chargers are filled with the Volts and Prius Plug Ins

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cossie1600

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
243
Call me selfish, but it's getting annoying that the charging stations are filled with these partial plug in cars!
 
In theory they should be able to charge up very quickly no? What is PIP EV range? 12 miles? or 21?
Hope they move along when they are done.
 
cossie1600 said:
Call me selfish, but it's getting annoying that the charging stations are filled with these partial plug in cars!
They have every right to plug in, just like anyone else. Why blame them for plugging in when a spot is open? When I'm driving my Volt, if I see a spot to charge and I need juice, I take the spot. I'm not going to be clairvoyant and park somewhere else because I'm assuming that a BEV will need the spot.
 
bruin nut said:
They have every right to plug in, just like anyone else. Why blame them for plugging in when a spot is open? When I'm driving my Volt, if I see a spot to charge and I need juice, I take the spot. I'm not going to be clairvoyant and park somewhere else because I'm assuming that a BEV will need the spot.
I think he is talking about courtesy to the pure EV's... when I had my PIP I would never take a free public spot as I felt they were truly intended for pure electric vehicles... not plug in hybrids.

This is why I drive locally within my charge level/range and try to not leave myself in a position needing a charge to get home. One of the reasons I chose the Rav4 EV over the Leaf.

I think the free stations promote this behavior... not sure if the hybrids would pay to charge if they had to. When I had my PIP I felt it would be less expensive to "burn some gas" to get home rather than plug in for $1.00-1.50/hr. At 3 hrs to charge and $3.50/gal I could go further on a gallon of gas (50 or so miles) than the 11 mi on $3.00/$4.50 for the charge. The PIP is just so efficient in that area! I don't think the same is true for the Volt.
 
i don;t mind they park, i just want them to move when the charge is complete, i see them sitting there full all the time.

I always move my car when i get the charge completed message.
 
bruin nut said:
cossie1600 said:
Call me selfish, but it's getting annoying that the charging stations are filled with these partial plug in cars!
They have every right to plug in, just like anyone else. Why blame them for plugging in when a spot is open? When I'm driving my Volt, if I see a spot to charge and I need juice, I take the spot. I'm not going to be clairvoyant and park somewhere else because I'm assuming that a BEV will need the spot.

What's the definition of Electric Vehicle?
are Prius Plug IN and Volts considered EVs?
then why didn't they issue a "white" sticker for you guys.
my opinion, and i repeat, just mine, a GOLF cart has more right than your Volt to park in a Designated "ELECTRIC VEHICLE ONLY" spot.

it's common courtesy, that i practice every time on public charging stations, especially the FREE ones.
once you're done charging. MOVE!
i see prius plug in parked 5-6 hrs straight CHARGING!

Let's NOT forget, a VOLT or any Range Extender/ Plug in hybrid can go home using their ICE.
a purely electric vehicle CANNOT.
 
mark_rivers19 said:
What's the definition of Electric Vehicle?
are Prius Plug IN and Volts considered EVs?
This is a great question, and I've often wondered about this, especially back when LAX used to give free parking for "EVs only", but apparently Volts and PiPs were allowed the benefit as well.

mark_rivers19 said:
then why didn't they issue a "white" sticker for you guys
There is a sticker for this, that was around from the old EV-1 days, and I got one along with my HOV stickers when I got my Leaf (waste of $17.) GM, however, made a big stink about this and lobbied to get a law passed (AB475) that says any car that's plugged in can park at a charging station. Nevermind that this penalizes the good behavior of an EV driver at a charging station that can be reached by multiple spots allowing himself to be unplugged when done so that another EV driver can charge.

AvLegends said:
I think the free stations promote this behavior... not sure if the hybrids would pay to charge if they had to.
Depends on how much it'd cost. I actually think that if paid public L2 stations are ever to have a business case, it'll be because of plug-in hybrid usage, not EVs. EV drivers can generally charge at home for much less than the cost of any paid public station (or free if we have solar), so it doesn't make sense to ever use paid public charging unless we need it.

But we know that when we do need it we're very likely to be ICE'd or find a PiP squatting all day in the spot, or find the station out-of-order! Since we can't rely on public charging, if we need to go somewhere outside our range we'll typically just use a gas car instead. It's quite the catch-22.

A PiP driver on the other hand (and to a lesser extent a Volt driver), who probably has to burn some gas every day with his puny battery, should actively seek out public charging as long as the cost is less than the equivalent cost of gas would be. So there is potentially a "sweet spot" there that PHEVs could fill, but IMHO the outlook for public charging as a business (at least L2) is rather grim regardless.
 
How hard could it be for companies like Chargepoint to update their software so that once your car is done charging, if it is still plugged in your account gets charged--even if the station is free? Maybe there is some sort of grace period like 15 minutes for people to move their vehicles after charging is complete, but after that charge them for every minute they are plugged in but not charging.
 
Blink charges $1/hour so long as you are plugged-in. In CA, I believe it is illegal to park in a charging spot unless plugged in. Problem solved.
 
AvLegends said:
EVlearner said:
What is PIP EV range? 12 miles? or 21?
12 miles

How long does it that the PIP to charge up on the public chargers? I can't understand why they would stay parked there, it can't take long to charge up a battery that only gets you 12 miles. Not to pick on the PIP but since they are the best selling PHEV we'll probably see more of them at charge stations.

Lots of good ideas here that would just take a little effort on the part of these charge stations. Like how about an etiquette list or just some common sense rules, like if you are done charging move your car or other reminders. The best one is the financial hit, but I guess people would dispute and not pay anyone (since via Credit Card).

It would make more sense if these chargers could be wired to be in the middle of a parking lot so each charger could service up to 4 parking spots (charger placed where 4 corners meet).
 
Yup it finally happened. 4 plugs, 6 cars (4 inactive plugs). I moved my car after I was done at about 8PM, gave my spot to my neighbor. Now I can't charge my wife's car as two Volts are charging and one Prius done charging and taking up one plug and the space next to it. I don't mind it so much if they are actually charging. I just hate the fact the guy is leaving it in there when the car was done by 10PM
 
I see PIPs plugged in and left all day in garages blocking spots. Not to mention Teslas in the same spot every single day all day long with a full charge at noon. There is one guy who has claimed the spot as his personal daily parking spot, I'm sure he commutes 200 plus miles per day each way. :roll:
 
Perhaps a friendly flyer posted in your usual charging stations suggesting proper etiqquete would help some of your situations. Let them know others are waiting, PIPs dont need to be plugged in all day, etc might help. If nothing else maybe the guilt factor will help.
 
reeler said:
Blink charges $1/hour so long as you are plugged-in. In CA, I believe it is illegal to park in a charging spot unless plugged in. Problem solved.

Well, the spot must be specifically placarded / marked with CVC 22511 language.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22511.htm

V C Section 22511 Off-Street Parking: Electric Vehicles
Off-Street Parking: Electric Vehicles

22511. (a)A local authority, by ordinance or resolution, and a person in lawful possession of an offstreet parking facility may designate stalls or spaces in an offstreet parking facility owned or operated by that local authority or person for the exclusive purpose of charging and parking a vehicle that is connected for electric charging purposes.

(b) If posted in accordance with subdivision (d) or (e), the owner or person in lawful possession of a privately owned or operated offstreet parking facility, after notifying the police or sheriff’s department, may cause the removal of a vehicle from a stall or space designated pursuant to subdivision (a) in the facility to the nearest public garage if the vehicle is not connected for electric charging purposes.

(c) If posted in accordance with subdivision (d), the local authority owning or operating an offstreet parking facility, after notifying the police or sheriff’s department, may cause the removal of a vehicle from a stall or space designated pursuant to subdivision (a) in the facility to the nearest garage, as defined in Section 340, that is owned, leased, or approved for use by a public agency if the vehicle is not connected for electric charging purposes.

(d) The posting required for an offstreet parking facility owned or operated either privately or by a local authority shall consist of a sign not less than 17 by 22 inches in size with lettering not less than one inch in height that clearly and conspicuously states the following:

"Unauthorized vehicles not connected for electric charging purposes will be towed away at owner’s expense. Towed vehicles may be reclaimed at

___________________________________________________ or by telephoning

(Address)

____________________________________________________________________."
(Telephone number of local law enforcement agency)




The sign shall be posted in either of the following locations:

(1) Immediately adjacent to, and visible from, the stall or space.

(2) In a conspicuous place at each entrance to the offstreet parking facility.

(e) If the parking facility is privately owned and public parking is prohibited by the posting of a sign meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 22658, the requirements of subdivision (b) may be met by the posting of a sign immediately adjacent to, and visible from, each stall or space indicating that a vehicle not meeting the requirements of subdivision (a) will be removed at the owner’s expense and containing the telephone number of the local traffic law enforcement agency.

(f) This section does not interfere with existing law governing the ability of local authorities to adopt ordinances related to parking programs within their jurisdiction, such as programs that provide free parking in metered areas or municipal garages for electric vehicles.

Amended Sec. 1, Ch. 274, Stats. 2011. Effective January 1, 2012.
 
My wife was ICEd by car with a handicapped placard. It was ticketed and towed.

She spent the day at the Del Mar beach and needed a charge to get home. She finally got her charge after the ICE vehicle was towed.
 
Would it be reasonable to have a minimum plug-in charge of 3 or 4 dollars, so that it makes no sense for low storage capacity vehicles to plug in and top off, and keeping those spots for higher capacity pure EVs to use the chargers? Its a real concern to me that its unrealistic to expect to find an available charging station when taking a longer range trip to an unfamiliar area. Its barely acceptable to plan a 4-5 hour stop for a full charge, but if you have to add 3 or 4 more hours to allow for finding an open charger -
 
From what I remember it was about 3 hours for L1, 1.5 hours for L2.

Well, there should probably be a law against that -- taking 1 1/2 hours to get a full charge at a L2 public charger just to go 12 miles (and maybe 15 if you are a "good" driver)... the Accord Plug In is a little better - says 1 hour from a 240 V to get you 13 miles EV range. :eek:

I'm sure these type of cars are designed to be charged at home, but the temptation, the temptation to plug in for free at work or wherever and get some EV range to make your next trip or commute home...its too great! and then a few meetings here or there, who has time to remember to go unplug at work?

Just doesn't seem right to have to charge so long just to get so little range in return!! One day our grandchildren will be laughing that such a car/technology even existed. :lol:
 
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