.
“When we commission our stations, we allow them to be recognized by these networks and show up on these maps so drivers can find them,” she said. “I verify that they do appear in the apps.”
She said there are no plans to add supplemental signage, but that may change depending on public comments given to the city.
Because different manufacturers use different electric charger plugs, Porteshawver said Benicia’s new charger is something to celebrate.
“This is one of the reasons our station here is so exciting, because it contains both the CHAdeMO and SAE Combo connector,” she said. “My Leaf uses the CHAdeMO, but the new Chevy Spark and BMW i3 use the SAE arm.”
Tesla has a proprietary network of fast chargers called “superchargers” that Porteshawver said can charge cars in about 20 minutes. “Their website says there are 94 of these chargers in North America.”
The company’s chief executive officer, Elon Musk, who announced plans recently for the supercharger networks, said earlier this week that Tesla would use its supercharging technology to create a universal standard for all cars.
The new station will be unveiled to the public at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Benicia City Hall’s parking lot, 250 East L St.
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Tesla’s bold and unprecedented patent move will surely have a have a positive impact on the advancement of the eCars in general. I see so many Teslas on the road everyday (as well as Zero Motorcycles http://www.zeromotorcycles.com ). If that is any indication, they are surely not hurting. I can’t understand that certain states have banned Tesla dealer dealership. For sure a indication of big oil interests in those state legislators (perhaps I do understand). But, maybe the tide is turning, as it seem that Rick Perry, as anti-rights and as simple minded as he is, has even become a proponent (perhaps by accident) of Tesla.
Bottom line, the fast chargers are a super idea. Maybe Tesla drivers will even visit Benicia. I look forward to seeing more fast chargers in more and more places. I am even looking forward to the manufactured outrage on this (think about the great bike rack controversy of 2011)..
Back to those Tesla dealership banning states. I thought that the following Bob Lutz quote from a few years ago hits it spot on:
“The unfortunate thing is that because electric cars are very associated with the left-wing environmental green movement to combat global warming and reduce [carbon dioxide], the idea of vehicle electrification triggers this visceral reaction on the part of conservatives — which is, if it’s electric it must be a product of the left-wing, Democratic enviro-political machine, therefore we hate it,” said Lutz, a self-described conservative.“
Benicia’s pricing scheme is ridiculous. Varying the rate by the time of day??? What if the price of gas varied from $3 to $7 depending on whether an oil tanker docked that week? The Benicia chargers already get very little usage as far as I can see and I predict the same for the new fast charger because :
1) the older Clipper Bay charger is on a seemingly unique pay system which I have not seen used anywhere else,
2) the rates charged at the ChargePoint station are relatively high (almost every other city in Solano has FREE public chargers),
3) all of the chargers are located behind City Hall, blocks away from business, shopping and dining..
Most other cities with chargers seem to realize that electric car drivers are a source of income BEYOND the cost to charge their cars since while we are waiting for our cars to charge we will often go shopping or dining. Thus Fairfield, Napa, Vacaville, Sonoma, and even Vallejo offer free public chargers..
The City of Benicia clearly does not understand the point or the economics of electric car usage. Electric cars free us from the yoke of OPEC and they are cheaper to operate than internal combustion vehicles. Electric car owners are typically highly educated and financially well off, the type of people Benicia should be trying to attract.
If Benicia really wanted to encourage electric car usage they would offer free chargers and these would be located closer to the heart of First St. Free chargers would literally put Benicia on the electric car owner’s map.
Great point. Let’s not forget that electric cars are more expensive than oil burners. Electric car owners already pay a premium to own vehicles that are on the leading edge of automotive technology. These are the same folks that we’re buying BMW, Benz, and Lexus ten years ago. They could not care less about the added benefits of e-car ownership. They’d buy them, regardless.
Thomas you could be right. So lets say you are. I assume then they would not mind paying an extra say $1,000 t0 $2,000 at registration time every year. After all they do use the hiways for free. No gas taxes etc. They need to pay for the hiway use. Then maybe the cities and others could help on charging costs. By the way Tesla is about to show a $35,000 car. Will there be E insentives or subsidies to buy a hybrid or all elctric car. This is not good for the rest of the citizens. These care buyers must pay their own way . Not the tax payers.
ECardriver stated:Electric car owners are typically highly educated and financially well off
Free Charging, this sounds like a great idea!
How else can the poor and not as bright tax payers help subsidize the costs of the buying decisions of wealthy and intelligent electric car drivers?
Dennis the single most important thing to remember is they pay no gas taxes. They drive the roads free. Bad news for other car owners. Just another free ride the Liberals want.
Agreed Bob.
Eventually we will have a “road usage tax”, based on miles driven, vehicle weight. or both. But that will be on top of existing federal gas taxes.
That does appear to be the thinking of the Enviro Greenies. Just another way to get back at big oil or fossil fuel producers. Just watch the Liberals squeal on that one.
How quickly “conservatives” are eager for new taxes all of a sudden!
It is not a new tax. Just asking the E car folks to pay their share. Conservatives are tired of paying for Liberals.
I guess it all depends on who you think the tax is going to affect. Clearly you expect more liberals than “conservatives” to be affected by your new tax, or you would not support it.
Correct more Liberals than Conservatives. Start paying for what you use. Maybe the Liberals will now start understanding fees, taxes and subsidies.
Glad you admit your hypocrisy. I suppose next you’ll propose a tax on bicyclists for their use of the roads? How about pedestrians for their use of the sidewalks?
As you know those are maintained by the city. Property , sales and other taxes are supposed to pay for that maintenace. Gas tax is for roads. There are already taxes in place to cover what you are talking about. Walk downtown and spend money you just helped pay for those sidewalks. Go do a little research. Not a hypocrite at all. Just the facts
Oh I know about those taxes. I just figured that since you are now so tax happy you’d want to add another one. Call it a foot tax for pedestrian use of crosswalks, or a nonsin tax for those pesky bikers and their bike lanes. Just spitballing here. You’re the tax man.
You know as well as I do that taxes, fees etc are to benefit all residents in a city, county, state and the country. Would you want to increase city, county or stales tax to fund the roads. Or would you rather up the gas tax to pay for the roads. that exempts E cars? Fair taxes is all I have every been about. Get full employment and we will not even be talking about minimum wage or wealth distribution. To subsidize and give speacial treatment to one group is wrong no matter what your political leanings. Better take a close look at the Tesla Battery manufacturing plant that they are using every bargaining tool to get California to subsidize them to build here in California. I think you will find is could end up being CODA Junior. Just A thought. I am not against renewable energy I just do not like special; treatment of some over others. As you know I am against CCA’s and I am for sure correct on that issue. Bad bad bad deal. My opinion
“Wha, those dang horseless carriages are going to smoke up the roads and, dang, if they don’t scare our poor horses half to deeth. Them coughing’, dirty, combustion engines ain’t a’gonna last but a year or so, then we’ll be back where we belong, with our reliable and faithful horses.”
E Cars? Far from being the new Betamax..
Wasn’t talking about e-cars being Betamax; was referring to just the opposite!
Precisely.
Moving past all the partisan bickering my point was that electric car drivers tend to spend money in the communities where they charge their cars and therefore local businesses benefit from increased sales and the community collects extra sales taxes so having free or cheap car chargers may actually help generate revenues above and beyond the cost of the electricity. Further, encouraging electric car usage via free/cheap charging is patriotic since it reduces our dependence on OPEC and keeps the money spent on fuel local. With their arcane and high pricing for electrical charging the City of Benicia is helping no one.